Overseas Scouting Report: Bismack Biyombo
Last year, we took a look at players coming to the NBA after playing at least as season overseas. This year we are going to be doing the same thing, and with Bismack Biyombo being drafted in the first round and a manageable buyout, he is definitely going to be in the NBA next season, which is why we are taking a look at him.
Past Editions: Ricky Rubio | Jan Vesely
Bismack Biyombo took the world by storm by posting a triple double in the annual Hoop Summit game featuring the best prospects in the world. Despite playing just 13 games in the ACB (the Spanish Pro league and maybe the second best league in teh world), Biyombo found himself as the #7 pick to the Charlotte Bobcats.
Strengths
Pick And Roll Offense
Everything that you have read or heard about Biyombo tells us that he is extremely raw on the offensive end. While that is true, there is one area where Biyombo is slightly better than average, and that is in the pick and roll game. As the roll man on pick and rolls, Biyombo shot 64.7% and posted a PPP of 1.091 (top 50% of all international players) while drawing a foul 31.8% of the time.
The way that Biyombo sets screens is straight out of the Amar’e Stoudemire/David Lee/Daivd West mold of not really setting a screen, but showing it and then quickly rolling to the rim. My guess is that Biyombo or his coaching staff had him doing this for a couple reasons. First, it lets him avoid setting moving screens, and second, it allows him to get to an area where he can catch and go right up with it easily:
In my opinion, Biyombo has better hands than you’d expect (especially when he is ready and waiting for the basketball), and when he makes the catch in the paint or right at the rim, he is able to quickly go up with the shot attempt, allowing him to finish without getting blocked. That is, unless he gets a clear path to the rim, then he is able to go up and finish lob passes from his point guard.
Defense
Biyombo didn’t get drafted seventh because he is a slightly above average pick and roll player. He got drafted because he can be an absolute dominant force on the defensive end. According to Synergy, Biyombo recorded 31 blocks in just 13 games. While that is impressive on its own, what might be even more impressive is that Biyombo doesn’t foul a lot (something that you associate with raw/athletic defenders). Averaging 17 minutes per game for 13 games, Biyombo committed just 26 fouls, or 2 per game. Even if you look at DraftExpress’ numbers adjusting for pace, Biyombo is committing just 4.6 fouls per 40 minutes. Biyombo has that rare ability to block/challenge a lot of shots without committing fouls:
On most of his block attempts, Biyombo is always going straight up and never really seems out of control (which is what usually leads to blocks). No wild swings of the arm, just solid hands straight up defense. Also, he doesn’t let smaller defenders jump into his body, drawing contact.
In addition to his ability to block shots without fouling, Biyombo is a very good post defender. During his 13 games, Biyombo held is opponents to a PPP of 0.524 on just 22.2% shooting.
Biyombo’s biggest strength in the post is his strength. He simply doesn’t allow the man posting him up to establish strong position in the post, and when they get the ball, they can’t really back Biyombo down because of his strength. Also on these plays, you see his ability to stay standing straight up, not bite on head fakes, and bother shots without fouling. Even when players were able to establish good post position, usually with the help of a cross screen, Biyombo was able to recover and contest.
Weaknesses
Offense Outside Of Pick And Rolls
Outside of the pick and roll, where he is slightly above average in my opinion, Biyombo is a very poor offensive player. The biggest problem that I have with Biyombo is that he is very turnover prone, committing a turnover 25.8% of the time in the halfcourt. Basically one out of every four possessions that Biyombo uses in the halfcourt ends in a turnover. In the post, Biyombo struggles to recognize double teams:
He is so focused on his post move (he struggles with his moves so when he does catch the ball down low it seems like he gets tunnel vison when attempting his moves) that he rarely senses or sees the double team coming, and this results in turnovers.
Biyombo also ends up turning the basketball over when he makes the catch too far away from the rim in pick and roll situations:
Biyombo simply doesn’t have the skill right now to make the catch on the move (while diving to the rim) when too far away from the basket. He struggles timing his steps or even determining when he has to put the basketball on the floor. This often leads to traveling violations (the two calls in the above clips). When Biyombo can’t go straight up for the dunk, he struggles.
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It is going to be interesting to see how the Bobcats use Biyombo. Are they going to play him a lot of minutes, allowing him to be the safety valve on the defensive end, blocking shots from help position. If they do that, they expose him to much more time on the offensive end, and area where he clearly struggles. D.J. Augustin was one of the better pick and roll point guards in the league last year, so there could be some success there, but will it be enough to leave him on the court?
I expect him to get the same type of minutes that he got in Spain this season, 15-20 minutes. This is enough time where it allows him to be a factor on the defensive end, and it isn’t enough time to let his poor offensively play completely destroy the momentum of your offense (though I expect him to see more time when going up against a Dwight Howard or Pau Gasol/Andrew Bynum). The real question is, is that enough production from the #7 pick in the draft during their rookie season?
