Boston Celtics fans may be so (justifiably) enamored with the shooting of 14th overall pick Aaron Nesmith they may have missed that their favorite team’s other first round pick is a deadeye shot as well.
And the prospect is the aggressive, high-motor guard from Oregon named Payton Pritchard, who ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz sees a semblance of recently-paid undrafted Toronto Raptors point guard Fred Van Vleet, who he broke down the similarities between in a recent video.
“So, in terms of the top shooters, Aaron Nesmith [is] certainly up there, Desmond Bane tremendous as well,” began Schmitz.
Broke down why Oregon PG Payton Pritchard could have a Fred VanVleet type of impact at the NBA level. pic.twitter.com/M2A29kEVRu
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) November 18, 2020
“But, the guy we’re going to break down here is Payton Pritchard, who scored almost 2,000 points during his Oregon career and shot 42% from 3 this past season.”
“He reminds a bit of another four-year college player, Fred Van Vleet. With his toughness, his shooting ability, his affinity to rise when the moment gets greater, shining in the bright lights. That’s what makes Prichard so special and very, very similar to Fred Van Vleet.”
“He’s a fiery competitor, that’s who Payton Pritchard really is, and then Fred Van Vleet, he’s very similar in that regard,” he added.
Noting how both are able to turn attacks on their size into offense with their quick hands, Schmitz makes a case the former Duck can translate well to the NBA with his hyper-aggressive style of play.
“That’s why [Van Vleet’s] been able to fit, alongside Kyle Lowry and have so much success,” he explained. “You can play in these multi-guard lineups, and that’s Peyton pritchards future as well.”
A pretty high bar for a longer-term outcome, but we think Pritchard has sollid odds of getting there, and looks able to help from the rip.
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