NBA Draft Profiles: Justin Harper, Richmond

Bjorn Zetterberg of SwishScout.com will be helping us out with all of our NBA Draft Profiles this year. You can follow him on twitter @swishscout.

To browse through the latest prospect profiles, click here. To see a complete list of the players we have profiled, click here.

Stats: 17.9 ppg, 6.9 apg, 1.2 bpg, 44.8 3PT%

Age: 21, senior

Size:

• Listed: 6'9", 230 lb
• Official: 6'8" (no shoes), 6'8.75" (with shoes), 6'11.75" (wingspan), 8'10" (reach), 200 lb

Strengths: The biggest asset that Harper has at his disposal is his jump shot. As a senior, he really burst onto the national scene, knocking down 44.8% of his threes -- a number that dropped late in the season -- and becoming one of the most efficient scorers in the nation. At 6'9", this makes Harper a weapon with a unique skill-set and an NBA-ready skill. Harper has NBA range and a quick release, making him an ideal pick-and-pop prospect, while he also can score in the mid-range and is effective squaring up on the perimeter. Harper is not a great post scorer, but he is improved around this basket. He has decent footwork and a nice touch, but is not physical enough on the block. Another factor that NBA teams will have to consider is that Harper is still young. He won't turn 22 until August 30th, and given his development throughout college, there is reason to believe that his work ethic will allow him to fulfill his potential.

Weaknesses: NBA teams don't want power forwards that are going to be strictly jump shooters, and as of right now, that is all Harper does at an NBA level. He's not a great rebounder, especially on the offensive end of the floor, where he has a tendency to float on the perimeter instead of using his length and athleticism to attack the glass. He's not a great defender, either. He'll block some shots, but he will also get backed down by post fours and beaten off the dribble by quicker threes. He is the definition of a tweener; a guy with a perimeter skill-set and mind-set but without the quickness to play the spot. Some sites have said that Harper needs to add strength, but he already is strong, notching 19 reps on the bench at 185 lb. Adding some lower body strength could help that, but overall Harper just doesn't appear to be the kind of player that is going to bang in the post.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: Channing Frye. Not much of a ‘banger’, but is sure deadly from deep range if he has space. Great size and some guard like play, but a predominant shooter and PF who can spread the floor in the NBA. Frye is a double-digit scorer that hits about 40% from deep. Harper is probably a better shooter than Frye.


• Worst Case Scenario: Matt Bonner or Walter McCarty. Bonner doesn't get a ton of minutes for the Spurs, but when he does see the floor he understands and executes his role -- standing on the perimeter and knocking down threes. McCarty hung around the league for a while, but he was never really a starter and never truly filled his potential.

Outlook: Usually, when we are talking about 6'9" prospects with the shooting stroke of a two-guard, we are talking about the Euros. Its not all that common that a power forward with Harper's skill set is the product of American colleges. On one hand, that is a good thing. At his size with his athleticism, Harper has a very unique skill that is in demand in the NBA right now. Its a ball-screen league, and Harper would be very effective as a pick-and-pop forward. The issue is with what else he brings to the table. He's not a great defender, he's not a great rebounder, and he has a tendency of getting pushed around on the block. Its important to note that Harper is young for his class -- he doesn't turn 22 until August 30th -- and that he developed quite a bit while he was in college. That said, Harper's biggest weakness is his lack of physicality and toughness in the paint. Is that something that can be developed with time, or will Harper always be 'soft'?

Draft Range: Late 1st to Early 2nd

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "The Good: Harper is a face-the-basket 4, who has been on fire from the 3-point line this season, shooting a red-hot 46 percent from 3. His length and athleticism are also big pluses at the next level. The Bad: He's fallen in love with the jumper and sometimes becomes a bit one-dimensional. For his size, he should be a better rebounder and shot-blocker. Some scouts think he's a bit on the soft side."


• Draft Express: "Garnering zero draft buzz up until [this season], Harper is a bit of sleeper at this stage, and is well worth watching as the season continues. Not only is he a late bloomer, but he doesn't turn 22 until late September, giving him quite a bit more upside than your typical college senior. Players with his size, athleticism skill-set are difficult to come by, and if he can finish the season as strongly as he started, and ride that momentum into the pre-draft process, he'll definitely have a chance to hear his name called on draft night."


• Swish Scout: "Finesse forward with a good basketball IQ and a money shooter from the midrange and NBA 3-point territory. Harper is 'soft' and doesn’t have much of a post game, making him more of a tweener forward and odd matchup on defense, but he’s weapon on the perimeter who can spread the floor."

Highlights: