Oregon State University’s Kylor Kelley was interviewed by Lee Branscome, Richard Harris, and I about his game and his outlook when it comes to his soon-to-be pro career. The 7-foot-big man is best known and lauded for his propensity to block shots. Prior to suiting up for the Beavers, Kelley spent time at Northwest Christian University (NAIA) from 2015-2017 and Lane Community College (NJCAA) in 2017-2018. At those two stops, he demonstrated his shot blocking ability; he averaged an impressive 5.6 blocks and 4.6 blocks at the respective schools.
Kelley, who turns 23 on August 26, continued to showcase his rim-protecting prowess once he transferred to Oregon State for his junior and senior season. He finished his career at Oregon State first all-time in blocked shots (211) and blocks per game (3.4). He also set the school records for consecutive games with a block (31) and blocks in a single game (9). His 211 total blocks in his two seasons are the seventh most in Pac-12 Conference history, and in his career at Oregon State, he averaged more blocks than fouls (2.1) per game. On the shot-blocking front, Kelley is a certified defensive presence — who disrupts the scoring plans of opponents that think of challenging him at the basket. His physical tools and athletic abilities are a big reason for his preternatural defensive abilities.
Offensively, Kelley was an efficient third option as a senior, with 11.1 points per game and 60.4 field-goal percentage. He has some touch as a shooter, but stayed within himself and did not attempt many shots outside the paint. Kelley gets many of his points from inside finishes after retrieving lobs and dump-off passes from teammates. His lanky frame and athletic traits allow him to be an above-average vertical spacer and a rim-running big.
Kelley’s talent, particularly on the defensive end, are more than intriguing when projecting towards the next level. Here is what he has to say on his development strategy going into the NBA draft, his untraditional route to becoming a prospect, his talent for protecting the rim, and more.
Special thanks to Connor Ullathorne, who produced this video, and Oregon State Athletics for the video highlights and photographs.
