Damon Thompson, Jr. Evaluation

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Damon Thompson, Jr.

John Marshall HS (VA)

Team Loaded (Adidas 3SSB)

Class

2024

Height

6'0"

Weight

165 lbs

Position

Strong Hand

Right

Committed

James Madison

June 2023

Statistical Sample from the 2022-23 Season

Statistics from Sessions I & II of Adidas 3SSB

Physical/Athleticism

Bio/Athleticism

4.3 GPA
A solid athlete who won’t pop athletically but, as you will read, his game isn’t reliant on such athleticism
Measured, practiced movements that exude intelligence
Makes up for any lack of explosiveness with his skill and mind
Decent burst and foot speed, coupled with a smart, effective use of his first step
Adequate quick-twitch fibers, but not overtly twitchy
Great hand-eye coordination
Very good body control
Choosy with the use of his speed, as he prefers to play at his own speed (see more on this below in the “Offensive Qualities” section)
Fluid changes of direction and lateral movements
- Adequate lateral quickness
Superb conditioning
A finesse guard with a firm grip on how to create advantages with the use of his body (elaborated upon throughout the report)
Suitable functional strength that should continue to increase as he matures
Owns a very useful ability to decelerate
Terrific footwork and balance

Other Offensive Qualities

Offensive Qualities

A crafty, score-first lead guard who plays the game at his own pace and on his own terms
- Comfortable and effective playing alongside a second ballhandler, as he’s very capable of sliding over to the combo-guard slot, operating off the ball, and impacting he game as a secondary ball handler
Scores in bunches. A wick who yearns to catch fire from the slightest spark.
- A dangerous perimeter shooter who can get hot a real hurry. Once he makes a couple, the basket just gets bigger. Can bury teams with the 3 ball.
- Can shoot it from virtually anywhere within ~30-32 feet with enough consistency to demand the attention that far from the rim. The kind of player the defense must keep track of at all times.
- Will pull with little notice, requiring defenses to remain on guard, and punishing those who do not

A big shot maker who loves the kill shot. Wants the ball in his hands down the stretch to put the dagger in the opposition.
Penetrates using a combination of intelligence, crafty handle, and shrewd use of his body to get where he wants to go off the bounce
Owns a somewhat lulling cadence with the ball that can lure the defender in. Once they get too close or make a mistake even a small misstep, he’s able to take advantage and seal them with his inside foot or use a change of pace/hesitation to set up either a straight-line drive or single change of direction
- Does an excellent job of reading the feet of the on-ball defender
- Takes his time and chooses when to attack off the bounce with wisdom

Likes to use a hesitation dribble (see more in the next bullet) alone or together with single changes of direction, an inside-out, or an occasional double move. Whatever it is, it’s a decisive move accompanied by terrific feel for the on-ball defender.
- Relatively direct off the dribble once he decides to go. Simply looks to get the step and create the advantage, then navigate through the second level of the defense.
- Advanced understanding of angles

Makes great use of his hesitation dribble, changing pace to keep the defense guessing and freeing up space to operate. Can really freeze the defense.
- Employs different versions of the hesitation
  - A naturally built-in hesitation that he rhythmically utilizes to gauge the help side and read the on-ball defender’s feet and body positioning. Its effectiveness, in part, stems from his threat to pull up.
  - Quicker twitch use on the move – like a stop-and-go – to get the defense to bite
  - A dramatic pause into a burst
  - More common uses such as a rhythm hesi dribble

Informed defenders are forced to try to stay within close quarters in order to prevent the shot, creating greater opportunity for advantage creation. He knows just how to handle this approach.

Frequently protects the ball in route to the rim like a half back bursting through the hole, with both hands cradling the rock and his body low to the floor
- Relocates the ball to avoid prying hands as he makes his way through traffic
When he's unable to create adequate separation on the drive, his use of decelerated steps and footwork allow him to persist through traffic and into the lane for looks at the rim that would otherwise be unavailable

Shrewd with the use of his body. Knows how to draw contact on the floor, as a jump shooter from behind the arc, and around the rim as a finisher (see more on his finishing ability further below)
- 35.0 free throw rate over 17 games charted, including a 46.0 rate during the first two sessions of 3SSB play
Further, he’s able to employ his body with his on-ball skillset to create space and position himself in/around the painted area
- Comprehends how to hold defenders off with his body on the drive, keeping his body between them and the ball

Does not frequent true midrange areas often, but is capable of leveraging his threat to shoot by attacking hard closeouts

Very effective pick-and-roll player
- Often patient and measured – measures the defense as he tries to get a read on how he’s going to be defended. Displays very good instincts for spacing and coverage.
- A death sentence to go under the screen – he can really make you pay for this mistake. It doesn’t matter how high the screen is being set (within reason).

