Pelicans Draft: 4 Shooting Guards to consider if Jrue Holiday is traded
By Nick Alvarez
Desmond Bane could be the gritty player that overtakes Jrue Holiday’s spot and his status as a fan-favorite
Desmond Bane- TCU
I had a few names that I considered in this spot, but I just couldn’t put them past one of my favorite players in this draft, Desmond Bane.
If you want a player who can come in and give the New Orleans Pelicans valuable minutes right away, I think Bane’s your guy. He just does it all. He’s tough and willing to use and abuse his body at all costs.
On defense, I’ve seen him handle not just opposing guards but wings and the occasional big too. At 6’6″ with a 215-pound frame he has the size to go toe to toe with nearly anyone. That’s something that Holiday couldn’t always do given his size.
His game continues to the offensive end of the floor too, and at times it mirrors the type of game Holiday plays. There are moments on tape when Desmond Bane will run a halfcourt-offense and operate in the pick-and-roll as a primary ball-handler.
More importantly, at his age, Bane is still willing to attack the basket to score while drawing contact. That is a skill that Jrue Holiday was great at but has faded in the past few seasons.
Oh did I mention that Bane is a supremely talented shooter? Yup, Bane hit on over 40 percent of 3 pointers at the NCAA level and he should bring that stroke into the NBA no matter what team drafts him.