2025 Draft Watch: Analyzing Kanon Catchings, Ian Jackson, and John Bol in a 2024 OTE Playoff Game

October 11th, 2024

Recently, BYU’s incoming 6-9 forward Kanon Catchings is projected to be a possible first round prospect for the 2025 draft, so I decided to watch him play in a February 22nd, 2024 OTE playoff basketball game for Cold Hearts against Jelly Fam, with thanks to YouTube via OTE. He and fellow 7-2 prospect John Bol both played well in this game, and this also featured first round prospect Ian Jackson, whom played for Jelly Fam. On this day, Cold Hearts were able to get the win, and here are my thoughts on how Catchings, Bol, Jackson, and other top performers fared in this game. Also, for those that are interested in the box score of this game, here is the link.

Kanon Catchings is a very athletic, 6-9 forward whose sharpshooting prowess and defensive skills could make him a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. (Photo: Brice Tucker/Deseret News)

Kanon Catchings quietly had a strong showing to help the Cold Hearts get a Game 1 win over Jelly Fam. He is a very athletic, 6-9 forward that excelled at making plays on both ends of the floor to help his team get the victory. He is an athletic sharpshooter that showed a knack for making outside shots, as he excelled making threes both off the catch and dribble. He also showed that he can ably make mid-range jumpers. Plus, he really thrived at scoring on hustle plays. Catchings would run the floor and catch lobs to score on high-flying, alley-oop dunks on the break. He also did a very good job of finishing plays around the rim. Catchings’ ability to make long-range shots and score on off-ball motion plays enabled him to really excel on the offensive end.

He also showcased adequate playmaking skills. He is an unselfish player that was able to make a drive and kick pass to notch an assist, and he also can find cutters on the move to get the ball to his teammates. On the downside, he was a bit turnover prone. On one play, he didn’t protect the ball as he dribbled into a corner and had a ball ripped away from him. Another time, he threw a loopy pass to a teammate on a backcut that ended up getting intercepted.

Also, Catchings was able to get his fair share of boards when he was on the floor, and he was able to haul in rebounds on both sides of the ball. He also played adequate defense in this game. Catchings is a long, rangy defender that can make numerous plays on the ball. He would use his length, agility, and quickness to poke balls away from opposing ball handlers to get steals. He also rotated to block a mid-range shot to a teammate, and he also contested a mid-range jumper to force a miss another time. On the downside, he would sometimes play too aggressively, which would lead him to be out of position on the defensive end. Other times, he would get beat off the dribble by opponents he should be able to stay in front of.

In general, Kanon Catchings played well to help lead his team to a win in this game, and BYU is getting a very talented player for the upcoming season. He is a very athletic, skilled forward that has the skills to be a solid, complementary wing player in the NBA, and he could end up being a lottery pick in the 2025 draft.

Ian Jackson is an athletic, energetic combo guard that had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to Cold Hearts. He is a versatile, skilled playmaker that can make impressive plays on both ends of the floor, but his inability to consistently knock down outside shots combined with his questionable shot selection led him to struggle at times on the offensive end.

Jackson generally excelled at scoring on hustle plays. He is a very athletic player who would sprint down court to get the ball in order to score on quick drives in transition. He also managed to score on an acrobatic, reverse layup once. Plus, he also managed to score off of a quick cut and on a tip-in due to possessing a good motor. On the downside, sometimes he would miss quick open layups due to rushing.

On the downside, he didn’t shoot well from the outside. For the positives, Jackson was able to run off the ball to make a couple of deep threes from beyond the arc. He also was able to make a pull-up three another time. On the downside, he tended to miss on a lot of threes, both off the catch and dribble quite frequently, and he had some bad misses in which he even threw up an airball in this game.

He also showcased satisfactory playmaking skills in this game. Jackson is a crafty playmaker that can make an assortment of passes to get the ball to his teammates due to possessing solid court vision, as he can make passes off the dribble and can find them on the move. On the downside, sometimes he would try to do too much on offense. On one play, he over-dribbled and got the ball poked away from him to commit a turnover. He also threw a hasty outlet pass that was dropped and intercepted another time.

