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School: Nevada
Height/Weight: 6’1″, 193 lbs
Age: 23 years old
Projected NBA Position: Point Guard
Pro Comparison: Point version of James Harden
Twitter Handle: @DeonteBurton
He flew under the radar for most of his career at Nevada, but eventually Deonte Burton drew attention from NBA eyes with his explosive play and robust stats.
While he may not be a prototypical floor general or a well-rounded guard, he’s a dangerous playmaker due to his ability to attack the basket. As a senior, Burton scored 20-plus points per game and offered his best career assist-to-turnover ratio.
Burton’s speed, strength and leaping ability will help him knife through opposing defenders, and it will also help him apply some defensive pressure of his own.
If he can shoot the ball respectably and demonstrate steady passing, he could eventually have a prominent role.
Statistics at Nevada
Year
PTS
AST
STL
FG%
3P%
2010-11
13.7
3.5
1.3
.422
.355
2011-12
14.8
4.2
1.1
.402
.372
2012-13
16.3
3.6
1.4
.449
.301
2013-14
20.1
4.4
1.5
.471
.314
NCAA.com
PHYSICAL TOOLS
Burton is 6’1.25″ in shoes, which puts him at a disadvantage against most NBA guards, but his 6’7″ wingspan should help make up for his diminutive stature. He’s also a strong 193 pounds, which is pretty solid for someone his height.
USA TODAY Sports
The greatest physical gift he brings to the party is his vertical leaping. He can bounce 39.5 inches, and he uses those springs to elevate over opponents and embarrass them.
Burton also has great speed on both ends of the floor, as he can blow by people off the dribble and also supply stout defense.
He uses his blend of quickness, strength and agility to draw tons of fouls. An intense playing style and aggressive approach make him an undesirable matchup for many opponents.
CORE STRENGTHS
Slashing/Attacking to the Rim
Throughout his collegiate career, Burton showed that he could consistently drive to the hoop and score using his athleticism.
He has a great first step off the dribble to beat his man, and then once he gets into the teeth of the defense, he takes over. Whether it’s an explosive dunk or a strong finish through contact, he gets the job done.
It’s not too often that he slashes to the hoop without either scoring or drawing a foul. Burton got to the free-throw line regularly from day one at Nevada, as he averaged 6.4 attempts per game for his career, including 7.5 attempts per 40 minutes, according to Sports-Reference.com.
His ability to drive assertively and create scoring chances will translate beautifully to the open-floor NBA style.
Perimeter Defense
Despite his diminutive size, Burton could be a valuable on-ball defender in the NBA.
His wingspan and strength should help him hold his ground from a spacial/contesting standpoint, and his speed and instincts will take care of the rest. Burton did a great job of pressuring opposing guards in college, and he averaged 1.5 steals per game during his senior campaign.
Burton didn’t post the best lane agility time at the NBA Draft Combine, but those tests don’t account for how he employs his physical tools and motor in a game.
As a weapon off the bench, his defensive energy and great coordination will come in handy.
Pick-And-Roll Creativity
This is closely related to Burton’s “attack the rim” abilities. When he operates in the pick-and-roll, he’s extremely dangerous off the bounce as a scorer and passer.
Burton has a superb cadence, great footwork and deft ball-handling skills to manipulate the screen and turn it into points. He utilizes hesitation moves to explosively use the pick and get all the way to the rim. If the defense overcommits, he does a solid jump of dumping the ball to the open man.
DraftExpress.com’s Mike Schmitz broke down film of the guard, and he noted that Burton has a “good feel out of the pick-and-roll,” and that he effectively uses “spin moves and in-and-out dribbles” to generate offense.
He’s going to love using tons of ball-screen sets in the NBA, and it could actually help him become a more productive dime-dropper.
WEAKNESSES/CONCERNS
Although he has the tools to attack and will make some plays on both ends of the floor, there are questions about whether Burton will be a capable floor general at the next level.
He wasn’t a great quarterback during his four years at Nevada, as he didn’t consistently set up his teammates for buckets throughout games.
“(Burton) has point guard size, but he’s not a great distributor,” NBADraft.net scout Jacob Stallard explained. “…Only averages 4.5 assists per 40 minutes. Some of this is due to a lack of talent around him, but he often dribbles with no intent of finding open teammates”
The other issue of note is shooting. Burton hit just 31 percent of his triples as a senior and struggled mightily to hit from NBA range during the combine (7-of-25). However, recent draft workouts (such as his outing with BDA Sports in Los Angeles) have shown a decently smooth stroke and confidence from deep. Can he get more elevation during his delivery and translate it to the games?
NBA PROJECTION
Immediate Projection
Because he’s a smaller player without point guard skills, Burton will be operating in a reserve role to begin his career.
But just because he’s a bench player, it doesn’t mean he can’t influence the game. Burton’s slashing prowess and athleticism can help inject life into his club, and he will put opponents on their heels by getting to the free-throw line. Defensively, he’ll do plenty to keep foes at bay while the starters rest.
Long-Term Projection
If he can grow into a more dynamic passer and consistent shooter, then he could be a combo guard worthy of a larger role and take the reins of the offense.
When you watch his style of play, you can’t help but think of James Harden. Like the bearded Rocket, Burton drives aggressively in the lane, slicing his way to the bucket and almost welcoming contact.
Burton’s role could be like Harden’s but on a smaller scale. He will play in score-first mode, but he’ll keep his teammates involved and probably commit fewer turnovers than Harden.
If he can earn 20-30 minutes per game, he could score in double figures and notch three to five assists per contest.
Author : usa-news
Publish date : 2024-07-14 08:40:15
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