Detroit Pistons 2020 NBA Draft Profile: Theo Maledon

Theo Maledon’s strengths

Theo Maledon has been playing professional basketball in France since he was 16-years old, and is currently playing for ASVEL in the LNB Pro A, as well as the EuroLeague.

He’s currently averaging 7.4 points per game along with 3.1 assists on 47.8 percent shooting. His volume is relatively low right now, only attempting 5.3 field goals per game.

Maledon is a 6’5″ point guard who’s one of the better embodiments of what being a guard in today’s NBA is all about. He’s a quality scorer and an above average facilitator. There isn’t a single team in the league who doesn’t value that.

His ability to laser in on teammates cutting to the basket and deliver a strike with precision goes relatively unmatched in this upcoming class.

His precision his truly remarkable from somebody his age. He’s an adequate play maker and can easily put the ball on the floor in order to find his target.  One of the most fun parts about watching him is his staggering ability to hit an open man without even looking in their direction.

At times, he can be mesmerizing. Maledon locates shooters so well.

He operates incredibly well on pick and rolls and in a 4-out 1-in setting.

No, his current averages may not blow you away but his mechanics might. He has one of the purest shooting strokes in this entire class. He’s able to stop on a dime and pull up from the perimeter in an instant.

He has a quick first step off the dribble which allows him to beat his defenders on his way to the basket. It’s not quite elite, but for an 18-year old it’s certainly noticeable.

Maledon does a great job of using his size and length to his advantage on defense, where he can be incredibly pesky. He’s a reliable one on one defender and utilizes his wingspan, often disrupting passing lanes and drives to the basket.

However, there’s certainly room to improve. So while his defense isn’t necessarily a strength just yet, it’s closer to that than being a weakness.