#4 Scottie Barnes – Forward – Florida State
Coming out of high school, Scottie Barnes was already one of the most hyped up NBA prospects in the 2021 draft class, but he did not necessarily live up to expectations in Florida State. His role with the Seminoles was not as great as many had imagined, which resulted in his stats not being reflective of what kind of player he could be in the NBA.
However, after attending the NBA Draft Combine, measuring well and being a guy NBA personnel love after meeting with him, the 19-year-old forward enters the NBA Draft as a potential Top-5 pick. 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.
He did not participate in any of the scrimmages at last week’s combine, but Scottie Barnes did measure in at 6’8” with shoes, he measured a 7’2.75” wingspan, 5th best at the combine, and his standing reach was measured at 9-feet, which ranked 6th best at the combine. Barnes also was tied for the third best standing vertical leap at 36 inches.
Measurement wise, Scottie Barnes is every team’s “dream come true” in the pre-draft process and he has checked all of the boxes so far in terms of what teams are looking for in a guy who can play numerous positions on the court given his athleticism and playmaking abilities.
In the NBA, Scottie Barnes is going to be a point-forward type 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, as well as being a playmaker for others.
READ MORE: 2021 NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Who improved their stock most during the combine?
Outside of the guards in this year’s draft class, Scottie Barnes may be the best passer in this year’s draft, which is very impressive for a guy who stands 6’8” on the wing. Shooting wise, Barnes has some room to grow, but these things can be worked on and taught. 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 OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam at the forward positions, Toronto may not look like a team that needs nor wants to add another young forward to the mix, but adding Scottie Barnes definitely has its perks for the Raptors.
Given his length, Barnes has a chance to turn into a very valuable defender and given his athleticism plus ball-handling skills, he has a chance to be a force on the offensive-end of the court as well. Toronto has moved Siakam to the center position in “small-ball” lineups before, so maybe they could look to make this a habit of theirs with a rotation of Anunoby, Barnes and Siakam, that is if they are to use this fourth pick on Scottie Barnes.
With a lot of potential to continue growing Barnes finds himself in elite company at the top of many team’s draft boards this year, but the one thing about Scottie Barnes that separates him from the rest of this year’s draft class is that he can come in and immediately make a difference.
Other players have more potential than Barnes, but they will definitely be projects and guys that will need to develop further. Toronto, if they do not intend to rebuild, will want guys that can come in and contribute right away, which is why Scottie Barnes is the complete package for a team like the Raptors.
