Thoughts on DaQuan Jeffries, Quinndary Weatherspoon, Fletcher Magee, and Others in the First Game of the 2019 PIT

April 17, 2019

Recently, I took the time to watch a couple of games on Day 1 of the 2019 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. The first match was a nail-biter between Sales Systems, Ltd. and K & D Rounds Landscape Services, as Justin Robinson made a game winning three to get Sales Systems the win. In the first game, DaQuan Jeffries, Jeremiah Martin, Quinndary Weatherspoon, and Nick Perkins were the standout performers. For those that are interested in the box score of this game, the link can be found here.

Tulsa’s 6-5 senior swingman, DaQuan Jeffries played very well in his team’s win over K & D Rounds due to his strong all-around play. He is a very athletic swingman that excelled in all facets of this game, he excelled at scoring on hustle plays, he shot the ball well, and he also showed off good rebounding and defensive skills when he was on the court. He was able to score on a couple of electrifying dunks as he did a very good job of scoring off cuts as well as in transition, as Jeffries showed a knack for scoring on off-ball motion plays. Jeffries also shot the ball well, as he made a slew of spot-up threes off the catch, as he can run off screens to do so, and he also had a knack for making them when in the corner. Jeffries also was able to make a pull-up, long two after using a crossover and a side step move to get his shot off.

Plus, he would run down balls to get boards on both ends of the floor. Jeffries made a couple of impressive shot blocks, as he can swat shots off of drives and cuts to force misses, and he also deflected an inbounds pass out of bounds due to possessing good instincts and timing. He did commit a couple of fouls due to over-aggressiveness, but he generally defended well against K & D Rounds. Overall, DaQuan Jeffries had a very good showing in his team’s win, and he really helped himself by contributing in many different ways in this game. He is an intriguing prospect as he may be the most athletic player at this event, and his strong ability to make plays on both ends of the floor could enable him to be a very good find for an NBA team in this year’s draft.

Mississippi State’s 6-4 senior guard, Quinndary Weatherspoon also played well in this game, as he made solid plays on both ends of the court to help get Sales Systems the victory. He excelled at knocking down spot-up threes, and pull-up jumpers just inside the arc, as he is a good shooter that can make a bevy of jumpers. He also did a very good job of scoring on hustle plays, as he would often score on cuts and in transition, and he was able to throw down a high-flying jam on the break. He did have one shot blocked off of a drive, but he generally excelled at making shots on offense.

He also displayed decent playmaking skills. Weatherspoon can throw solid passes off the dribble, as he can kick balls out to shooters and find roll men on the move to set up scores for his teammates. However, he also was quite turnover prone, as he had some trouble dribbling in traffic, and he also would be careless with the ball at times. Also, Weatherspoon showed off fairly good defensive skills. He was able to rotate to block a shot off of a drive, and he also intercepted a pass to get a steal, but there was one play where he got beat off the dribble and ended up fouling his opponent on that possession. In summary, Quinndary Weatherspoon is an athletic, skilled combo guard that can shoot and score the basketball, and he also showed off some solid playmaking and defensive skills in this game. With his ability to make plays on both ends of the floor, he could be a solid pick in the second round for an NBA team this year.

Wofford’s senior guard, Fletcher Magee shot the ball well, as he excelled at knocking down a slew of quick three-point shots, as he can make them off the catch or dribble, and he also can draw fouls when taking pull-up jumpers in games. He also showed off some playmaking skills, as he would swiftly swing the ball to open shooters to notch assists. On offense, Magee will aggressively look for his shot, as his ability to knock down shots can help his team get buckets, but his approach can also lead to some wild misses. Overall, Magee is an agile sharpshooter that can space the floor for his team, and he could end up being a shooting specialist in the NBA in the mold of a Bryn Forbes type in the league.

