Height: 6’11
Weight: 245
Year: Sophomore
Position: Power Forward
NBA Combine Measurements:
NBA Combine Athleticism Results:
2014-2015 NCAA Statistics:
17.5 PTS 8.9 REB 1.2 AST 1.1 STL 1.4 BLK 53.6 FG% 46.7 3PT% 73.7 FT%
Draft Projection: Mid First Round
NBA Player Comparison: Kevin Garnett
Bobby Portis continues to improve his game. To be honest, I didn’t see it coming. There were just too many games this season where Bobby Portis wasn’t efficient whatsoever and had his team suffer. Early in the season against Clemson, where Arkansas lost in OT, Portis looked good, but in key moments forced the issue too much. He would shoot the deep ball to try to get the team back in it, when he should not have been the one shooting. The 47% mark from 3PT range is alarming as he has a pretty ugly shot. Nevertheless, Portis turned it around and had an incredible season en route to becoming the SEC Player of the Year.
Portis is an animal on the boards and in the paint. One thing I loved from his Arkansas days was his ability to get incredible position in the post. He never just posted up on a spot, he always knew where he was so he could figure out which post-move to use to get to the basket. Like I said, the jump shot is worrying as teams will just sag off on him if he can’t hit that 16-20 footer consistently. He has the confidence to shoot that shot, there is no doubt about that, but having the confidence to take and actually making are two very different things. Portis will continue to work on that shot as I know he is a kid with a great passion for this game. He will be relevant on a team, whether it is in practice, or actually in the game.
My comparison for Bobby Portis is Kevin Garnett. This is not in terms of talent, rebounding ability, or defensive presence. It’s in terms of tenaciousness and heart. Certain teams who have evaluated him have already came out to say that they see the same intensity they saw in Garnett in Bobby Portis. That’s a HUGE compliment. To even have a little of Garnett’s intensity is something special, but to have the same type of intensity? Wow. Who knows what NBA career and path is ahead for Bobby Portis, but there will be no questioning his toughness or grit through his journey. I can guarantee you that.
Future Professional Potential: Solid Starter