Sets the screen up nicely with the dribble, creating advantageous angles
- Frequently stays tight, going shoulder-to-shoulder off the screen
Manipulates defenders with the screen, often using them as a distraction and misdirection purposes. If a defender shows enough attention to the oncoming screen, he takes advantage.

Can adjust to deep drop coverage with the midrange pull-up or light drop/soft coverage with the deep pull-up

Will occasionally struggle with the hard edge/sudden double off the screen
Comfortable moving right or left, but prefers to come off the screen going right
Will utilize the hesitation discussed above as he comes off in order to process the defensive coverage. Likes to use it to allow the hedger to retreat back to the roller, then burst to the rim.

Has a small tendency to run the action too high/too close to the half-court line, limiting his spacing and creating an extra defender with the lines of the floor
Shows the understanding of when to reject the screen
Flashing his ability to read the off side and low man with greater consistency
Comes off looking to score, but is growing as a distributor who reads the defense and shows awareness of the weakness in the coverage

Strong understanding of how to move without the ball to maximize his impact via shooting percentages and gravitational pull. As good of a shooter as he is off the bounce, he is even better on the catch (see more in the “Shooting” section below).
- Owns terrific relocation qualities and will benefit from continuing toward continuous movement when he’s off the ball (as much as the offensive structure allows)
- Moves smoothly off screens, rubbing shoulder-to-shoulder to come off tightly; but also shows the ability to adjust as he reads the screener and how he is defended
- Possesses great potential as a screener-to-shooter, and will benefit from becoming a better screener himself
- Very tough off the dribble hand-off moving in either direction
- Moves intelligently and naturally to the open area
- Improvises according to how he is being defended, as well as how the other defenders on the floor are positioned in relation to the ball, the screen, or open areas on the floor

His headiness permits him to reach the second level of the defense rather consistently; a level where there lies opportunity to progress as a decision maker
Creating space in iso situations for quality looks from the midrange area isn’t really part of his game, as he’s looking for the deep ball or to get into the painted area. As mentioned, his midrange game primarily stems from attacking closeouts, but he will benefit from implementing his step back more frequently to aid in creating the necessary space nonetheless.
Finishing
- Crafty, under-the-rim finisher who understands how to draw contact to get to the line
  - Knows how to position his body to avoid the block, create contact, and still get the ball up on the board

Smart inside-hand finisher with either hand on both sides of the rim
As seen throughout various clips, he has a very skilled left-hand

Capable of getting the ball out of his hand and up onto the board quicker than the rim protector can react

Has a tendency to get caught too deep in mid-air without a plan, resulting in forced shots at the rim
Possesses an effective floater in the lane, and will improve by continuing to refine its usage

Maintains heavy concentration on the basket
Comprehends the use of the rim as protection against would-be shot blockers

A serious threat in semi-transition situations with his ability to take advantage of retreating defenses and pull-up from deep, get downhill to the rim, or penetrate and kick to his shooters

His progression as a game manager and decision maker will be key to his overall growth as he prepares for the next level. Showed incremental improvements throughout the year in his ability to control the game with the ball in his hands.
- Exhibits an understanding of not only how to play at his own pace, as mentioned, but also how to control the pace of the game at his direction
1.1-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in 17 games charted
Handles defensive zone pressure best when he attacks it and allows his instincts to take over
Has a tendency to cross half-court and halt his forward momentum or come to stop
A progressing playmaker who likes to penetrate deep into the defense to produce quality looks for his shooters on the perimeter or his bigs on the blocks (see more on this ability in the "Passing" section below)

Accustomed to an up-tempo style of play but is capable of exceling at different paces

Shooting

Very good 3-point shooter with a steady diet of extended, long-range attempts. A threat to shoot at all times and places.
- Capable of altering the course of a game with his ability to get hot
- Outstanding range, shooting from deep distances with minimal extra effort, thanks to his compact, fundamentally sound mechanics (see more on his mechanics further below)
  - Capable of shooting with tremendous range on the catch and off the dribble
- Shoots it well from all around the arc, with his attempts predominantly coming from above the break
- A knock-down shooter when in rhythm
- 36.5 3P% on 6.8 attempts per game over 17 games charted

