#18 *Houston: Jerian Grant (Notre Dame)

22 - Jerian Grant (Notre Dame)

Birthday: 10/9/92
NBA Position: Point Guard
Class: Senior
Ht: 6-4
Wt: 200
Hometown: Bowie, MD
High School: DeMatha
Team Site Profile
Statistics
NBA Comparison: Reggie Jackson/Bobby Jackson

Strengths:
A familiar face for those who follow college basketball, Jerian Grant is a high level athlete for an NBA guard with explosive hops, strength, quick reflexes, and nice lateral speed ... From an athletic, size standpoint alone, Grant screams NBA translation ... At 6’5’’, and a mature 205 pounds, he possesses excellent size for an NBA point guard, and if you peg him into an off guard he still has good positional size ... Jerian’s athletic ability and length allowed him to finish at a truly elite clip for an NCAA guard ... He made 73.1% of his shots at the rim as a senior ... Grant also has developed into a player who takes extremely good care of the ball, while setting up his teammates at a high level ... His 6.7 assists per game as a senior (7th in the nation), were met with just 2.2 turnovers per game, which was good for a 3.04 assist/to ratio ... Grant is also a strong shooter, both off the dribble, and spotting up ... He hits FT’s at a good clip (78%) ... His ball handling allows him to create space for himself, and he’s a very savvy 1 on 1 player, who has showed improved shot selection as he’s progressed as a player ... From a defensive standpoint, he looks to be a player who can translate to the next level ... He’s capable defending on the ball, and he’s also good in the passing lanes, which allowed him to finish 6th in the ACC in steals per game ... He also is good challenging the shots of smaller guards, and even in the NBA his length will prove an asset when getting a hand up on NBA sized guards ... Grant has also shown the ability to step up in big games ... He looked amazing in Notre Dame’s run in the ACC tournament, and followed it up with a solid NCAA tournament

Weaknesses:
While a polished and athletic guard, the first thing that comes up with a player like Jerian is how much left does he have to improve ... He’ll turn 23 before his first NBA game, and although I feel he’s not done developing, some may feel he lacks the ceiling of a younger player ... Grant also got off to a hot start his junior year from beyond the arc before sitting out the second half of the season for academic reasons ... Despite an early .408% clip, he regressed as a senior, and shot a pretty unimpressive .316% from downtown ... Although Grant has good shooting ability, many of these shots were not quality shots, often coming off the dribble ... He needs to adjust both his long range shot selection, and just gain more deep reps when looking towards the next level ... He is also viewed as a combo guard of sorts, which isn’t a huge deal because of his positional size, if he is indeed a point guard, then he’s huge, but if he’s an off guard with some point skills, he doesn’t have that same advantage and intrigue ... Improving upon the ability to set up others in the pick and roll will be important to his future ...

Overall:
Jerian Grant could help just about any team from day 1, he’s a smart, well rounded player with highlight-reel hops (ask Tadrick Jackson), and NBA level skills at the point ... His development in college leads me to believe he still has some room for growth, and his athletic ability and size is top notch ... Today you’d like your guards to be a little better shooting from distance, but with some reps paired with getting used to his role in the NBA game, that could be something Grant could develop ... Despite his age Grant is most definitely a first round talent, and could be a real sleeper if teams underestimate what he can do, in favor of focusing on the year he was born ...

Notes:
Son of former NBA player Harvey Grant, nephew of former NBA player Horace Grant, and brother of Philadelphia 76er Jerami Grant. 1st Team All-ACC 2014-15, 1st Team All-American 2014-15

David Ray 4/22/15

Strengths:
A true PG with excellent size at 6'4/6'5 ... Confident ball handler capable of maintaining ball control as second nature and allowing plays to develop from the top of the key. Thrives with the ball in his hands ... Has good composure. A good decision maker and passer. Had a 2.5/1 turnover ratio as a freshman ... Solid first step off the dribble and finishes well at the rim ... Hits his foul shots at an effective (82%) clip ... Has good strength to withstand contact and finish ... Very good shooter. Despite struggling from the floor in his freshman season, shows very good form on his shot ... Gets his feet set quickly. Has a clean, quick, concise release ... Solid versatility to play on or off the ball. Understands how to move off the ball to get open ... Good isolation ability with the ability to set his man up with crossovers and also pull up off the dribble ... Has the ability to use both hands, to handle the ball and to finish ... Good finisher despite lacking great explosiveness with body control and the knowledge of his to use his vody to screen shot blockers when he attacks the basket ... Clutch performer, knocked down a huge step back 3 pointer in the closing minute of the Irish' NCAA game against Xavier ... Long arms help him to jump passing lanes as well as play more athletic and finish at the rim with dunks ... His long arms also help him to get shots off without much daylight from a defender ... Sturdy frame. Good body strength / balance. Able to change directions well ... Has good blood lines. Father and Uncle were NBA twins Harvey and Horace Grant ... A player who appears to be on the brink of a breakout season ... Solid defensively. Doesn't gamble much. Plays sound, fundamental defense ... Generally guards the opponents 2-guard so how he can handle speedy ... Capable of some highlight reel dunks, using above average leaping ability ...

Weaknesses:
Needs to improve upon his shot selection. Forced shots far too often as a freshman. Would launch shots with a defender in his face ... Shot 38% from the floor and 35% from 3, numbers that could be greatly improved with more judicious shot selection ... Could be a better rebounder for a 6'5 guard at 2.9 per game in 36 mpg ... With a decided size and strength advantage over competitors, he should be more aggressive at penetrating and getting to the free throw line. 4 FT attempts per game as a FR ... Should learn to incorporate a floater into his game ... At times he penetrates too far and get blocked by bigmen at the rim ... Could stand to place more energy and emphasis his defensive game ... Lacks tremendous lateral quickness to be a lockdown defender ...

Notes:
Son of former NBA player Harvey Grant and Nephew of Chicago Bulls standout Horace Grant ... Brothers are also high level athletes: Jerami Grant (a high level recruit) will be a freshman at Syracuse, and Jaelin a prep player from the class of 2015 ... Redshirted his freshmen season due to a stress fracture in his lower left leg ...