NCAA UNDERGROUND: take note for your team in Europe...Taylor Johns - UC Riverside

5 games suspension to start the season – 24 points with 17 rebounds and 4 blocks in his last game to show everyone that his big time talent is still there…

WHERE HE PLAYS – 6-7 220 lbs Forward – Johns is most effective when he plays PF position – this season, his team tries to play him on wing position (3), however he looks out of position on both ends ( doesn’t have handles and outside shot and can’t defend 3 man)

PHYSICAL SKILLS –athletic PF – good leaping ability, good explosiveness, and good speed. Likes contact, and doesn’t backup; very physical player

WHERE HE RECEIVES THE BALL AND HOW HE FINISHES – offensive tendencies, good & bad – As a natural 4-man he can catch the ball out on perimeter and attack the basket using his dribble and strong body. He is very physical player who initiates contact. Wants to attack paint and finish off the dribble around the rim. Loves to receive in the low post, where he uses his body to post up his defender with his back to the basket and finish over left shoulder (most of the time). Johns also likes to face up and attack from the low post using his dribble. He is not natural scorer since his offensive game has to be polished, however he can score from 1 on 1 situations, as mentioned, mostly from the paint or around the basket. One of John’s biggest assets is his rebounding game on both ends – he goes to the glass very hard, using his physicality and strong body to clean up the glass and get second chance points – really good rebounder on both ends. Has to improve his outside shot in order to bring some diversity to his offensive game – Johns can make outside shot, but this segment needs a lot of work in order to be used as a regular part of his offensive game. Moreover he has to additionally develop his ball handles so he can be more effective from the perimeter. In the low post, length and size bothers him, and he is not great finisher over taller and more athletic defenders in 1 on 1 situations. Has to improve his left hand (has to be better finisher with his left hand and also has to be much better going to his left).

WHERE AND HOW HE DEFEND – Johns has to work on his footwork and lateral speed. He struggles to keep players in front of him if he has to defend out on perimeter positions. He has good speed however has to work on sliding his feet laterally. In the low post, he uses his strong body, but lacks footwork. Based on his defensive ability, he can only defend 4 man – would really struggle to keep wing players in front.

HOW HE PLAYS PICK AND ROLL – offense & defense – most of the time he would roll to the basket looking to get the ball in the low post position (and then attack either with his back to the basket or from face up situations), or in the high post and then attack the basket of 1 or 2 dribbles. Johns can sometimes pop out after setting the ball screen, but as mentioned, outside shooting is not his strength and from this situation he would put the ball on the floor and try to get to the paint. Defensively, most of the time he is in flat position, protecting drives.

RIGHT FIT FOR HIM – a team where he can bring his physical skills to a fast-pace offense

(SCOUTING REPORT BY NIKOLA KNEZEVIC)

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