Cam Reddish Scouting Report

Cam Reddish
Cam Reddish struggled with efficiency this season, but he proved to be a clutch shooter, ranking at the 93rd percentile for points per possession when shooting with less than 4 seconds left on the shot clock. (Photo by Reagan Lunn, Duke Athletics)

The team that selects Cam Reddish will do so based far more on potential than on what he did this season as a freshman.  To put it mildly, he struggled to mesh with Duke’s other stars, Zion Williamson and R. J. Barrett, who dominated the ball and clogged up the paint.  For the most part, Reddish took on the role of a spot-up shooter, who would knock down shots from deep and provide spacing for the others.  To some extent he succeeded, averaging a team-high 2.5 threes per game, but his overall efficiency and production were not stellar. 

Reddish, who came to Duke as a top-5 recruit, never adjusted to playing off the ball this season, and he was also nagged by injuries.  He shot 50 percent or better from the field in just 7 of 36 games.  Overall, he made only 35.6 of his field-goal attempts, and was limited to 33.3 percent from deep.  Most of the rest of his numbers were solid but not spectacular, including averages of 13.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and .6 blocks per game. 

When he had the chance to play more with the ball in his hands, Reddish fared somewhat better, improving in several key areas.  In the seven games that Williamson either missed or could not finish due to injury, Reddish shot 39 percent from the floor and 35 percent from deep, while averaging 17.1 points per game.

For the most part, Reddish struggled mightily this season, but he also displayed flashes of brilliance.  He has great size, good skill, and eye-catching agility.  Given his youth, the way he was used, and that he was bothered by injuries this season, some team is going to give Reddish the benefit of the doubt and make him a lottery selection.  However, based on the numerous areas where he was inefficient this season, it appears that it will take him a good deal of time to develop into a regular contributor. 

Position:  SF Team/Class: Duke (Fr.)
Birthday:  9/01/99 Nationality: United States
Height:  6-8 Weight: 208
Wingspan: 7-1 Vertical:  
Shot Hand: Right Stats: Click here

Strengths:

  • Great size and length for a wing
  • Has broad shoulders, and should fill out nicely in the future
  • A fast and graceful athlete
  • Excellent body control and capable of making difficult finishes at the rim
  • Effectively uses jab steps and step-back moves, and a good shooter off the bounce; averaged .90 points per possession (PPP) on half-court jumpers off the dribble, which ranked at the 71st percentile this season
  • Highly effective as a scorer when handling in the pick and roll, ranking at the 96th percentile for PPP
  • A clutch shooter, and displays deep range when his shots are going down; ranked at the 93rd percentile for PPP when shooting with less than 4 seconds left on the shot clock
  • Capable of scoring in isolation; ranked at the 57th percentile for PPP on ISO plays
  • Can finish and pass with either hand
  • Good free-throw shooter, making 77.2 percent of his attempts this season
  • Has the size, length, and athleticism to guard multiple positions; ranked at the 53rd percentile for PPP allowed
  • Gets a high number of steals (1.6 per game), and makes some impressive blocks in transition and from the help side
  • Misused on the offensive end this season, and showed improvement when playing more on the ball

Weaknesses:

  • Highly inefficient this season, averaging .84 PPP, which ranked at the 39th percentile
  • Low release point on his jump shots, and doesn’t get much elevation on his standing jumpers
  • Struggles when catching and shooting, ranking at the 27th percentile for PPP
  • Not ultra-quick or dynamic off the bounce, and significantly favors driving left
  • Struggles when driving in traffic and turnover prone (2.7 turnovers per game)
  • Tends to drive into congestion with tunnel vision; had an assist-turnover ratio this season of .73
  • Not overly vertically explosive and has difficulty finishing through contact; made just 46.9 percent of his shots this season from eight feet and in
  • Tends to avoid going to the basket on the break, settling for threes; ranked at the 38th percentile for PPP in transition this season
  • Not a great rebounder for his size
  • Nagged by injuries this season, and recently had abdominal surgery

Sources, Credits, and Acknowledgements:  Stats used in our scouting reports mainly come from Synergy Sports Technology and RealGM.com, and occasionally from Hoop-Math.com and Sports-Reference.com.  The photo was courtesy of Duke Athletics.  Other outside sources are noted with links to the source. 

Author

  • Richard C. Harris

    Richard has worked as a sports writer/editor/analyst since 1998, and is NBA credentialed. He has contributed to various magazines, radio shows, and a number of other sites, including ESPN.com, SI.com, and USAToday.com. He is the former CEO of FantasyFootballExperts.com and a former member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). He is currently the Managing Director at Hoops Prospects. Follow on Twitter @HoopsProspects.