NBA Draft 2013: Kenny Kadji scouting report

SB Nation is posting scouting reports of each prospect in the 2013 NBA Draft. Learn more about Miami big man Kenny Kadji.

NAME: Kenny Kadji

SCHOOL: Miami

AGE ON DRAFT NIGHT: 25 years, one month

POSITION: Power forward

MEASUREMENTS: 6’10, 242 pounds, 7’3 wingspan, 8’10.5 standing reach

STATS:

RELEVANT ADVANCED STATS: 35 percent from three this season. If Kadji can make threes, he will last in the NBA.

SB NATION BIG BOARD POSITION: No. 35.

NBA CEILING: Athletic Matt Bonner

NBA FLOOR: NBA Developmental League

After a long career at Florida and Miami, Kenny Kadji had his moment in the sun as a fifth-year senior. One of the key players on a Top 10 Hurricans team, he averaged 13 points, seven rebounds and one block on 47 percent shooting.

Most importantly, he shot 35 percent from behind the arc and 41 percent as a junior. At 6’10 and 240 pounds with a 7’3 wingspan, Kadji is possibly the biggest three-point specialist I’ve ever seen. He’s the kind of player who wouldn’t have existed a generation ago. This season, much of Miami’s offense was built around his ability to space the floor and run the pick-and-pop with Shane Larkin. In theory, he should be able to walk into that role at the next level.

There are some red flags, though. He’s 25, which is pretty old to be in college, and if his three-point shot isn’t falling, he can’t stay on the floor.

Kadji is a shooter with the size and athleticism to stand behind a good portion of the NBA’s backup centers. He may be a one-dimensional player, but that one dimension is awfully enticing.

Silver Screen and Roll:

The main problem in analyzing Kadji’s impact is that he’s very old for a draft prospect, being anywhere from three to seven years older than the guys he was competing against. It also makes his long-term upside especially limited since he’ll be entering what should be his prime from the moment he sets foot on a NBA court. One can also have a certain degree of skepticism at his athletic numbers, as he has a more developed body than many of his peers, but it was impressive nevertheless. For a guy not particularly noted for his athleticism, his solid vertical and middling agility alleviates some of the concern of whether he can play the four in the pros. And that’s where he’ll make his mark, as Kadji’s range extends out to to the three-point line and do all the usual things you associate with stretch fours. His percentages fell from his prolific junior season, but Kadji still was an efficient jump shooter as a senior as he took on a bigger role for a very good Miami team.

For more coverage, visit SB Nation’s NBA Draft 2013 section.