I made a point to not watch Kentucky this year outside of the NCAAs so Im going pretty much solely off of highlights and scouting reports (namely DraftExpress because they tend to be too negative so if you love a guy after their report then you probably love him)
some lines from the report that I love to hear:
He has gorgeous shooting mechanics, a quick, compact and repeatable motion complete with an effortless release and textbook follow-through. His size, high release point and ability to create separation off the dribble makes him a very capable off the dribble shooter. He has outstanding footwork and balance, allowing him to be more than just a spot-up floor-spacer as someone who makes shots running off screens, attacking closeouts, and punishing defenders for going underneath on the pick and roll. He already shows range out to the NBA 3-point line, and hit 41% of his shots beyond the arc on a very high volume of attempts per-minute.
Booker is a very intelligent prospect...He moves off the ball well and passes the ball unselfishly, often making the extra pass along the perimeter and cutting smartly as the defense rotates...He doesn't take bad shots, and rarely turns the ball over
Defensively, Booker's strong frame and competitive nature means he is unlikely to emerge as a liability on this end of the floor. He fights over screens, and shows excellent technique and fundamentals, rarely getting pushed around
he also comes with very little risk, as it will be very very surprising if he doesn't end up developing into at least a solid NBA player. At age 18, as the youngest player who will hear his name called on draft night
Most of the criticism was based on his average athleticism and 6'6" wingspan
...his lack of length and reach, combined with his average lateral quickness, does raise some concerns...The number of players in the NBA who aren't point guards and possess a wingspan shorter than 6-6 and a standing reach under 8-4 is fairly small: J.J. Redick, O.J. Mayo, Kirk Hinrich, Marcus Thornton, Jody Meeks, Gary Harris, Randy Foye.
This was based on his prior measurements. His updated reach is 8'6.5" and his wingspan is 6,6.5"
And its not like he is an awful athlete
He's a fluid athlete who moves well and has decent quickness
I wouldnt be mad if we got him at 16.
Now I have 12 guys Id like to have available at 16. I just need to find 4 more and draft night will be less stressfull
Although I highly doubt we make selection 16