Jahmi'us Ramsey's Draft Scouting Report: Pro Comparison, Updated Kings Roster
November 19, 2020
The Sacramento Kings selected Texas Tech guard Jahmi'us Ramsey with the No. 43 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report
Player: Jahmi'us Ramsey
Position: SG
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 195
Pro Comparison: Kevin Porter Jr.
Scouting Report: One of the top isolation scorers in the draft class, Jahmi'us Ramsey can create for himself and bury tough jumpers from the mid-range and three. His shooting stroke is sweet, and at 6'4" with a strong frame and athleticism, he has promising defensive tools. Talent and skill aren't problems for Ramsey. He just needs to improve his on-court discipline at both ends.
Buddy Hield, SG: $23.5M (2024)
Harrison Barnes, SF: $21.3M (2023)
Cory Joseph, PG: $12.4M (2022)
Marvin Bagley III, PF: $7.9M (2022)
Nemanja Bjelica, PF: $6.8M (2021)
Jabari Parker, PF: $6.5M (2021)
De'Aaron Fox, PG: $5.5M (2021)
Richaun Holmes, PF: $4.9M (2021)
Tyrese Haliburton, PG: Rookie scale contract (2024)
Jahmi'us Ramsey, SG
Bogdan Bogdanovic, SF: RFA
Alex Len, C: UFA
Corey Brewer, SG: UFA
Harry Giles, PF: UFA
Kent Bazemore, SG: UFA
Yogi Ferrell, PG: UFA
The national runners-up in 2019, the Red Raiders were unable to enjoy that kind of success this past season. They reeled off an 18-13 record before the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended play.
Any blame for the team's step backward shouldn't fall too much on Ramsey. He averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists as a freshman. He also shot 44.2 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Ramsey was the Big 12's Freshman of the Year and a second-team All-Big 12 player.
Upon first announcing his intention to examine his pro prospects, Ramsey left the door open for a return to Lubbock, Texas. The fact he decided to remain in the 2020 draft pool is somewhat surprising because he wasn't universally nailed down as a first-round talent.
In addition, he was unable to improve his draft stock too much since the pandemic limited teams' ability to evaluate players ahead of the event.
Still, Ramsey did enough to show teams he can slot into a meaningful role in an NBA rotation. The Athletic's Sam Vecenie offered his opinion on how the Arlington, Texas, native might best operate on the court:
"I think Ramsey's best path is as an off-ball catch-and-shoot threat who can both hit shots as a spot-up shooter and also attack off the bounce, read the second level of the defense, and either use his athleticism to finish at the bucket or to hit kick-out passes and then relocate to keep defenses in scrambling rotation situations. And indeed, Ramsey hit a ton of shots off the catch this season, as you’ll see below."
Ramsey's assist numbers weren't outstanding, and he averaged nearly as many turnovers (2.0), so he's unlikely to be suited to run an offense.
At 6'4" and 195 pounds, he has the size to play shooting guard and could operate as a small-ball 3, though that would likely leave him exposed against bigger players on defense.
Ramsey's shooting and ability to score off the dribble should allow him to make an impact off the bench for the Kings. Over time, he might prove himself deserving of a promotion to the starting lineup.
Sacramento already has De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield leading the backcourt and drafted Tyrese Haliburton in the first round, but the latest addition is another high-upside option who can help down the line.