Let’s evaluate 2019 NBA Draft prospect DaQuan Jeffries out of Tulsa, and whether or not, he is a potential fit for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Name: DaQuan Jeffries
School: Tulsa
Position: Shooting Guard
Projected Draft Position: Undrafted
The 2019 NBA Draft is now less than two months away, and the second round of the playoffs has begun. So, I have started to evaluate prospects for the upcoming draft. Let’s continue with Tulsa’s DaQuan Jeffries.
Strengths
Explosiveness
Jeffries has a 42 inch vertical and knows how to use it to his advantage. He won the 2019 college basketball slam dunk contest by a large margin.
DUNKQUAN JEFFRIES! #CollegeSlam PERFECT 10#ReignCane #ForOurCity pic.twitter.com/xxqHPxzxEX
— Tulsa Basketball (@TUMBasketball) April 5, 2019
Jeffries is a pure athlete, and that will make him stand out as the draft process progresses. He could drastically improve his stock at the combine.
Defense
Jeffries’s athleticism and motor help him be a good all-around defender. He averaged 1 steal and 1.2 blocks per game as a junior at Tulsa. He should be able to be a quality backcourt defender at the next level.
Weaknesses
Size
Jeffries is best suited to play the small forward or power forward position, but he only stands at 6’5″. His vertical and overall toughness will help him overcome his lack of size, but it will remain an obstacle if he plays either forward position.
Primary Scoring
Jeffries can score the basketball. He shot 37.7% from three across his three collegiate seasons. In the Portsmouth Invitational, he made 7-17 threes. He also flashed the ability to score off the dribble.
Nevertheless, he never put up large scoring number despite playing at a small school. Jeffries will likely be a role player at the next level.
Potential Fit
So is Jeffries a fit for the Portland Trail Blazers? It does not make a lot of sense to trade into the second round to draft another shooting guard, but his defensive ability makes him intriguing if he goes undrafted.