NBA Draft Prospect Profiles: Kobe Bufkin, Michigan

It wasn’t a season to remember for Michigan in 2022-23, but the Wolverines will send off some serious talent in sophomore guard Kobe Bufkin. He provides an elite finisher with the scoring ability to thrive at the next level. With the draft around the corner, we dissect his game and get you up to speed on his scouting report.

Career with Michigan

It was a down season in Ann Arbor, but Bufkin was far from the issue. He became a stud in his sophomore season, becoming a reliable starting guard for the Wolverines after averaging just 3.0 points per game in his freshman campaign. He shot up to 14.0 points per contest in 2022-23 after drastically improving around the rim, making 71.1 percent of his layups.

Strengths

Bufkin is an incredibly gifted finisher around the rim. He almost always finds a way to get a layup through traffic through acrobatic finishing and an understanding of the defense’s positioning. He can finish with either hand from nearly any angle at the rim, no matter the defense. Contrary to most guards, his stature at just 175 lbs., he welcomes contact and does well to absorb it when finishing. That bodes well when he enters the paint, where contact will be abundant.

Weaknesses

The former four-star recruit is a mostly score-first backcourt player. He’s not a super efficient playmaker or great at getting teammates involved, averaging 2.9 assists and 1.9 turnovers per game in 2022-23. With his quickness and dribble penetration, developing the vision to get others involved could help him take his game to the next level. At times, there seems to be some indecisiveness in his game. He’s caught frequently picking up his dribble in poor spots or letting the ball stick with nowhere to pass it. A fit within the proper offensive scheme and some coaching could help smooth these limitations.

Overall NBA Projection

Bufkin fits the archetype of new-age guards that are slightly undersized but possess crafty and elusive tools necessary to become an offensive juggernaut in the NBA. His dribble drives and layups are second-to-none, and he looks able to develop a threatening jumper. The Michigan native could become a serious scoring asset if he falls to the right organization towards the backend of this year’s lottery.

Projected Pick: Lottery

Player Comparison: John Collins