Hustle And Flow: DeAndre Bembry Is One Of This Draft's Best Kept Secrets

The moment that your eyes first witness NBA prospect DeAndre Bembry, you see a player that combines an old school flow with a new school feel. That old school feeling is evident by how Bembry brilliantly rocks an afro that hasn't really been seen Dr.J hung up his Converses. In a similar way to Dr. J or George Gervin, Bembry just oozes this swagger that gives him the confidence to do whatever he wants on the court. Alongside that confidence, Bembry exhibits this great feel for the game, where it seems like he's a step or two ahead of the opposition

Over the course of his career at Saint Joseph's, Bembry was able to combine that swagger with just being extremely versatile on both sides of the court. That versatility is especially evident on the offensive end, where he was able to contribute in various ways. Averaging 17.4 points, 4.5 assists and 7.7 rebounds on 48% shooting during his junior season, Bembry flourished as Saint Joseph's main facilitator and scorer.

As a facilitator, Bembry actually might have better passing instincts than some point guards in this year's draft class. By utilizing his 6'5 frame to see over the court, Bembry looks confident with facilitating whether he's working off a pick-and-roll screen or rolling towards the rim. Even when he's staying at the perimeter, Bembry can still make clean passes to open players, evident in the play below. That terrific feel for the game allowed him to be one of the most efficient facilitators in this year's draft class, as he had a 2.21 Ast/TO ratio, which was better than Demetrius Jackson and Gary Payton Jr.

Coinciding with those skills as a facilitator, Bembry has also made his mark as a terrific cutter in the half-court. With the mixture of on-court awareness, quickness and a great frame, Bembry continued to display an ability to drive to the rim while in the half-court. While he won't shock you with sheer athleticism, Bembry was quick enough to drive past a lot of defenders to get an easier look at the rim. That knack is evident by some of the numbers that he put up as a cutter. Bembry shot 69% from around the rim, while also averaging 1.47 points per possession as a cutter, according to Synergy Sports.

While he's solid in the half-court, Bembry's at his best when he's working in transition. Bembry's reminiscent of those 70's icons (Erving, Unseld or George Gervin) when he's running the court. With long and quick strides mixed with an ability to change speeds on the dime, Bembry is nearly unstoppable when he picks up a head of steam.  That knack as a transition player is showcased in the play below, as Bembry glides down the court as he finishes with a Gervinesqe finger roll.

A lot of those transition players wouldn't be made possible if Bembry wasn't a solid defensive player. While there were cases where his intensity level swayed a bit, he does show a lot of potential in that area due to his quick feet, great 6'9 wingspan and solid instincts Alongside that, Bembry was a bit of a ball-hawk as he averaged 1.5 steals per 40 minutes during his junior season.

The one aspect of Bembry's game that's definitely worrisome as he transitions to the NBA would be his jumper. Although he's shown potential in that area, hitting 122 3-pointers during his 102 games with Saint Joseph's, he was the furthest thing from consistent. Shooting 27% from beyond the arc during his junior season, Bembry stands as the least efficient perimeter shooter in this year's draft class that had at least 2 three-point attempts per game. A lot of those struggles can be put on his shooting form, as he has a slow release and doesn't really know whether he has more of a set shot or classic jumper.

Despite those issues, Bembry's one of the most intriguing players in this year's draft class as he's that classic example of being a "swiss army knife" where he can be helpful in a variety of ways. Whether it would be as a defender, on or off-ball slasher, facilitator or as a developing post-up threat, Bembry could be an asset for any NBA team from the moment he steps on a court. That statement alone could allow Bembry to be one of the hidden treasures in this year's draft class.