SPRINGFIELD -- B.J. Boston isn’t the highest-profile prospect on a loaded Sierra Canyon team that includes Ziaire Williams and Bronny James, but he has a lot of skills that suggest he could be a lottery pick in a little over a year.
Here’s what we saw from Boston at the Spalding Hoophall Classic this weekend.
STRENGTHS
- The first thing you notice watching Boston is his jumper, which is smooth and feathery. He can hit from any distance -- mid-range to far behind the 3-point line -- and his ball-handling/footwork allow him to get his shot off comfortably at any time. He should be able to space the floor immediately next year at Kentucky.
- Boston has excellent touch around the rim as well -- he finished a few very difficult layups over the weekend, including a swooping scoop through contact.
- Even though Boston is extremely skinny, he’s better at finishing through contact than one would expect. He’s also an aggressive offensive rebounder -- in Monday’s loss to Paul VI, he grabbed three and finished off a few put-back layups.
- Boston’s athleticism and shooting ability combined with his handle makes him a very tough cover off the bounce as well. As his game (and his body) develops, he should be a threat from all over the court. As a scorer, he’s the complete package.
WEAKNESSES
- Boston can get caught trying to do too much. On Monday, he had five turnovers -- a result of over-dribbling against Paul VI’s aggressive defense. He tried to attack double teams and got stripped, and he tried to dribble the ball up himself against an aggressive press.
- Similarly, Boston takes some very difficult shots at times. He’s a tough shot maker, so that can be fine, but on a loaded Serra Canyon team, he shouldn’t always have to fire up contested shots off the bounce.
- After Saturday’s win over Dominican, a Sierra Canyon assistant coach called out to the assembled media that Boston had 10 assists, jokingly calling it a miracle. Against a real opponent on Monday, Boston had just one. It would be good to see a player of Boston’s caliber set up his teammates in addition to getting his own buckets.
- We mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: Boston is really, really skinny. He probably won’t ever pack on pounds of muscle, but bulking up a bit would help on the defensive end at the college and pro levels.
TAKEAWAYS
Boston has one-and-done potential, and given his size and scoring ability, he could be a high lottery pick in the 2021 NBA draft. There are some question marks, but at Kentucky, he will have a chance to prove himself on a very big stage, and any player who can score at his level will raise eyebrows among talent evaluators. The market for 6-foot-7 bucket getters is strong, and Boston appears to be in a perfect position to take advantage of it.
More Hoophall scouting content:
- Jalen Green looks like a future star
- Breaking down top junior Michael Foster’s game
- Cade Cunningham’s game has few, if any, holes