While he didn’t get many rebounds, Jackson was able haul in a few boards in this game. He also played solid defense in this game. Jackson is a tough, feisty defender that can play lockdown defense. He would often get his hands on passes to get steals, and he also would poke balls away and jump on loose balls to get others. He also would hustle to block shots to help his team protect the paint. In addition, he would use his length to contest outside shots to force misses. On the downside, sometimes he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to be out of position to allow score at times.

Overall, Ian Jackson is an athletic, energetic swingman that can make hustle plays on both ends of the floor, but he will need to improve his outside shot and shot selection in the meantime. Still, he is a talented prospect that may have considerable upside, and he could be a solid pick for an NBA team in the mid to late first round range of the 2025 draft.

John Bol quietly played well to help lead the Cold Hearts to a double-digit win over Jelly Fam. The 7-2 center did a very good job of rebounding and defending to help his team shore up the interior. While he didn’t look to shoot the ball very much, he was able to make some impressively athletic energy plays around the basket and showed off some solid passing skills to help his team on the offensive end.

Bol really excelled at scoring on hustle plays. He didn’t look to take jumpers or create off the dribble very much, but he was very efficient in making shots, and he is a strong finisher around the basket. Bol managed to score on a strong put back while getting an extra free throw once. He also would run the floor to score on fast breaks, and Bol also was able to catch a lob pass to score on an emphatic alley-oop dunk late in this game. In addition, he also drove hard and quickly to the hoop, and while he didn’t seem to show great balance or body control that time, he was able to draw a foul on the defender to get to the free throw line.

Bol also showcased solid playmaking skills. He is a good passer that can pass out of the post and also find teammates on the move to set up scores for them. He also will set solid screens to help his teammates get open driving lanes to create scoring opportunities for them. He also gets good touch on his passes. Every once in a while, he can be prone to commit turnovers. On one play, he tried to dribble, but had a ball poked away to lose it. Another time, he threw an interior pass that got deflected and intercepted.

He also did a very good job of rebounding the basketball. Bol is a very active offensive rebounder, and he will crash the glass hard to come up with numerous boards on both ends of the floor. He also played terrific defense in this game. Bol is a long, rangy defender that played shutdown defense to help his team on the defensive end. He would rotate to block shots off the dribble. He also would use his length, positioning, and quickness to get his hands on passes to help his team get steals and deflections. He also was able to jump on a loose ball to help his team get another steal. In addition, he would contest a variety of shots to get stops for his team. On the downside, his tendency to rotate to cover for teammates that are out of position would sometimes lead him to be too aggressive on his rotations and lead him to pick up some fouls.

In summary, John Bol is an athletic, energetic center that quietly played well to help his team get the win in this game. He doesn’t project to be an elite offensive player at the NBA level, but he is a very tall, energetic center that has the skills to be a solid rim protector at that level. He will need to add more muscle to his frame and could look to add a reliable jump shot to his arsenal, but Bol has a skill set that could enable him to step in right away to play in the NBA. He could be a solid value pick for an NBA team in the late first to the second round range, and he could end up being a solid role player similar to New York Knicks’ center, Mitchell Robinson in the NBA.

NC State’s incoming 6-1 freshman point guard, Trey Parker had a fairly solid showing to help the Cold Hearts get the win over Jelly Fam. He is an agile, skilled pass-first point guard that was able to make a variety of plays to help his team on both ends of the floor. Despite not shooting well, Parker showed that he can knock down some outside shots. He was able to dribble left off of a screen to make a smooth pull-up jumper from just inside the arc. He also was able to get the ball on a dribble handoff to make a deep three-pointer. On the downside, Parker didn’t shoot the three-ball well in this game. He also was able to do a decent job of scoring off the dribble. He was able to drive off of an offensive board to score around the basket.

He also showcased decent playmaking skills. Parker did a good job of finding teammates on the move to set up scores for them, and he also showed that he can throw accurate lob passes to his teammates. On the downside, sometimes he would throw inaccurate passes that would go astray, and he would occasionally make careless plays that would lead him to commit turnovers. In addition, Parker did a very good job of rebounding the basketball, and he was able to haul in boards on both ends of the floor.

