Assessing Jordan Nwora, Steven Enoch, and Jon Teske
December 4th, 2019
by Alan Lu
Recently, I took the time to watch Jordan Nwora and the Louisville Cardinals square off against the Michigan Wolverines in an early season, non-conference college basketball game that took place on December 3rd. This matchup featured two of the best teams in college basketball. From the onset of this contest, Louisville played very well, as they played tough defense, moved the ball well, and they did a better job of making shots than their opponents. Michigan had trouble getting consistent production from their players, as they really struggled to score outside of Teske or Simpson. The standout players of this match were Jordan Nwora, Steven Enoch, and Jon Teske. Here are my thoughts on how they performed, as well as how they and other various players may stack up as prospects for the NBA.
Louisville’s 6-7 junior forward, Jordan Nwora had a fairly good showing in his team’s win over Michigan. He showed off a variety of scoring skills, and he also rebounded and defended well to help his team get the victory.
Nwora did a good job of scoring on strong drives to the hoop. He can finish plays with either hand, and he also showed good strength and finishing ability to score at the rim. He was also able to score on a reverse layup off the glass early in this contest. Sometimes though, he would miss on off-balanced contested shots, which would lead to misses.
Plus, he also excelled at scoring on put backs after getting offensive rebounds for his team. Nwora possesses a good motor, as he would run in to get boards off of his own misses, and he would score to prove his team with second chance points. On one play, he posted up to score on a jump hook right after getting an offensive rebound that time.
However, he struggled to make jumpers consistently in this game. Nwora was able to pull up to make a long two off the dribble, and he also ran off of a curl cut to make a mid-range jumper. Plus, he also made a quick corner three from beyond the arc another time. However, he was unable to get into rhythm when shooting the basketball, as he had trouble getting his shots to fall when he would take them outside of the paint area.
He also displayed fairly average playmaking skills. Though he primarily looked to score first, Nwora would look to find the open man to set up scoring chances for his teammates. He did not turn the ball over often, but his lone turnover came when he was called for an offensive foul, as he may have cleared out with his arm early in the second half.
Also, Nwora did a great job of rebounding the basketball. He would frequently chase down balls to get multiple boards on both ends of the floor, and he showed a knack for collecting defensive rebounds to help his team on the glass. On the other hand, there was one play where he was called for an over the back foul when going for a defensive board once.
Nwora also played very good defense. He was able to block a shot in transition to a teammate due to possessing solid length, leaping ability, and timing. Nwora is also an active help defender that was able to get his hands on a pass to get a steal another time. He would also contest jumpers to force misses, and he also applied heavy ball pressure as he guarded a ball handler tough, which caused his man to lose the ball out of bounds.
In general, Jordan Nwora had a solid showing in his team’s win over Michigan, as he managed to score 22 points and hauled in 12 rebounds in this contest. This game was a defensive battle, but Nwora made tough shots down the stretch, and he also rebounded and defended well to help his team get the victory. Right now, he may be a good value pick in the mid to late first round range for a team in the 2020 draft, and he could project to be a solid role player in the NBA.
Louisville’s senior center, Steven Enoch played very well, as he showed a knack for making jump shots to provide floor spacing, and for scoring out of the post to help his team score on offense. He also hauled in numerous boards and also showed off some defensive skills in his team’s win over Michigan.
Enoch did a great job of making spot-up jumpers, and he also showed a knack for making spot-up threes off of pick and pop plays. He is a tall, mobile big man that shoots well on the move, and he also excelled at making jumpers off the catch.
He also showed off decent low post scoring skills. Though he didn’t always make shots consistently when looking to score on the block, Enoch has good strength to back down his man, and he has a quick shoulder fake that he can use to score on jump hooks. He also didn’t commit many turnovers, but he did throw a hasty pass off of an offensive rebound that ended up being his lone turnover of the match.
Also, Enoch did a great job of rebounding the basketball. He was quite active at crashing the glass, and he managed to haul in many boards, as he can get some in traffic due to possessing good activity, motor, and a keen nose for the ball.
Defensively, he looked to be about average. For the positives, Enoch was able to rotate to block a shot off of a drive out of bounds, and he also managed to force a miss when defending in the post once. However, sometimes he would struggle to defend in the post, as he would not always show much resistance when defending in the paint, which would cause him to commit fouls. Other times, he would be late on his rotations, which would cause his team to commit fouls and allow scores.
In summary, Steven Enoch played very well, and he is an athletic, energetic big man that played with a lot of poise, as he excelled at shooting, scoring, and rebounding the basketball to help his team get the victory. He may be an underrated prospect as he has been flying under the radar right now, but he could be a solid second round pick for an NBA team, as he could project to be a solid role player at the next level.
