Jarnell Stokes
Birthdate: Jan. 7, 1994 (Memphis, Tenn.)
School: Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.) Class: 2014 (OFFICIAL) Height: 6'8" Weight: 260 NBA Position: PF |
Scouting Report 1.0 — 06.13.2014 (Joseph Fafinski)
Jarnell Stokes is not going to wow you with a frequent SportsCenter Top 10 play appearances, but rather a sound, fundamental individual who excels hitting the glass and on the defensive side of things. Standing 6'8 and clocking in at 260 pounds, Stokes, 20, uses sheer brute force to move in the post to snag up even the most difficult of rebounds. He grabbed 10.3 per game last season for the Vols, a number that placed him 11th in the entire country. Offensively he doesn't do too much outside putting back missed shots and imposing his presence in the paint. He doesn't defend well on the perimeter, but that's just because he's a natural in the post.
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These traits lead us to believe Stokes is of the Chuck Hayes mold. I'll call him a rich man's Chuck Hayes due to a few separating characteristics. Stokes' ability to sink free throws and make any shot at all (which are Hayes' adversaries) prove his ceiling his higher. Stokes is in no way a normal basketball player-- his strengths are specialized. All NBA teams need their scorers, floor generals, etcetera. Furthermore, all NBA teams (in this case, his hometown Memphis Grizzlies?) need a Jarnell Stokes-- a player who will fight for the ball on every possession and perform the necessary labor that isn't always reflected in the statsheets.
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I'll take a guy like that on my bench every day of the week and twice on Sundays. One unheralded aspect of Stokes' game is his ever-improving mid-range jumper. While not phenomenal by any stretch of the imagination, the improvement and progression is undeniable as you view tape from his days at the University of Tennessee. He's a team-first prospect who struggles offensively but more than makes up for with his strong basketball IQ along with his Clarence Carter-esque moves in the paint. Are these reasons enough to hail Jarnell Stokes as a first-rounder? I believe so. You may not see him on SportsCenter, but you'll see him on an NBA roster come November.
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