He also played decent defense in this game. He is a tough, hard-nosed defender that will jump on loose balls to get steals for his team, and he also will apply significant ball-pressure on opposing ball handlers. He also was able to contest a three to force a miss. On the downside, he would sometimes take bad angles when defending out on the perimeter, which would lead him to trail opposing ball handlers to commit fouls and allow scores. Overall, Parker played fairly well in his team’s win over Jelly Fam. He is a skilled playmaker that also rebounds the ball well. He’ll need to improve his jump shot, but if he hones his overall game, he could project to be a reliable, game-managing, backup point guard at the NBA level.

6-7 Brazilian forward, Samis Calderon put forth a decent performance to help lead the Cold Hearts to a win over Jelly Fam. He shot the ball very well from the mid-range. Calderon does a good job of moving off the ball, and he would then score on smooth, pull-up jumpers from the mid-range. He also ran the floor to get the basketball, and he used an overhead ball fake to score on a dunk. On the downside, he missed on both of his three-point shots off the catch.

He also showcased adequate playmaking skills. He is an unselfish player that can make passes off the dribble and long passes to set up scoring chances for his teammates. On the downside, there was one play where he threw an inaccurate pass that sailed out of bounds. Though he didn’t get many rebounds, he was able to get a pair of boards in this game, and Calderon was able to push the pace off of a defensive board once. He also dove hard after a loose ball due to possessing a good motor.

He also played adequate defense. Calderon was able to poke a ball away to get a steal. He also would use his length and athleticism to contest shots to force misses. On the downside, he would sometimes be caught ball watching and would lose track of his man, which would lead him to get beat on cuts and would lead him to be out of position. Other times, he would struggle to defend quicker opponents off the dribble. Overall, Samis Calderon played fairly well, and he is an athletic, energetic forward that projects into a 3 and D role in the NBA. He’ll need to improve his three-point shot, but his ability to make mid-range jumpers and hustle plays could make him a prospect to watch in the 2026 draft.

Syracuse’s 6-4 incoming freshman guard, Elijah Moore had a decent showing for Jelly Fam in his team’s loss to the Cold Hearts. He is an athletic scorer that excelled at making shots to help his team in this game. Moore excelled as a scorer off the dribble, and he would generally score on quick, right-handed drives to the hoop. He also generally excelled at scoring on hustle plays, as he would score quickly in transition, off of cuts, and put backs. Moore was able to score on an emphatic dunk on the break. He also used a ball fake to score on a quick drive in transition while getting fouled once. Plus, he also showed that he can make threes both off the catch and dribble to showcase an adequate ability to knock down jumpers. In addition, he also was able to make a tough, one-legged turnaround fadeaway mid-range jumper. However, he was quite streaky with his outside shot, and he would sometimes take tough shots that would lead to misses.

Also, Moore showcased adequate playmaking skills. He was able to find teammates on the move to set up scores for his teammates. On the downside, sometimes he would threw inaccurate passes that would lead him to commit passing turnovers. He also was able to chip in to get some rebounds when he was on the floor. Overall, Moore is an athletic, skilled scorer that could make an immediate impact at Syracuse this season, but he will need to continue to refine his skills to improve his draft standing as a prospect. If things break his way, he could end up being a solid role player at the NBA in the future.

6-4 guard, Reynan Dos Santos also had a decent showing to help his team get the win over Jelly Fam. He didn’t shoot the ball very well, but he was able to make some solid plays on both ends of the floor, especially on the defensive end.

Dos Santos showed that he can score out of the post. When posting up, he was able to utilize a pump fake to score on a left-handed jump hook. He also was active at scoring on hustle plays. He was able to score on a tip-in. Plus, he also utilized a crafty pump fake to make a smooth, pull-up jumper from the mid-range. On the downside, he struggled to knock down threes off the catch, and he also had trouble finishing plays consistently off the dribble or off of cuts.

He also showcased fairly solid playmaking skills. Dos Santos showed that he can make passes off the dribble and in transition to get the ball to his teammates in scoring positions. On the downside, he would sometimes play too recklessly and out of control. He lost the ball when colliding into a defender to commit a turnover. Another time, he was called for clearing out when posting up that led him to commit an offensive foul and a turnover.

He also showed a solid ability to rebound the basketball, and he excelled at crashing the glass to get offensive rebounds. Plus, he also defended well. Dos Santos was able to rotate to make a high-flying block on a drive to a teammate. He also would stay in front of opposing ball handlers and use his length to contest outside shots to force misses. He also was able to jump on a loose ball to help his team get a steal. On the downside though, he would be late on his close outs, which would lead him to allow three-point baskets.

