The New Orleans Pelicans only had one pick in the 2023 NBA Draft (the 14th overall pick, which they used on Jordan Hawkins), but that didn’t stop them from adding some talent to their roster.
After Adam Silver and Mark Tatum finished announcing draft picks, the Pelicans took flight and swooped in to sign undrafted rookie Landers Nolley II.
Landers Nolley II has signed a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell @ClutchPointsApp.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) June 23, 2023
And while there aren’t usually many expectations around undrafted players, every once in a while, you are able to find a needle in the haystack. In recent years, the Pelicans have managed to do it twice with undrafted snags like Naji Marshall and Jose Alvarado – two guys who have emerged as valuable rotation players for New Orleans.
Can Nolley develop into that type of player? To be completely candid, I don’t know. I haven’t watched a ton of film on him (yet) because I don’t watch much college basketball (NBA>college).
But you know who does watch a ton of college basketball? NBA/college scout Adam Spinella – founder of “The Box and One” YouTube channel and substack. So, we asked him what he thinks Pelicans fans should expect from Nolley. Here is what he said:
"“Landers Nolley II is a deadeye shooter, albeit with a little bit of a unique release. He rarely gets off the ground, but his stroke is pure from real deep range and while spacing in the corners. His optimal role is that of a floor-spacer, but he’s shown a propensity to be efficient near the rim and to make an impact as a rebounder each of the last few years. His touch in the mid-range is effective for when he’s run off the line, and with a 6’10” wingspan, he has some hope of providing enough defensive gusto to stay on the floor in the NBA.”"
It is worth noting that Spinella is fairly high on Nolley and did not think he should have went undrafted in the first place. In fact, he had him ranked 43rd on his final draft board of the cycle. Are Spinella and the Pelicans seeing something that the teams that passed on him didn’t? I sure hope so, because adding a credible floor spacer/shooter with a 6’10 wingspan in the undrafted market would be a monster win for the Pelicans.