2016 NBA Draft Prospects: Breaking Down Pro Future of Syracuse's Michael Gbinije

Michael Gbinije led Syracuse on an unlikely Final Four run, and his play in March—as well as some fortunate circumstances throughout his career with the Orange—have him positioned to land in the NBA draft.

Four years ago, that would have seemed an unlikely scenario; Gbinije nearly ended up becoming a "where are they now" story.

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim needed convincing to add him to the roster. Gbinije was a former 4-star recruit who signed with Duke and spent just one season in Durham.

Age	23 (Born June 5, 1992)
Team	Syracuse
Height	6'7"
Weight	200

"I didn't like him at all," Boeheim told Bleacher Report's Greg Couch during the NCAA tournament. "He went to Duke, and I really didn't think that he was that good to be honest with you. He couldn't shoot, and he was not really a guard."

Everything then broke right for Gbinije. Former Syracuse point guard Tyler Ennis, who didn't project to be a one-and-done prospect, had a better-than-expected freshman season and left for the NBA after just one year. Then his replacement, Kaleb Joseph, didn't pan out. 

Gbinije played his best ball as a lead guard, and Joseph's struggles allowed Gbinije to showcase exclusively at point guard as a senior. He emerged as Syracuse's star and proved he can man the 1. As a result, he's now on the cusp of going from bust to an NBA draft pick.

Relevant Stats

	MPG	PPG	APG	RPG	SPG	FG%	3P%
2015-16	37.9	17.5	4.3	4.1	1.9	46.1	39.2
2014-15	35.0	12.7	3.6	5.0	1.9	46.0	39.2
2013-14	14.6	3.4	1.2	1.8	0.7	38.0	34.9
2011-12 (at Duke)	5.8	1.7	0.2	0.8	0.2	55.0	40.0

Opportunity was a big part of Gbinije's increased production throughout his career, but he also deserves credit for improving his game each season.

He went from being someone Boeheim wasn't sure he wanted to the guy he couldn't take off the floor. Gbinije logged a higher percentage of minutes this season than any Syracuse player in the KenPom.com database, which dates back to 2001-02.

Strengths

Gbinije is most dangerous when he has the ball in his hands and is allowed to probe and create off the dribble. Though he isn't an explosive athlete, he had the fastest three-quarter-court sprint at the NBA Draft Combine, finishing in 3.12 seconds. The 23-year-old changes speed well and has a nice feel for finding driving lanes. He also thrives in transition.  

Syracuse runs a lot of ball screens, so Gbinije earned a pick-and-roll education under Boeheim. He's proficient at rubbing his man off the screen, and he was a tough cover in those situations because he can score at the rim, in the mid-range and behind the three-point line. 

You would think Gbinije was a better shooter than his percentages indicate by watching him. He has good balance and a smooth, high release. He also wasn't shy shooting from well beyond the college line, so adjusting to the NBA three-pointer shouldn't be an issue.

There are always question marks about any Syracuse product's defense (due to its non-NBA friendly zone scheme). Gbinije figures to at least be aware and capable off the ball, as he showed impressive instincts away from the ball and had a knack for jumping in passing lanes to get steals.

Weaknesses

Eric Gay/Associated Press

At 19 or 20, Gbinije would be a no-brainer draft pick. But age is working against the Syracuse star, as he turns 24 on June 5.

His situation is reminiscent of former Iowa Star star point guard DeAndre Kane, who was one of college basketball's best point guards his senior year but was already 25 and went undrafted in 2014. Kane also had a shaky perimeter jumper working against him.

Gbinije is a much more proven shooter, although he was streaky. The postseason was a prime example. During his first three postseason games (ACC tournament and NCAA tournament combined), he made nine of his 17 three-point attempts. Over his final three tourney games, however, he was just 1-of-14 from deep. 

One other area of concern is whether he can guard his position. That's hard to judge based off his college career because of Syracuse's zone defense. However, it is a luxury that at 6'7", he should be able to match up with multiple positions. 

NBA Player Comparison

Gbinije's game and size are similar to former Kentucky point guard Andrew Harrison. Harrison hasn't yet made his NBA debut, which gives no indication of how his game translates to the Association, but he did impress in the D-League as a rookie. During his 46 appearances with the Iowa Energy, he averaged 18.5 points and 4.9 assists in 35.3 minutes.

Another young player who had a similar college career arc to Gbinije is former Tennessee guard Josh Richardson, whom the Miami Heat selected 40th during the 2015 draft. Richardson played both guard positions for the Heat and thrived late in the year, emerging as one of the pleasant surprises of the latest rookie class.

He averaged 6.6 points per game in both the regular season and playoffs, and he hit 46.1 percent from beyond the arc during the regular season, which was significantly better than he ever shot in college. Gbinije is not as quick as Richardson, but he offers similar versatility, and the possibility he has upside as a three-point shooter is there.

Best-Case Scenario

Dave Sandford/Getty Images

Richardson had the fortune of landing with a franchise that is not afraid to give players a chance no matter where they were drafted or where they've been—see: Hassan Whiteside. Richardson didn't even receive an invite to the combine last year, and the Heat still drafted him.

Gbinije's best-case scenario would be to wind up with a similar franchise and then, like Richardson, get substantive playing time as a rookie.

Worst-Case Scenario

The pool of players that could go in the second round is larger than usual. Most mock drafts project Gbinije as a second-rounder, as shown by Brent Axe of Syracuse.com, but he may go undrafted. Whether he gets picked or not, he's good enough that some franchise is going to give him a chance. At worst, that opportunity will come in the D-League.

Prediction

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Gbinije will go in the latter half of the second round to a team either looking for perimeter depth or wanting to draft-and-stash him with their D-League affiliate. That's what the Memphis Grizzlies did with Harrison, which proved successful last year. However, Gbinije is an older prospect than Harrison, who is 21.

Some may view Gbinije as a ready-now option who could fit into a rotation next season. But since he's still relatively new to playing point guard, it would make sense to get him more experience in the D-League. Gbinije could also end up moving back to the wing as a pro, as he has the size and skill set to play shooting guard or small forward. However, he's more intriguing as a point guard.

If his career at Syracuse is any indication of how his professional career will play out, the team that drafts him should plan on giving him a shot as a floor general.

Star ratings via 247Sports.

C.J. Moore covers college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @CJMooreBR.