2021 NBA Draft: Pistons should consider Scottie Barnes starting at #3

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GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 13: Michael Devoe #0 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets is closely guarded by Scottie Barnes #4 of the Florida State Seminoles (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Detroit Pistons NBA Draft: Scottie Barnes player comparisons

His uncertain position definitely rears its head most when it comes to other trying to find a comp for him. Draymond Green and Ben Simmons are pretty common comps since he is a tall playmaker that can defend all 5 positions. But there are also some weird ones out there like the Ringer’s staff saying he is taller and bulkier Michael Carter-Williams. For me the more I watched of him the more he reminded me of San Antonio Spurs great Larry Kenon.

For those of you not familiar with that name, first go and watch some of his highlights and film on YouTube, then take a look at his stats and the teams he played on. In his prime years in San Antonio, Kenon averaged around 20 ppg, 3 apg, and 10 rpg as the secondary scoring option to the Iceman himself George Gervin.

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Kenon played PF at 6-foot-9 and 205 pounds so physically he is pretty similar to Barnes as well. But, Kenon definitely was a guy that got to the rim and finished, utilized his size and vision to make passes shorter players could not see or defend, and—where Barnes reminds me most of him—he is a terror in transition finishing or finding his open teammate. Both guys seem to find another gear in the open court and the opposition usually stays clear as they are so big and forceful it is almost impossible to stop them.

For a modern comp, I think he falls somewhere between Ben Simmons and Bam Adebayo. I lean more towards Bam, however, as not only is he a multi-positional defender that can impact the game at a high level, he is game is not predicated on him being on ball the way Simmons is. He can be developed as a screener and he is a good cutter and DHO guy the way the Heat use Bam.

And like Bam does with the Heat, Barnes can fit his game to help his teammates succeed. Barnes played with potential #1 overall prospect in Cade Cunningham as well as Moses Moody, Day’Ron Sharpe and 2022 NBA prospect Caleb Houstan in high school on a highly successful Monte Verde Academy team. He also played in lineups with 2 non-shooters at FSU in Raiquan Gray and Balsa Koprivica and the team went 18-7 and grabbing a #4 seed come March Madness.