Scouting and Highlights: Kylan Shipp (2017)
Kylan Shipp is one of the top unsigned guards in the senior class. A crafty lefty, he’s capable of scoring as well as making plays for his teammates. He’s a skilled shooter as well. Although he is short (only about 5’9″), he is a complete player who can compete with the best of them.
Shipp hasn’t received a ton of college interest, mostly because he is very undersized. A realistic expectation is JuCo, but he will be effective and find a great deal of success in the right system.
Here’s my take on Shipp’s game:
Strengths:
Playmaking – He has a great set of handles and is good at changing speeds, both of which make him tough to stay in front of. He’s a threat to score anytime he gets in the lane, which opens up easy shots for his teammates. He creates for himself and for his teammates at a high level.
Shooting – Shipp is a really good shooter. His shot looks smooth and comfortable from anywhere on the floor. He can shoot off the dribble or off the catch. He has plenty of range. He can shoot with a defender in his grill. Overall, he’s a very good shooter.
Defense – He plays in a high-pressure system at Northwestern and has a good amount of success. He can get up in bigger opponents and make them uncomfortable. The ability to pressure will make up for his lack of height in most cases.
Finishing – He does a really good job finishing around bigger defenders. He uses his body well to draw fouls and get to the free throw line. He can elevate well enough to finish consistently through much taller defender. He has a soft touch around the rim.
Areas For Development:
Strength – He’s not weak, but he will need to add weight. Adding muscle will help in all areas of his game. Also, adding weight will help prevent injury.
Off-ball movement – Shipp needs to be the primary playmaker in order to be effective. He will need to develop the ability to free himself up without the ball. This will help him fit better in more systems, which in turn will increase the number of teams he could play for. This is perhaps the only obvious weakness in his game.