A scouting report on NBA draft prospect Jeremiah Robinson-Earl:
- Position: Power forward
- Height: 6-7.75 (without shoes)
- Weight: 242 pounds
- School: Villanova
Many Philadelphia basketball fans already know Robinson-Earl well from his two seasons at Villanova.
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He averaged 15.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists as a sophomore, being named co-Big East Player of the Year. The NBA is up next, and multiple mock drafts have gone with Robinson-Earl as the Sixers’ selection with the 28th pick. He should be off the board by the Sixers’ next selection, No. 50.
Strengths
An optimistic projection for Robinson-Earl is that he’ll be versatile and valuable in the NBA as someone who can play at both forward spots and as a small-ball center.
One reason to buy that idea is he has a nice foundation defensively. He’s capable of getting down into a defensive stance and corralling the ball on the perimeter. On the inside, he effectively absorbs contact. Though he’s shorter than the average big man, Robinson-Earl is strong and understands how to use his body.
NBA
Offensively, he shields off defenders and wriggles free with spin moves and subtle footwork. While Robinson-Earl’s scoring and rebounding numbers will probably drop off against larger, more athletic competition, his intelligence should still be an asset. Coaches are typically more inclined to trust young players with poise and confidence. While on-court tools matter, the Sixers will do their best to assess some of those intangible qualities, too. They’ve done well in that area late in the first round over the past few years, taking Tyrese Maxey, Matisse Thybulle and Landry Shamet.
Robinson-Earl knows his role on each possession and, in a broader sense, is good at gathering what his team needs in a particular game or situation and then executing his job. Part of that is Jay Wright being a tremendous coach who recruits players that will excel in his system, but Robinson-Earl is also simply a savvy player.
Weaknesses
Robinson-Earl sometimes seems to guide his jumper instead of shooting it loosely. He’s most at home in the mid-range, with beyond the arc apparently a bit beyond his comfort zone. In Year 2 at Villanova, he only knocked down 28.0 percent of his three-point attempts and 71.4 percent of his free throws.
If Robinson-Earl is a subpar NBA shooter and non-threatening in the pick-and-pop, what does he bring to the table offensively? It’s possible he’ll clean up the occasional offensive rebound, make in-rhythm mid-range jumpers and take advantage when he’s facing a weaker defender. However, envisioning him as someone who contributes on both ends of the floor is much easier if he improves his shot.
Since he’s not an exceptional athlete, Robinson-Earl will be reliant on things like positioning, instincts and strength. There’s nothing wrong with that, but he likely won't be able to afford lapses in fundamentals. A sudden burst of speed won’t save him when he misses a defensive rotation.
Fit
Robinson-Earl could potentially be a multi-positional bench piece for the Sixers. President of basketball operations Daryl Morey is a fan of optionality, and Robinson-Earl would have a chance at helping the Sixers on that front.
If Robinson-Earl is ready to play right away, he'd provide a boost for the team's frontcourt, an offseason area of need.