Scottie Barnes – SF/PF – Florida State – Freshman/19 – 6’9”, 227 lbs
Coming out of high school, Scottie Barnes was the nation’s #5 overall prospects according to the 2020 ESPN Top 100 Recruiting Rankings and at Florida State this past year, he showed glimpses into his full potential.
In 24 games with the Seminoles, Barnes averaged 10.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals and shot 56.1% from the floor. He usually came off-the-bench and never really got a chance to prove himself more than he did, but Barnes still ended up being recognized as the ACC Freshman of the Year and one of the best freshman in college hoops.
Now, the 19-year-old forward enters the NBA Draft expected to be drafted in the NBA Draft Lottery, but outside of the Top-5 prospects in this year’s draft, Scottie Barnes is my next favorite player. Not only does he have a ton of potential to grow into something special in this league, but Barnes is a very versatile player in terms of what he can do on the court.
Quite honestly, one of the biggest reasons why Scottie Barnes never exploded at Florida State is because their style of play did not really fit him well as a player. He is extremely agile and quick for a forward and with the Seminoles, they wanted him to be a more contained, back-to-the-basket type of guy.
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In the NBA, Barnes is going to be the opposite of this kind of player given his gifted abilities to play one-on-one and be a very strong threat in transition. He may not be the best perimeter threat in this draft class, but he is definitely one of the better players in this year’s draft off-the-dribble attacking the rim.
Jump shot mechanics can be worked on and taught, but having a high-motor and being an above-average athlete for his size is something that you cannot teach and is something Barnes possesses. With a freakish 7’2” wingspan, Scottie Barnes has the potential to be an impactful NBA player on both ends of the court and because of all of this potential, he could very well end up being the biggest steal in the 2021 NBA Draft.
