New Orleans Pelicans NBA Draft: Desmond Bane brings needed hustle

New Orleans Pelicans NBA Draft: Desmond Bane is the best sparkplug in this year’s class

Desmond Bane’s Strength

When looking at Desmond Bane, I see a player that Pelicans fans will love because he’s a dog in the best sense of the word. All offseason Pelicans fans have flooded our mentions saying they wanted players who would make the team tougher, and Bane will do just that.

The reason I think Bane possesses this mentality is that he’s a bit of a rarity in modern college basketball, a senior player. In today’s age, most college players will enter the NBA Draft as soon as they can, but Bane played a full career at TCU and it’s turned him into an astounding player.

Let’s start with the offensive end of the floor. Bane is a mature offensive player. He uses high basketball IQ that he’s gained over the course of his time at TCU to be a smart facilitator and crafty scorer.

He won’t make the most complex plays but put the ball in his hand and he can operate clean pick-and-roll action and get the ball up to the open man. As a scorer, he’s built for the modern NBA with a dangerous 3 point shot that hits at a 44 percent clip and a knack for attacking the rim when he sees open driving lanes.

With a rock-solid 6’6″ 215 lbs frame, Banes brings the coveted flexibility of being able to play as both a guard or a wing at the NBA level.

That frame leads to excellence on the defensive end of the floor. In my opinion, Bane is one of the best defenders in the class. He’s competitive and aggressive always trying to win against his defensive assignment. His competitive drive is also why there’s plenty of film that shows Bane forcing turnovers and diving for loose ball recoveries.

Of course, like any prospect, Bane’s not perfect and there are a few weaknesses in his game that teams will need to assess before draft night.