NBA Draft Profiles: Tyler Honeycutt, UCLA

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Stats: 12.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 2.8 apg, 3.0 t/o's, 36.2% 3PT

Age: 20, sophomore

Size:

• Listed: 6'8", 190 lb
• Official: 6'6.75" (no shoes), 6'8.25" (with shoes), 6'9" (wingspan), 8'9" (reach), 187 lb

Strengths: Honeycutt's best attribute is his overall physical profile. Standing over 6'8" in shoes with long arms -- his slender shoulders hurt him in the wingspan department, but he has "long sleeves" -- Honeycutt has the build to be an excellent defender at the small forward spot. His quickness and athleticism as well as his defensive background coming from UCLA only further prove this point. He's also proven to be a defensive playmaker, as evidenced by his Pac-10 leading 2.0 bpg last season and 7.2 rpg. Offensively, Honeycutt right now projects as a capable spot-up shooter. He's got excellent form on his jumper, and while he shot only 36.2% from beyond the arc as a sophomore, that number may be a bit skewed due to right shoulder and elbow injuries he played through. While his handle still needs to develop, Honeycutt has proven to be a capable playmaker averaging 2.8 apg.

Weaknesses: There are a number of concerns in regards to Honeycutt. For starters, his durability is a major question mark, as he has dealt with injuries throughout his time in Westwood. That issue may be helped if he can add some muscle to his 187 lb frame, which would also help him in finishing through contact. His physical toughness isn't the only issue; there are question marks about his mental toughness. He was a bit streaky as a sophomore, having a couple of monster games while throwing up far too many stinkers. He lacked the aggressiveness that would make him a more consistent producer on his off-nights. Skill-wise, Honeycutt needs to improve on his handle first and foremost. He has the tools to be an effective slasher, but right now he struggles going to his off-hand, he lacks secondary moves off the dribble, and he is really only effective getting to the rim in close-out situations. His decision-making could stand to improve as well. He averaged 3.0 turnovers as a junior, often times getting himself into a situation where he needed to force a tough pass to try and find an assist.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: Nicolas Batum. Very similar game and build as Batum, who plays the shooter/defender role that Honeycutt is likely to embrace. Neither are great at creating their own shots, but the value is in their length and athleticism on the defensive end to lock down the perimeter.


• Worst Case Scenario: Bigger Aaron Afflalo. Another UCLA product and former Pac-10 player of the year who has adjusted to the league nicely as a guy who plays hard on the defensive end and can make plays on offense. Even if he doesn’t reach his full potential, Honeycutt could be a fixture in a rotation to make plays on D and hit open shots like Afflalo.

Outlook: The skill set is there. Honeycutt has the length and the athleticism to be a defensive stalwart and playmaker at the next level. The key is going to be whether or not he can develop his game on the offensive end of the floor enough to avoid being a liability. Will he develop his jumper enough to be a consistent three point threat? Will his handle and ability to penetrate make him more than just a standstill jump shooter? As with every UCLA prospect, there is also the Ben Howland factor that must be considered. Seemingly every real NBA prospect that has left UCLA over the course of the past five years has become a consistent contributor at the NBA level. They learn how to defend and they learn how to play a role in a system. Howland's station-to-station style of play has always put a damper on the production of the players he sends to the professional level, but it is especially rough on off-the-ball jump shooters like Honeycutt.

Draft Range: Late 1st Round

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "Honeycutt was ranked in the high 20s at the start of the year, but sank on our big board after he struggled to really break out. He had a few big games for UCLA, but a lot of underwhelming ones as well. But NBA GMs and scouts have had a harder time scouting players in Ben Howland's system. Considering that virtually every prospect he's produced has gone on to have success in the NBA and when you factor in Honeycutt's significant skills, there's a very good chance Honeycutt ends up going somewhere in the first round."


• Draft Express: "Taking a deeper look, the efficiency drop off was largely due to a change in shot distribution. Honeycutt attempted 1.6 three pointers per 40 minutes pace adjusted last year, and that shot all the way up to 5.2 attempts this year. That, along with his improved free throw percentage (73.6%, from 60%), caused his overall drop in efficiency to not actually be as drastic as it appeared on first glance. His true shooting percentage only fell from 55% to 52%, and that was primarily due to a drop in effectiveness in transition. According to Synergy Sports Technology, his half court effectiveness increased from 0.756 points per possession to 0.840."


• Swish Scout: "Talented all-around forward who’s a stat stuffer, possesses a great feel for the game and is an excellent defender. Too timid in terms of taking shots and attacking the defense, but may have inhibited his potential development on offense by foregoing his NCAA eligibility for a shot at the first round in the 2011 NBA Draft."

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