Jarred Vanderbilt NBA Draft 2018: Scouting Report for Denver Nuggets' Pick

The Denver Nuggets have traded for Jarred Vanderbilt in the 2018 NBA draft. The selection originally belonged to the Orlando Magic with the No. 41 overall pick.

Once considered a lottery pick, Vanderbilt had a terrible run of injury luck in his one year at Kentucky and did not get to show many of the skills that make him an attractive prospect. Vanderbilt played only 14 games at UK, as he missed the first 17 games with a left foot injury and then sat out Kentucky's six postseason games with a left ankle injury.

In his 14 games, he averaged 5.9 points and 7.9 rebounds in 17 minutes a night. In high school, Vanderbilt was a poor man's Ben Simmons. He has a slighter frame, and his vision, passing and finishing ability is not quite at Simmons' level, but he had point forward-like skills. He's able to handle the ball like a guard and play facilitator at 6'9". He never had a chance to play that way at Kentucky, where he was essentially an energy guy off the bench who defended and rebounded.

Quick hitters

Size: 6'9"

Weight: 214 pounds

Wingspan: 7'1"

Reach: 8'10" 

Pro-player comparison: Ben Simmons

Offensive strengths

Vanderbilt averaged only one assist per game at UK, but his ability to make plays in space and in transition is his most attractive skill. He's a grab-and-go rebounder who can initiate a fast break on his own, which he regularly did in high school.

The lefty handles the ball well with both hands and has some shiftiness to him. Most of what he does—other than shooting—looks natural and smooth. It's always tough for defenders to keep lefties in front of them, and Vanderbilt is no different. He's a tough cover in space, and he has the potential to be a crafty finisher around the basket.

At Kentucky, Vanderbilt impressed with his offensive rebounding. His length allows him to get his hands on a lot of misses, and he grabbed 23.1 percent of UK's misses when he was on the floor. That would have ranked No. 1 nationwide in offensive rebounding percentage by a wide margin had he played enough minutes to qualify—Michigan State's Nick Ward ranked No. 1 at 18.3 percent.

Offensive weaknesses

This is pretty simple: shooting.

During a recent conversation with an NBA scout, Vanderbilt came up as the first example of a prospect who would have been selected much higher 10 years ago. 

His lack of a dependable shot is a problem, and it isn't only three-point shooting. He attempted only one triple—he missed it—and he wasn't a threat from the mid-range, either. Vanderbilt made only 22.6 percent of his two-point jumpers, according to Hoop-Math.com.

Defenses are going to ignore him until he figures out how to make them pay. Simmons is able to make some mid-range shots using an assortment of runners and push shots. Vanderbilt showed off some of that in high school, and he made a few of those shots at Kentucky. Unless he's some kind of an offensive threat, it will be tough for him to get minutes.

Defensive outlook

Vanderbilt helped himself in this area during his limited time at Kentucky. He showed that he can guard multiple positions, and he was an elite rebounder. His defensive rebounding rate (27.9 percent) would have ranked 19th nationally had he qualified, per KenPom.com.

Vanderbilt plays with max effort and can cover a lot of ground. Notice in the following two clips how he guards multiple players in each possession, his awareness of what's happening in the play and how quickly he's able to close out.

This next clip gives a glimpse of why he's such a gifted rebounder. Even though he's the one who contests the shot and most guys would leak out, he races in to try to grab the board.

Projected role: Starter

Vanderbilt is a player with a high ceiling for where he was picked. Remember, he was considered a lottery pick at one time. It isn't as if he could shoot then, but the premium put on shooting increases every year in the NBA. He also did not get to show his full arsenal in his abbreviated year at Kentucky.

It would have made a lot of sense for Vanderbilt to return to school and further demonstrate the type of skills that made him such a sought-after prospect in high school. But he did not, so he remains somewhat of a mystery. And with mystery often comes potential.

Vanderbilt is probably going to spend time in the G League, and it could be difficult for him to crack the rotation this season. But with his length, athleticism, ball-handling, motor and ability to guard multiple positions, he could eventually find himself in a starting lineup. While shooting is a huge concern, we can't rule out the possibility of him developing a jump shot down the road. He is only 19, after all.

Stats courtesy of Synergy Sports and Sports Reference. Measurements courtesy of NBA.com.