Jonathan Isaac, Freshman, Forward, Florida State
Overview:
Jonathan Isaac enters his freshman year looking to be the second straight first round pick for the Seminoles, after Malik Beasley was taken 19th overall in 2016. Isaac plays like a guard trapped in his 6’11” body. His best chance of making a splash in the NBA is as a mismatch power forward. Weighing just 205 pounds at the 2016 Hoop Summit, Isaac needs to improve his physicality. He shies away from contact when he drives and gets bullied in the post on both sides of the ball. He does have potential as an outside shooter, but is a bit on the streaky side. Improving his shooting consistency will go a long way for his upside. He does display great ball handling for his size and shows some slashing ability, but gaining strength will greatly improve this area of his game. Isaac has the size and quickness to be a weapon on defense, but has very poor discipline on D. His length displays some rim protection potential, but he relies on that length too often and isn’t physical enough.
Final Projection:
Jonathan Isaac has quite a bit of work to do his freshman year to solidify himself as a lottery pick. At the top of that list should be filling out his frame and gaining strength. Isaac has the size and quickness to be a mismatch nightmare, but adding physicality to that could make him borderline un-guardable. He also needs to focus on becoming more consistent and reliable with his jump shot. He isn’t the best at reacting to what the defense is giving him and will over dribble himself into a difficult shot. If the game can slow down for him and he gains that strength, he has a good shot at the lottery.
