Is GG Banks Really Worth the Hype? Grading Every Aspect of the High School Phenom's Game

You might've seen the 17-year-old drilling shots alongside Shakira Austin and Elena Delle Donne at last month's WNBA All-Star Shooting Stars competition. Or maybe you've seen the viral clips of a shifty guard putting defenders in a blender at Overtime Select.

Well, that's GG Banks, a rising senior who is ranked No. 4 in the 2027 recruiting class. There's a lot of hype surrounding her, but just how good of a prospect is Banks?

I went through her film to break down every part of her game, from her athleticism and pick-and-roll playmaking to the shooting, defense and everything in between. Also, since she's only 17, a lot can change over the next few years, so there's plenty of upside baked into these grades.

Athleticism and Physical Tools

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When you watch Banks' film, it doesn't take long to realize just how ridiculous of an athlete she is. Guards who move like this don't exactly grow on trees.

She's incredibly explosive, but it's the combination of her speed, flexibility and change of direction that's really special. Banks can get downhill in a hurry, change speeds on a dime without losing much momentum and maneuver through tight spaces in ways most players can't. 

That athleticism is especially dangerous in transition. Once Banks gets out in the open court, she covers ground in an instant before blowing past defenders. There's no question she will be one of the best transition scorers in college basketball.

And then there's the physical profile. Banks is listed on most sites at 5'8", but she has a 6'0" wingspan, which is significantly longer than most guards at her size. That length shows up when Banks is finishing with arms fully extended around the rim, but it also helps her make plays in passing lanes defensively. 

Athleticism & physical tools grade: A

Pick-and-Roll Playmaking

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Advantage creation is the name of the game at the point guard position. The best of them constantly put pressure on the defense, whether that's forcing help to come over off the drive or drawing two to the ball in pick-and-roll. That ability is one of the most impressive parts of Banks' game.

She has unbelievable feel for creating out of ball screens, and a lot of that starts with her handle. Banks is extremely creative with the ball, using inside-out dribbles, hesitations and left-right crossovers to keep defenders off balance. She loves to use her outside foot to sell defenders in one direction, then drive the other way.

Once you combine her improvisational skills with top-tier burst and acceleration, she's almost impossible to keep out of the paint. She gets to the rim so quickly she's consistently forcing weak-side defenders to help over, which leads to a lot of free throws and opens up things for her as a passer, too.

If you just watch Banks' highlights, one of the first things that jumps out is how impressive her gathers and high-difficulty finishes are. She has an incredible ability to contort her body around defenders to create openings. But sometimes, that creativity is a little too much. 

Banks will often have a relatively easy layup available, only to make the finish much harder than it needs to be. Some of that comes down to her biggest improvement area: the left hand. At the high school level, Banks is so athletic and so skilled with the ball, she can get away with exclusively finishing with her strong hand right now. That won't always be the case at higher levels.

On the passing front, Banks is unsurprisingly really creative. She is a high-risk, high-reward passer, who attempts passes most players wouldn't even see. She consistently uses her eyes to manipulate defenders in ball screens and isn't afraid of making tight window passes. 

Similar to all-world creators like Caitlin Clark and Olivia Miles, this style leads to a lot of assists but a good amount of turnovers as well. Across 16 games at 17U Nike EYBL, Banks averaged the third-most assists (5.5) and second-most turnovers (4.6) on the circuit. 

Pick-and-roll playmaking: A-

Shooting

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The biggest question when it comes to Banks' on-ball operation is whether she can become a consistent shooter.

Right now, the three-point numbers just aren't there. She shot just 24 percent from three at 17U and 13.6 percent (3-of-22) across 5 games at Overtime Select, a league featuring the top high school players in the country. 

One mechanical thing that stands out is the deep knee bend when she shoots. It can slow down her release, and at times, you'll see it cause her to leave shots short—especially off the dribble. The upper body mechanics aren't always compact, either.

Banks also attempted just one pull-up three (a miss) with Team USA at the U18 AmeriCup in June. Though, she did shoot 37.5 percent on catch-and-shoot threes (3-of-8), which were mostly all uncontested.

According to an article by On3's Hunter Shelton, Banks said her midrange game is one of the areas she's working hardest to improve.

If Banks can become even a reliable shooter, it changes the equation completely. Opponents already have to respect her first step and ability to get to the rim at-well. If she can punish them for going under screens with a consistent jumper, even more things will open up for her offensively—on and off the ball.

Shooting grade: C-

Defense

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There's a lot of upside with Banks defensively, but there's definitely some inconsistency right now. Her footwork navigating screens can get a little choppy, and there are possessions where she simply isn't as engaged as you'd like. 

But when she's locked in, you can see the flashes she has as a really disruptive defender. Banks' hands are extremely active, and she does a good job using her athleticism and length to get into passing lanes and create turnovers. She averaged 3.3 steals per game at 17U, which ranked second on the circuit. 

The next step is to be more consistent on a possession-by-possession basis, but this isn't an unusual issue for a high-usage offensive creator at the high-school level. Banks has the athletic tools and a plus-wingspan; it's just about dialing in on the details.   

Defensive grade: B-

Player Comparisons

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The easy comparison for Banks is LSU's MiLaysia Fulwiley, particularly with their athletic profiles and process creating off the bounce. 

Both are explosive, creative guards who put a ton of pressure on the rim with their athleticism and handle. They have that improvisational ability to make something out of seemingly nothing. 

Fulwiley and Banks also have similar questions as prospects. Neither players are consistent shooters, and both struggle to use their left hand consistently. 

At the WNBA level, there's some overlap with Portland's Carla Leite, in terms of their ability to dominate a game in ball screens and live in the paint. Also imagine if Seattle's Jade Melbourne had a better handle; that's sort of the idea here.

Best Fits

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The ideal system for Banks is up-tempo offense that puts her in a lot of ball screens, surrounds her with shooting and gives her plenty of space to attack downhill. The more she can get the ball in hands with a runway to the rim, the more you actualize her athleticism and creativity.

Banks has interest from schools across the country, but according to an interview with CBS Sports' Isabel Gonzalez, Texas, LSU, South Carolina and Ohio State are the programs she's hearing from the most.

Here's how those four teams ranked in Barrtorvik's adjusted tempo metric last season: LSU (No. 7), Ohio State (No. 20), Texas (No. 104) and South Carolina (No. 115).

LSU and Ohio State are probably the best contexts for her to play the style of game she's best at, while spending four years at South Carolina would likely get the most out of her defensively, as an off-ball player and in the weight room. 

Texas is the one fit that makes the least sense. They play at a slower pace, rely heavily on midrange pull-ups and generally don't create the kind of spacing that would allow Banks to flourish as a driver. And considering shooting is already one of the biggest questions in her game, I'm not sure that environment would put her in the best position to develop.