Noah Kirkwood

Noah Kirkwood, Canada, SG, Class of 2018, Uncommitted, 17.2 Strengths
-Nice physical profile for a two guard at 6' 6 with a mature 222-pound frame.
-Physical kid. Doesn't shy away from contact. Aggressive attacking the rim going both right and left. Has finesse finishes with either hand. Excellent footwork. Polished.
-Plays with a level of maturity well beyond his years. Tremendous feel for the game. Very under control. Unselfish. Professional approach.
-Can play out of ball screens and could develop into more of a combo guard down the road. Passes with either hand. Hits the roller or wing circling up in pick and roll.
-Will mix it up on the glass. Lifetime 8.9 rebounds per 40 minutes.
-Should be able to check multiple positions at the college level. Uses his smarts and competitiveness to keep the ball in front. High IQ off ball defender. Lifetime 2.6 steals per 40 minutes. Has the body to check some college fours. Embraces the challenge.
-Not a great shooter at this stage but should be able to develop into a respectable spot shooter in time. Lifetime 34.0% from three. Gets decent rotation.
-Ready to contribute at the collegiate level. Team guy who plays the right way.Weaknesses
-Lacks elite lngth for an NBA wing - 6' 6.5 wingspan. Very physically developed despite his age. How much more room does he have for growth?
-Not a very dynamic perimeter shooter. Airballed a free throw in the BioSteel game. Not much of a threat to pull up off the dribble. Can improve his ability to create space and knock down shots. Loses confidence in his jumper after a miss or two. Will turn down open spot ups.
-More fluid than explosive. Not going to play above the rim in traffic. Relies more on size and angles to get to the rim. Not going to break down NBA-level defenders in one-on-one situations. Doesn't always have the juice at the rim to finish over length.
-Smart and tough on defense but likely projects as an average defender at the highest levels due to his below average length and quickness. Relies more on physical tools than technique at times.
-Checks a lot of boxes but does he have an elite skill that translates to the NBA? Upside may be limited.Outlook
Kirkwood proved to be one of the better all-around basketball players in Toronto. He's smart, tough, and versatile on both ends of the floor. Although more of an off guard right now, Kirkwood's ability to play out of ball screens and manage a game could make him an interesting point guard project as an old school type who relies more on instincts, size and angles. With that said, he hasn't appeared to have improved all that much as a perimeter shooter and his average length and athleticism appear to limit his NBA upside. He's likely to have an impact early on in his career wherever he ends up, and is certainly worth tracking given his approach, feel and toughness. Kirkwood's perimeter jumper will be the key to unlocking his potential.
 

Noah Kirkwood, 6'7, Ashbury College, Canada, 1999

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Good size for the wing, measured 6'6 without shoes.
-Chiseled 219 pound frame. Strong and well proportioned
-Smooth and fluid athlete
-Polished offensive player. Can create his own shot using advanced footwork, ball-handling, timing and body control. Knows how to use his frame to create space
-Strong takes to the rim to draw fouls. Finishes creatively around the rim
-Passes ahead in transition unselfishly. Likes to drive and dish
-Competitive defensively

Weaknesses:
-More smooth than explosive
-6'7 wingspan is poor relative to his height
-Not a great shooter at this stage. Stroke isn't very fluid, especially off the dribble. Awkward knee bend Looks more comfortable operating inside the arc.
-Lacks a degree of fluidity from the waist down. Doesn't get into a deep stance defensively

Outlook: Intelligent and versatile wing player with a high basketball IQ. Lacks a degree of explosiveness, length and shooting prowess to be considered a top-shelf prospect, but ticks a couple of boxes with his size and feel for the game. Needs to improve his shooting and defense to reach his full potential.

Fellow 2018 high school prospect Noah Kirkwood hasn't been on the radar for nearly as long as Simi Shittu, but is starting to emerge as a noteworthy prospect in his own right as of late.

Showing good size, a nice frame, solid athleticism, and a fairly versatile skill-set, Kirkwood has many of the requisite tools you look for in a young wing prospect. His high basketball IQ, coupled with his solid intensity level defensively, makes him someone NBA teams will want to take note of, even if it might take him a few years to put it all together as a prospect.

#1) Noah Kirkwood, 6'7, 213, Guard, 16.6 years old, Canada

16-year-old guard Noah Kirkwood was the head of the snake for a Canadian team which took home the championship at the Americas Team Camp in Mexico City. Kirkwood took home MVP honors, and showcased a skill set which should have him recruited with high level Division I offers in two years when he closes out his High School career.

At 6'7, 213 pounds, Kirkwood already has the physical attributes to be a contributor at the next level, and while he is not the most explosive athlete, he has really good speed in the open court and a quick first step that he can use to get by defenders in the half court.

While in the half court he is mainly a dominant right hand straight line driver, he's fluid in the open court changing directions, something he showed with behind the back moves and advanced footwork on euro finishes in traffic. Given his size he projects as a wing at the next level, but he has the ball handling ability and vision to operate on the ball at times when called upon, which he was asked to do throughout the camp.

As effective as Kirkwood was a playmaker in this setting, he is more than capable of playing off the ball, and that is most likely where he will be slotted at the next level. He has a smooth and balanced shooting stroke with good rotation, but his release takes time to load up, something he'll need to adjust against better length and athleticism than he faced here. He also doesn't quite have the shiftiness or polish to create enough space off the bounce to get clean looks on his dribble jumper, which is fairly flat footed.

Where Kirkwood was really able to impact the game is on the defensive end of the floor. He's got the size and lateral quickness to guard multiple positions, and was able to take other guards out of their rhythm with his ball pressure. He's got solid instincts, and came up with numerous steals getting into the passing lanes, leading to easy buckets. Overall Kirkwood stood out at the Americas Team Camp because of his size and blend of guard skills. He is not elite in terms of his athletic ability, but he's a skilled 6'7 wing, with a high IQ, and plenty of room to continue to develop.