Michigan’s senior 7-1 center, Jon Teske played the best out of all of the players on his team, as he was his team’s most reliable scorer, and he also rebounded the ball very well in this contest. That being said, he still had trouble making shots consistently, as he may have been slightly overwhelmed by the sizable scoring load he had to take on against Louisville, as well as having to face their tough, stingy defense all game long.
Teske showed off adequate low post scoring skills. He has a quick shoulder fake that he can use to create separation, and he can score on left-handed, jump hooks over defenders. However, sometimes he would rush his moves, and he would sometimes have trouble making jump hooks when looking to score on the block.
He also showed an adequate ability to knock down jumpers to help provide some floor spacing for his team. Teske showed a knack for making spot-up threes and long two-point shots just inside the arc. He also can make them off of pick and pop plays, but sometimes he would have trouble knocking them down routinely in this match. Plus, Teske also showed an adequate ability to score on hustle plays, as he can draw free throws on rolls to the rim and put backs, but sometimes he would miss shots too hard around the basket.
He also displayed adequate playmaking skills in this game. Teske was able to set a good, hard on-ball screen that enabled Isaiah Livers to score on an open three, as Teske’s screen prevented an opponent from being able to defend the outside shot. However, he can sometimes be inaccurate with his passes, and he also can struggle to protect the basketball at times.
Teske also rebounded the ball very well, as he would leap up to get numerous boards on both ends of the floor. Defensively, he looked to be about average. He was able to jump a pass to get a steal, and Teske also would contest shots in the post as well as off of drives to force misses. He also managed to fight through a screen to stay with an opposing ball handler, which enabled him to get successfully contest a mid-range shot to get a stop for his team. However, he also had a tendency to sag too far off his man, which would cause him to allow opponents to score on jumpers. Sometimes, he would rotate to commit fouls off of drives due to over-aggressiveness. Other times, he would struggle to defend in the post, as he would not always show much resistance, which would lead him to allow a couple scores down low.
Overall, Jon Teske did not have his best game, but he still managed to score 18 points, even though it also took him 18 shots to get there, and he also collected 10 rebounds, as he was able to record a double-double in his team’s loss to Louisville. Teske is a tall, skilled big man that can score the basketball in a variety of ways, and he is a second round prospect that could project into a backup center role in the NBA.
Louisville’s 6-6 sophomore swingman, Samuell Williamson played well in limited minutes in his team’s win over Michigan. He didn’t play often and he came off the bench midway through the first half, but he showed that he can score on hustle plays, and he also rebounded the ball very well when he was on the floor.
Williamson was able to run in to score on a tip-in after leaping up to get an offensive rebound, due to possessing good athleticism, motor, and instincts to do so. He also ran out to the ball, as he managed to score on a quick drive off the glass, while drawing an extra free throw afterwards. However, he also missed on a fadeaway jumper in the post another time, and he did not take a single three-point shot from beyond the arc. However, he did not pass very well, as he threw an inaccurate pass once that led his team to commit a turnover.
Also, he did a great job of grabbing rebounds to help his team get boards. He would actively crash the glass to get numerous boards, and he also would chase down balls to get them for his team. However, he also committed an over the back foul on one offensive rebounding attempt, but Williamson generally showed a strong knack to get rebounds in this game.
Overall, Samuell Williamson had a solid showing in his team’s win over Michigan. He will need to take more jumpers and shoot more from downtown, and he will have to improve his passing ability, but he is a high-motor player that rebounds the ball very well and can score on off-ball motion plays. Right now, he may be a second round prospect for the 2020 draft. If he can improve upon his weaknesses, he could end up being a 3 and D type of player similar to Miami Heat’s former guard, Daequan Cook to in the association.
Michigan’s 6-0 senior point guard, Zavier Simpson did not play very well in his team’s loss to Louisville, as he struggled with his jump shot and committed too many turnovers and fouls, but there were times in the second half where he was able to string together a series of solid plays to help his team remain competitive in the game.
Simpson showed a decent ability to score on strong drives to the basket. Though he tended to favor going right, he can finish plays using either hand, and he can garner scores when he get all the way to the hoop. He also was able to split a double team when handling the ball, which enabled him to draw free throws on the play. However, he tended to miss on runners and on contested layups, as he would sometimes try to force the issue too much on offense.
He also displayed fairly average playmaking skills. Simpson is an unselfish player that can find shooters off of pick and pop plays, and teammates on the move to set up scores for them. He can throw solid interior passes, and he can find his teammates in stride. However, he also tended to throw hasty passes that would get intercepted, and he also threw a pass that sailed out of bounds once due to miscommunication.
Though he didn’t get many rebounds in this game, Simpson managed to fly in to get a defensive rebound once due to possessing good anticipation skills to do so that time. He also played above average defense. Simpson can deflect passes, and he also managed to contest a deep three late in the shot clock to force a miss. However, sometimes he can struggle to guard his man, as he ended up committing a foul on a drive once.
