Kyle Nelson Edwin Ubiles showcased his evolving and expanding offensive skill set at Portsmouth, reviving his draft stock and suggesting that he is a player worth watching in the future.
Between his junior and seasons,
Edwin Ubiles transformed his offensive game significantly. While early in his career, he scored mostly in transition and spot-up shooting opportunities, 30% of his offensive possessions were isolations as a senior.
He has always been an impressive prospect from a physical perspective, standing a legitimate 67 with a solid frame and long arms. He is also a fine athlete by NBA standards, both quick in the open floor and explosive around the basket.
Ubiles showcased improved ball handling and an increased comfort level taking his man off of the dribble throughout the season and at Portsmouth. While he still has a long way to go before he is considered a consistent threat at the next level, his progress was reflected in stable straight-line dribbling and occasionally in effective change of direction moves. He must continue to work on his handle, however, so that he can better utilize his athleticism both in transition and slashing to the basket. Despite his superior physical tools at the mid-major level, he rarely got the free throw line this season, drawing just 82 attempts in 30 games this season.
As a shot creator, Ubiles shows a reliable pull up jumper, with solid form and elevation. He also showed improved shooting form and shot selection from beyond the arc, though largely in a spot-up capacity. While his form was not always consistent over the course of the tournament, he shot the ball well from beyond the arc at Portsmouth. Despite the solid percentages (40%) he achieved from 3-point range his senior year, Ubiles only took 73 attempts from beyond the arc this year, something that has been the case throughout his career.
Defensively, Ubiles utilized his size and athleticism to guard multiple positions and assert himself despite his lack of fundamentals. His lateral quickness and length are also good, but he must continue to refine his defensive instincts in the future. Hes not much of a rebounder either, which is a surprise considering his length and athleticismgrabbing under 5 rebounds per-40 minutes pace adjusted this seasona disappointing rate.
Ubiles will also need to continue to work on is his decision-making, shot selection, toughness and overall basketball IQ, as at this point, he does not seem to know his limitations and, on occasions, did not know when to give up the ball. Even though he is a year older than many in his class, Ubiles is nowhere near a finishes product and his performance at Portsmouth reveals that he still has plenty of upside.
Ubiles was one of the better prospects in attendance, showing an improved skill set while playing both primary and supporting roles for his team. While he is not likely to get drafted, he is a perfect candidate for the D-League, where he can continue to refine his game and gain experience against a higher level of competition than he saw in college.
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