Overall, Dos Santos had some good moments in this game, especially in the second half. He defended well in this game, but he will need to improve his jump shot. Currently, he projects to be a borderline second round candidate for the 2025 draft.

6-3 guard, Jordan Skyers had a decent showing for Jelly Fam in his team’s loss to the Cold Hearts. He is a fairly athletic, energetic combo guard that can score and defend when he is on the floor. Skyers showed a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble. He was able to score on an acrobatic layup while getting fouled once. He also was able to dribble back to make a smooth, fadeaway jumper from the baseline. He also ran the floor to score on the break. On the downside, he was unable to make any threes, and sometimes he would take tough shots that would lead to misses.

He also was quite turnover prone in this game. For the positives, he is a willing passer that can find the open man. However, he tended to throw hasty, inaccurate passes that would get intercepted. Other times, he would over-dribble and get balls stolen away from him to commit turnovers. Skyers also excelled at rebounding the basketball, and he would often chase down offensive rebounds to get boards for his team. He also played adequate defense. He was able to poke a ball away to nearly get a steal, and he also jumped on a loose ball to help his team get a steal once. On one play though, he got beat on a misdirection play when defending around the basket to commit a foul.

Overall, Jordan Skyers was able to make some solid plays on both ends of the floor. He will need to improve his jump shot and playmaking skills, but he is an agile, skilled combo guard that could be a prospect to watch in the future.

6-2 point guard, Mikel Brown Jr. put forth a satisfactory performance to help lead the Cold Hearts to a win over Jelly Fam. He shot the ball very well, and he also played strong defense in this game.

Brown shot the ball very well, especially from the outside. He is a sharpshooter that showed a knack for making open spot-up threes off the catch, and he was able to make a very deep three late in this game. He also was able to pull up to make a smooth jumper from the mid-range. He also showed that he can draw fouls on strong left-handed drives to get to the free throw line. On the downside, sometimes he would tend to miss on shots off the dribble when matched up against taller, longer defenders.

As a playmaker, he looked to be about average at best. For the positives, he was able to make drive and kick passes and find teammates on the move to set up scoring chances for his teammates. However, he was quite turnover prone on offense. He would throw rushed, hasty passes that would get intercepted. He also would tend to over-dribble and play too recklessly, which would lead him to commit ball-handling turnovers. He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. Brown also defended very well. He would get his hands on passes and poke balls away to get a plethora of steals, and he would stay with opposing ball handlers to contest outside shots to force misses.

Overall, Brown played fairly well, as he excelled as an outside shooter and defender in this game. He’ll need to take better care of the basketball, but he is an agile, skilled combo guard that could project into a backup point guard role at the NBA level.

Mississippi State’s 6-2 incoming freshman point guard, Dellquan Warren had his ups and downs for Jelly Fam in his team’s loss to the Cold Hearts. He is a playmaking table-setter that showed off strong defensive skills, but he didn’t shoot the ball well in this game. Warren excelled at scoring on hustle play.s. He was able to use a nice behind-the-back ball fake to score in transition. He also scored on an acrobatic, reverse layup off of a quick cut. Plus, he also was able to score on a strong, left-handed drive. However, he really struggled to knock down outside shots, and he also would tend to take tough, contested shots off the dribble that would lead to misses.

He also showcased satisfactory playmaking skills. Warren did a good job of making passes to find teammates on the move and can make passes off the dribble to set up numerous scoring chances for his teammates. However, sometimes he would throw hasty passes that would go astray, and another time he dropped an inaccurate pass that went out of bounds.

Also, Warren was able to collect his fair share of rebounds when he was on the floor. Warren also defended very well. He showed a knack for getting his hands on passes and jump on loose balls to get steals and deflections. He also was able to poke a ball out of bounds to nearly get another. He also was able to hustle back to make a chase down block to stop an opponent on the break. He also managed to stay with an opposing ball handler to contest a three to force a miss. Overall, Warren had his ups and downs, but he is an athletic playmaker that can pass and defend. He will need to improve his jump shot, but if so, he could project to be a backup point guard at the NBA level someday.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Catchings, Jackson, Bol, and other various prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.