Overall, Zavier Simpson did not have his best game, but he is a tough, gritty playmaker that will look to get his teammates involved on offense, and he is a solid team defender that will help his team get stops on the other end of the floor. He will need to make more shots consistently and be more assertive in looking to make plays on offense. Right now, Simpson may be a borderline second round candidate for the 2020 draft, and he may have the skills to compete for a backup point guard role in the NBA.
Other Notes:
Michigan’s freshman swingman, Franz Wagner did not have his best game, as he struggled to make shots, with turnovers, and he also had some trouble with his position defense in his team’s loss to Louisville.
Wagner was able to make a couple of jumpers to provide some floor spacing for his team when he was on the floor. He managed to make a mid-range jumper from the baseline, and he also made an open corner three off the catch. However, Wagner also missed plenty of spot-up threes, as he did not take full advantage of the time and space he was given to shoot the basketball.
He also was quite turnover prone on offense. Wagner had trouble protecting the basketball in this game. He was called for traveling as he went too fast and rushed his moves on a high post drive once. He also dropped a catchable pass out of bounds, and he also lost a ball out of bounds when trying to handle the ball on a separate play.
Also, Wagner was able to get his fair share of boards, as he would chase down balls to help his team get defensive rebounds.
He also played adequate defense in this game. For the positives, he is an active help defender, and he can help his team get stops when he’s in position to do so. Wagner was able to rotate to block a shot off of a baseline drive ferociously due to possessing good timing, recovery speed, and instincts, and he also managed to poke a ball away to help his team get a steal. Also, Wagner use his length to contest jumpers, as well as shots off of drives and in the post to force misses.
However, he also had some trouble staying in front of his man defensively. He lacks elite lateral quickness, and he would tend to get beat off the dribble, would cause him to allow scores off of drives to the hoop.
Overall, Franz Wagner had his ups and downs, but he was unable to play well consistently in his team’s loss to Louisville. Still, he is a skilled, energetic prospect that was able to make some solid plays at various moments of this game. Right now, he may be a second round prospect, as he could project into a 3 and D type of role in the NBA.
Louisville’s senior swingman, Dwayne Sutton quietly had a good game in his team’s win over Michigan. Though he didn’t look to shoot often, he excelled at scoring on drives to the basket, as he also showed a knack for getting to the free throw line when looking to score off the dribble.
Plus, he also rebounded very well, as he was able to get some tough boards in traffic on both ends of the floor. Sutton also played good defense. He was able to block a shot off of a cut, and he also managed to poke a ball away to nearly get a steal. Plus, he also is an active defender that would contest shots off the dribble to force misses. Overall, Sutton is an athletic, physical basketball player that played with a lot of grit and energy, and he made solid plays on both ends of the floor to help his team get the victory. He will need to improve his jump shot and be a more assertive player on offense, but Sutton may have the skills to make an NBA team’s summer league roster in 2020.
Michigan’s 6-7 junior forward, Isaiah Livers really struggled in his team’s loss to Louisville. He did run off of a ball screen to make an open three midway in this contest, but Livers had trouble making jumpers consistently, or scoring off the dribble, and his inability to make shots against the Cardinals really made it tough for his team to get going on offense.
Livers had trouble getting past his defenders off the dribble, and he did not seem to pass or handle the ball very well in this contest. He threw an inaccurate pass that was dropped by a teammate once, and he also had a ball poked away that led him to turn the ball over.
Also, he was able to get his fair share of defensive boards, but sometimes he would be unable to corral in balls if they were just outside of his reach. Defensively, he looked to be fairly average. Livers managed to block a couple of shots off the dribble, but he would then be out of position as he would swat them right back to his opponents, and his team would end up allowing put back scores as a result. Other times, Livers tended to struggle to defend his man and he also was late on his rotations, which would cause him to foul opponents afterwards.
Overall, Livers just did not play very well, as he did not shoot the ball very well, and he did not consistently make solid defensive plays when he was on the floor, despite being able to block a couple of shots. In this game, Livers struggled to get past his man when looking to score or to make shots, and his team suffered on offense as a result. Right now, he will need to be a more consistent shooter and scorer in games, and improve his position defense. If he can improve upon his weaknesses, he could end up being an effective role player for a team at the next level.
Louisville’s senior point guard, Ryan McMahon struggled to make shots in this game, but he fared pretty well in the non-shooting or scoring related elements of this contest. He made nice passes to his teammates on the break to set up scores, and he also played good defense, as he would actively make plays on the ball to get steals and blocks. Though he didn’t shoot well overall, he was able to make a quick three in transition, and he also showed a knack for drawing fouls off of drives to the basket. Right now, McMahon may be a long shot to be drafted, and he does not possess ideal size or physical tools to play the point at the next level, but his ability to shoot the basketball could allow him to make an NBA team’s summer league roster in 2020.