Excellent shooter on the catch, both stationary and on the move
- Near-flawless footwork and shot preparation support his ability to catch and shoot with adequate quickness, promoting accuracy and a repetitive stroke
- Capable of catching and shooting in tight spots off movement
- Shoots it very well off of various off-ball movements, such as dribble handoffs, fade cuts, curls, and improvised movements that are dictated by how he’s being guarded
- Proficient shooter on the run/sprint

Accurate off the live dribble out of pick-and-roll action, dribble-up pull-ups, and various stationary-like dribble moves, typically when moving straight forward
- Defenses must be on-guard whenever the ball is in his hands
- Tough on the pull-up. Has an easy transition from the dribble to the shot that doesn’t disturb his mechanics.
  - Maintains tight control of his body as he transitions into the shot
    - Has a wonderful rhythm off the bounce
- Displays a smooth pull-up 3 in semi-transition
- Shoots off a jump stop/hop, but can also shoot off the 1-2 step
  - Adjusts accordingly

Shots off the dribble mainly come from behind the arc or from the painted area
- Midrange attempts typically come from shorter midrange distances
At his best when he’s shooting moving to his right, but is also effective going left
Despite the fact that he doesn’t get much elevation on the shot, he doesn’t need much room to get it off
Possesses an unshakable confidence. He always believes the next one is going in, regardless of what has previously transpired.
- Short memory
Extremely relaxed as a shooter
Owns a nice touch around the rim and in the paint, showing it with or without the backboard
No issues with a hand in his face. Maintains excellent concentration on the goal.
85.7 FT% on 4.5 attempts per game over 17 games charted, including 92.5% on 5 attempts per game during the first two sessions of 3SSB play
Some notes on shot selection
- 52.3% of attempts came from behind the arc
- Vast majority of attempts come from 3 or around the rim/in the painted area
  - Healthy mix between the two areas
- Will force some attempts in his aggressive pursuit of buckets
  - Likes to test the waters with deep pulls that can come without a pass in the possession
  - Quick trigger heat check attempts
- Rarely takes off-balance shots
Mechanics/form – shot is “grooved”
- Has a short, compact stroke with repetitive, fundamental mechanics
- Right foot turned slightly inward
  - Both feet can slant left, at times
- Again, he uses sound footwork
- Even weight distribution in his legs
- Smooth upward energy transference straight up through the shot
- Elbow is nicely tucked. Keeps a near-straight line from his right foot to his right elbow and up through to his wrist on the release.
- Release is from around the eye level
- Extends fully on the shot
- Snaps the wrist faithfully
- Possesses the same shooting motion on the majority of attempts
- The combination of his sound lower body mechanics and repeatable upper body mechanics make for a stress-free shooting motion overall

Dribbling

Skilled handle with crisp ball control
- Dribbles with his fingertips
- Keeps it relatively tight to the body
- Left hand is just as skilled as his right
Dribbles from a basketball position, remaining in a triple threat stance throughout his possession with the ball
- Body stays low and maintains level shoulders
Keeps the rock low to the floor and away from reaching hands
Utilizes crafty changes of direction with the ball, taking advantage of the defender’s momentum

Dribbling

The combo of a low dribble and body, together with tight control allows him to successfully maneuver through traffic, all while keeping his eyes up
- Handles it well in tight spaces and understands when to pick it up

Possesses a ball handling rhythm that allows him to survey the floor and move at his own pace, while controlling his defender simultaneously
- Adept at using his body to protect the ball, manipulate the defender, and position himself to create advantages for himself and others
  - Keeps his body between the defender and the ball
  - Seeks the body of the defender on the floor and moves to step in front after getting the step. Adept at keeping his man on his back after this takes place (not always as a complete hostage dribble).
  - Also makes good use of his off arm for protection

Rhythm can include him staying somewhat stationary directly in front of the defender while surveying the floor, which can leave him more susceptible to ball pressure

Carefully but effectively handles full-court man pressure
Keeps it simple
Maintains his dribble, rarely picking it up prematurely
- Replaces himself well with the dribble
Rarely out of control

Passing

Advancing passing skillset with room to improve overall

More than capable distributor off the live dribble who excels as a drive and kick playmaker
- Understands how to draw the defense and accurately deliver to the shooter with timeliness. Showed growth throughout the calendar year in his ability to penetrate the seams of the defense and hit shooters in their pockets.
- Knows how to draw the 2nd level of the defense up and dump it off to the dunker
- Occasionally shows some tunnel vision in his quest for the basket. However, he also displays growing court awareness, especially as a driver who knows where his teammates are positioned on the floor. This allows him to find his perimeter shooters from deep in the paint or along the baseline amid traffic.

