2016 NBA Draft Prospects: Breaking Down the Pro Future of Diamond Stone
Diamond Stone is coming into the NBA at the wrong time.
Back-to-the-basket scorers like him are now referred to as throwbacks, as the NBA has evolved into a more perimeter-oriented league. Big men such as Karl-Anthony Towns are much more valuable assets because they can play inside and out on ends.
Had Stone joined the league in the 1990s and waited to leave school until he was a more polished product, he may have been a lottery pick. At 6'11" and 255 pounds, he's big and strong, with solid footwork, touch and soft hands. But the number of plays built around post-ups seems to decline every season, and that's where Stone is best utilized.
There is still a place for players like Stone in the NBA; he just might have to evolve his game.
Relevant stats
| 12.5 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 56.8 | 76.1 |
Maryland had a talented starting lineup with all five players averaging double figures, so Stone's scoring numbers are solid given the context. He likely would have put up even better averages had he not been on a roster that was so stacked.
His defensive rebounding rate is low for a player of his stature—he grabbed 15.3 percent of the defensive rebounds available when he was on the floor, per KenPom.com. The only center who will likely get drafted with a lower defensive rebounding rate is Kentucky's Skal Labissiere.
Strengths
Only 19 years old, Stone is advanced for his age when it comes to working out of the post.
He knows how to use his body to establish position and has a variety of go-to moves once he catches the ball, scoring over either shoulder with both hands via running hooks and jump hooks. He can also face up and make a jumper from 10 to 15 feet. He should be able to expand his range over time, as he looks comfortable shooting the ball.
Stone figures to fit into a modern NBA offense as a screen-and-roll force. He sets solid screens, and he rolls quickly for a man his size. He caught most passes sent his direction and was smooth catching and finishing as he went to the rim.
The Terps ran a lot of ball screens for Melo Trimble, so Stone got a good education when it comes to the pick-and-roll.
| Age | 19 (Born Feb. 10, 1997) |
| Team | Maryland |
| Height | 6'11" |
| Weight | 255 |
Stone was also a valuable receiver around the bucket when Trimble drove and attracted help defense. He catches, gathers quickly and does a good job of keeping the ball held high off the catch or offensive rebound, so he rarely gets stripped by swarming guards.
His ambidexterity is valuable on the defensive end as well: He blocks shots with both hands, and that helped him avoid fouling drivers. While he needs to address some deficiencies (more on this in the next section), he offered the Terps some rim protection and was effective swatting shots (1.6 blocks per game) as a help-side defender.
Weaknesses
The Terps underachieved this year, finishing in a four-way tie for third place in the Big Ten, and all five starters shared the blame. They didn't always play winning basketball and skated by on their talent.
Stone is a poster child for that kind of approach. He has a tendency to relax on the defensive end, has no interest in guarding on the perimeter and is very little help when it comes to defending against the ball screen. His motor revs when he's around the ball and on the offensive glass, but he doesn't appear to give the same kind of effort when rebounding on the other side of the floor.
Offensively, Stone can get buckets, but he's not an effective or willing passer—he had only 15 assists all season. He's also turnover-prone—53 giveaways—and he gets himself in trouble when trying to put the ball on the floor or stubbornly attacking a double-team.
The good news is that Stone moves pretty well for a player who is on the thick side. These are weaknesses that should improve as he matures if he's receptive to coaching and keeps his weight under control.
NBA player comparison
Stone has some of the same strengths and weaknesses Jahlil Okafor had coming out of Duke. Both were allergic to perimeter defense and thrived as back-to-the-basket scorers. Okafor is a more advanced version of Stone.
Al Jefferson is another ground-bound big man with slick footwork and a variety of post moves. If Stone can have a Jefferson-type career, he'd be a steal.
Best-case scenario
Stone is a borderline first-round pick, and the best-case scenario is to get guaranteed money, because that would mean he'd likely end up with a winning franchise. He needs to be coached up and be around a winning culture.
Big men often develop at a slower pace, and Stone fits in the upside category. You can talk yourself into believing he could eventually become a starting center, and that's why he has a chance to go in the first round.
Worst-case scenario
The league going smaller is not helping Stone. The biggest knock on his game is getting torched when his man sets a ball screen or when he's switched onto a quicker player. Those limitations could scare teams away and see Stone slip. He's a better player than fellow bigs in this draft such as Cheick Diallo and Damian Jones, but those two seem like easier fits, particularly on defense, because of their athleticism.
Prediction
Stone is a project, but I like what he brings to the table much more than guys such as Diallo and Jones. Sure, there are fewer post-ups in the NBA, but not every team can play like the Golden State Warriors, and there's still value in guys who can score with their backs to the basket.
Stone's success will come down to how hard he's willing to work and evolve his game. He has tools you can't teach (hands, footwork and ambidexterity) that make him an upside-worthy pick in the 20-35 range.
It's hard to see him slipping past the top of the second round; I also don't see him as a draft-and-stash (in the NBA D-League) candidate. He may go back and forth between the NBA and D-League as a rookie, but he's talented enough that he'll make an NBA roster.
C.J. Moore covers college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @CJMooreBR.
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