Memphis’ senior point guard, Jeremiah Martin quietly played a very good game in his team’s win over K & Rounds. He is a skilled playmaker that showed a good ability to score and draw free throws on strong drives to the hoop, and he has the agility, strength, and scoring touch to finish plays inside. He struggled more to knock down jumpers, but he would often barrel his way to the basket to draw fouls on defenders. He also can push the ball up the floor and throw passes in transition, and Martin was able to get many assists. Overall, Jeremiah Martin played well as he was aggressive in getting to the hoop as a scorer, and he also passed and rebounded the ball well, and he could be a potential second round pick in the upcoming draft.

NC State’s 6-5 senior guard, Torin Dorn played well in his team’s loss to Sales Systems. He excelled at scoring on strong drives to the hoop, and he also was able to score on a quick reverse layup in transition once. He also managed to use a spin move to score on a fadeaway jumper in the post, and he also showed some ability to score off of put backs. He also can knock down some jumpers to space the floor, but he also sometimes would miss shots in traffic, and he also had a couple of bad misses from beyond the arc in this game.

He also rebounded the ball well, and he was able to deflect an interior pass out of bounds. Dorn defended well, as he has good hands to jump on loose balls, and he also managed to tie up an opponent to force a jump ball. Overall, Dorn is an athletic swingman that can shoot and score the basketball, and he could be a potential second round pick this year, as he may project to be a 3 and D type of role player in the NBA.

Oregon State’s senior guard, Stephen Thompson Jr. had a decent showing in his team’s loss to Sales Systems. He started off slowly, as he initially missed plenty of threes early on, but in the second half, he did a good job of making quick threes both off the catch and dribble to keep his team in this contest. He also managed to draw free throws on a speedy drive on the break, and he showed some ability to get scores off the dribble. However, Thompson tended to be quite streaky in trying to make shots, but he did play better as the game wore on. Right now, he may be a borderline second round candidate for the upcoming draft, but if he makes his way into the NBA, he could project to be a microwave type of scorer in the association, as he may be a similar player to Chicago Bulls’ guard, Antonio Blakeney.

Georgetown’s 6-10 senior center, Jessie Govan quietly played well in his team’s win over K & D Rounds. He did a good job of knocking open jumpers to space the floor on offense, and he was able to make a spot-up three off the catch in this game. He also runs the floor well, as he was able to score often in transition, and he also threw down a dunk on the break. He also showed a decent ability to score in the post, and he also managed to score on a put back after grabbing an offensive rebound. He also defended well, as he was able to swat a shot off of a put back, and he also was active in contesting shots in the paint to force misses. Overall, Govan is an intriguing prospect, as he can score the basketball in a variety of ways, and he is a mobile big man that can rebound and defend. Right now, he may be a second round prospect, and he may have the skills to excel as a role player in the NBA.

Buffalo’s senior forward, Nick Perkins quietly had a good game in his team’s loss to Sales Systems, as he scored 20 points and had 9 rebounds for K & D Rounds. He excelled at scoring on hustle plays, as he would run the floor to score on the break, he was able to score on a dunk after being left open underneath the hoop, and he can score on put backs. He also showed a good ability to score in the post, as he can use spin moves to score on jump hooks or reverse layups, and he has good strength to back down his man. He struggled more to knock down jumpers, but in this game, Perkins excelled as an inside scorer and rebounder for his team. In summary, while Perkins may be undersized to play inside, his ability to bang in the middle and get points and rebounds, combined with his emerging jump shot could make him a likely candidate to end up on an NBA team’s summer league roster this year.

Louisiana’s senior combo forward, Jakeenan Gant quietly played well as he made shots and played solid defense in his team’s win over K & D Rounds. He excelled at scoring on hustle plays, as he would run the floor to score in transition, and he would also score on cuts and put backs. He also made a spot-up three off the catch. He also played good defense, as he can intercept passes to get steals, and he also will contest shots off drives to force misses. He may not have stood out quite as well as the other players, but he certainly helped himself by having a solid showing on the first day, and he has a variety of skills that could enable him to play well for an NBA team in the summer leagues this year.