NCAA UNDERGROUND: take note for your team in Europe... Nathan Boothe - TOLEDO

WHERE HE PLAYS – Listed at 6-9. Center at Tolendo and also at the next level.

PHYSICAL SKILLS – decent athleticism [(for Europe); doesn’t have NBA athleticism)]; average speed for big man, average leaping ability; lacks of explosiveness off the ground, good body.

WHERE HE RECEIVES THE BALL AND HOW HE FINISHES – Boothe is versatile and skilled offensive player with high basketball IQ and good passing ability. He can be very useful on the offensive end – has really good mid range/perimeter jumper, usually from catch and shoot situation [soft touch on his shot, and pretty quick release]. Boothe will shoot perimeter shots if he is open, usually from pick and pop situations (good 3pt shooter), while in the mid range, he likes to get the ball at the elbow and play 1 on 1 from there [likes facing up and shooting over defender, or put the ball on the floor and finish off of 1 or 2 dribbles, usually finishing with his right hand]. Boothe is good low post player and can definitely score the ball around the basket. Most of his low post shots are over his left shoulder – he has good low post technique and decent footwork, and will use his dribble to back down defender and finish using his right hand hook shot. Ability to pass the ball makes Boothe even better offensive player – he is a good passer from the low post, sees the floor well and since he draws a lot of attention (defense tries to double him on the post a lot) he is good facilitator - passes the ball effectively to perimeter shooters. Weaknesses: explosiveness off the ground; in the low post he has to improve finishing with his left hand since he is right hand dominant [when he is in situations to finish with his left hand, he would usually try to score by shooting the ball, fade away/turnaround jumpers] – same thing applies when he is in ISO situations in the high post; could be more physical and stronger finisher around the rim; could be better offensive rebounder.

WHERE AND HOW HE DEFEND – defends opposing 5 man. Has to improve lateral movement (lateral speed) – has trouble defending players who can create from perimeter and take him off the dribble. With this being said he would be in trouble guarding PF in ISO situations. On the block he is solid defender, who uses his strength and length – walls up and make opponents shoot over him – decent shot blocker (lacks explosiveness off the ground and leaping ability but uses his length in order to block shots). Very good defensive rebounder


HOW HE PLAYS PICK AND ROLL – offense & defense – one of his offensive strengths since he could pop out and take mid range/perimeter jumper, but can also roll to the post and play 1 on 1 with his back to the basket. Boothe is good shooter from behind the arc and with this being said he can space out the floor after the ball screen and knock down shots. Moreover he is more than capable of playing with his back to the basket and rolling to the low post after setting the pick is additional option. Defensively he is usually in drop position, stopping penetration – can’t hedge on the pick since he doesn’t have speed to show on ball screens.

RIGHT FIT FOR HIM – slower pace team with set half court offense/ a lot of low post/high post touches and ball screens
(SCOUTING BY NIKOLA KNEZEVIC)

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