With the Golden State Warriors opting not to trade up or package their pick with a David Lee trade, they selected Kevon Looney with the 30th pick of the draft.
Like most of the Warriors’ roster, Looney is long and versatile and fits the mold perfectly. At only 19 years old, Looney is 6-foot 9, with a massive 7-foot-3-inch wingspan. In one year at UCLA, Looney averaged 11.6 points and 9.2 rebounds playing about 30 minutes per game as the starting power forward.
Looney seems like a great fit for this Warriors’ roster. Fresh off a title run, the Warriors didn’t need to draft a player that would immediately put them in a “win now” situation. The organization has dedicated a large amount of resources into developing players, and the results have been apparent with the Santa Cruz Warriors winning the D-League Championship as well. With David Lee most likely on his way out, Looney could fill the role of an inside scoring presence, and he certainly has the physical tools and skills needed to succeed.
If the Warriors had any flaws, it is offensive rebounding, but Looney brings in the size and tenacity needed to solve that problem. In UCLA, Looney averaged 4.2 offensive boards per-40 minutes. His length and great box-out ability allows him to track down loose balls for second chance points.
He’s shown to be a decent off-ball player with a serviceable jump shot. He has the ability to step out and hit threes at a decent clip (he made 41.5 percent of his threes in UCLA). He’s only a 63 percent free throw shooter; however, his mechanics show that he can surely improve. He doesn’t seem to be the most explosive athlete, but he makes up for it with his length.
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He’s also displayed the ability to handle the rock on the open court after crashing the defensive glass. Looney lacks a strong post game right now. He doesn’t have excellent footwork or many moves to get free and score. The good news is that he’s playing on a team with plenty of shot creators able to feed him the rock. At only 19, he definitely has time to fill out his frame and develop his skill set.
Looney was originally projected to be an early draft pick, but he suffered a hip injury before his stint at UCLA, causing teams to be wary of potential future injury problems. However, the Warriors can afford to take such a risk. With their core sans Draymond Green locked down for at least another year, the team doesn’t have any major holes to fill.
Looney is a perfect project for the Warriors that could blossom if developed correctly. The team values length, versatility and hustle, which Looney has shown in his short time playing college ball. The Warriors coaching staff has proved to be excellent at player development. If everything pans out correctly, the Warriors could have a steal of the draft in their hands.