Solid, accurate left-handed passer
- Selective use that usually shows most on the drive and kick
- Will benefit from continuing to strengthen passing with the off hand

Progressing court vision
Skilled transition passer who keeps his eyes up court

Advances the ball with the pass, leading his teammates running the floor with touch so that they can easily catch and finish

Delivers his various passes with the right touch
Owns various uses of the bounce pass, particularly in transition, and flashes a really nice ability to thread the needle on the push
- Drops it off to teammates upon penetration with touch and placement

Defense

Low defensive motor, but displays similar cerebral qualities that make him so formidable on the offensive end
- Plays effectively enough to limit frequent adverse impacts to his team
- Defensive presence lacks urgency overall
Has a firm understanding of team defensive concepts and knows how to execute the scouting report
- Was a member of an outstanding defensive unit at John Marshall
- Accustomed to playing his part in full-court zone pressure designed to speed teams up
- Makes timely rotations and understands proper help side positioning
A capable but inconsistent on-ball defender. Flashes the ability to guard with his feet and keep ball handlers in front, but can struggle to contain the dribble drive in general.
- His main objective is to stay in front and does not apply ball pressure, often allowing his man to operate freely
- Displays his even balance and attempts to play the angles, but has a tendency to guard without being fully in his stance. As a result, he doesn’t maximize his lateral quickness, and isn’t always fully prepared to explode and react to his man’s move with the ball.
- Hands are largely inactive
- Inconsistent, yes, but the ability is there

Inconsistency exists off-ball, as well
- Maintains balanced attention between ball and man
- Tends to stand straight up-and-down and is often not ready to react or move with urgency
- Does not step in on the help side with his body consistently, but does possess sticky hands on help side strips and digs into the post
Inconsistent transition defender
Does not block out consistently

Basketball IQ/Feel

A true student of the game who’s known to watch a lot of film
- Embraces the process of preparation
Great feel for space and time, and a high feel for the on-ball defender
- Identifies where the advantages exist and how to exploit them
Manipulates the defense with the dribble, utilizing his change of pace, threat to shoot, and skillful handle
A heady player who’s quite decisive in nature
Exhibits a growing understanding of the nuances of the game
Learning when to score/attack and when to distribute
- Progressing as a decision maker overall
Understands time and score
Strong comprehension of angles on both ends
Fundamentally sound
Takes the responsibility of being an extension of the coach on the floor personally
- Makes his coach’s job easier

Dispostion/Presence

Intangibles/Disposition

Drips with a quiet confidence that drives his game
Plays with poise and a disregard for pressure
- Wants the moment and rises to the occasion
Extremely even-keeled at all times
- Gives the same reaction to success and failure
- Cool, unassuming temperament
- No antics, no flash – all business
Cares nothing for the limelight. Only cares for winning.
- Persistent; plays through struggles and adversity
Possesses a high level of mental toughness
Loves the game
Tremendously competitive
Has a natural action-oriented, lead-by-example leadership style
- Beginning to lead with his voice more
- Called multiple players only meetings over the course of the past year to hold himself and his teammates accountable
Commands respect
Enjoys seeing others around him succeed

Coachability

Acknowledges, accepts, and affirms coaching – 100% coachability
- Receives constructive criticism, hard coaching (i.e. getting yelled at), and compliments in the same fashion: he acknowledges it, doesn’t change his expression, and doesn’t react one way or the other. He just keeps moving and looks to implement what he’s being told.
- Low-profile, low-maintenance
  - Doesn’t ask for anything and doesn’t complain about anything
Transitioning from a player who traditionally operates off of direction (pre-game strategy, mid-game coaching adjustments, etc.) to vocalizing what he sees on the court and collaborating with his coaches to implement adjustments
Superb work ethic
- The first in the gym and the last to leave
- Has practiced professional work habits, structuring his days around his work since he was in 8th grade

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