Scouting Report: Kyle Allman Jr.
I watched Kyle Allman Jr. last season in Lavrio but I must admit it that I wasn’t so high on him at the beginning of this season. I wasn’t sure if he could run the point guard duties, being the creator in offense and dish assists to team mates, but I see now that my evaluation was wrong and that he can jump in the point guard role.
He is amongst the best players in assists per game in Basketball Champions League and also amogst the best in AST % which is an even better indicator of his impact. His shot shows some improvements too and he is becoming a complete offensive player that could go high in Europe over the next years.
BACKGROUND INFO
Position: G
Height: 193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Date of Birth: 02/09/1997
Nationality: American
Previous clubs:
2019/20 — Lavrio
Kyle played all four of his college years for Cal State Fullerton Titans. Not the top notch basketball program but they produced some NBA players with Bruce Bowen probably being the most known of them. Bobby Brown and Josh Akognon also played for the Titans and had nice careers in Europe. Kyle played really good in his Junior and Senior years, averaged 19.5 and 17.5 points respectively, and was selected in the All-Big West First Team in both those years. As reported by the DailyTitan, he put in the work and practiced even at night to improve his game. He also brought the work ethic to Europe and improved a lot in comparison to last season.
VIDEO REPORT:
OFFENSE
Slashing: Aggressive slasher. With his explosive first step, he can get past defenders and to the rim pretty easily. Once he gets there, he has many options. He is athletic enough to go for dunks, can make layups with both hands and even absorb the contact. Almost all of his left handed layups are off two feet which gives him a little more body control and balance but loses some speed which was his main advantage before that. Also needs to improve his slashing angles since sometimes he doesn’t attack directly towards the rim which results in a finish under a bad angle or a turnover.
Shooting — off the dribble: Good off the dribble shooter. With his athleticism and handles he can create a decent amount separation and his transition from the dribble to his shooting motion is pretty quick and smooth. Has a good body control and balance too. His shot release is high and is not blocked so easily. Solid mid range game and shouldn’t be left open on the elbow. Most misses are short, could be a sign of lack of strength or fatigue.
Shooting — spot up: Even though he is more a off the dribble shooter and a ball dominant guard, he is solid in spot up shooting too. Shots only when completely open and showing better spot up shooting from corners than from the top. Would love to see how he can run around screens and his catch & shoot shooting but there weren’t any opportunities to see him as an shooter.
Passing: Has great court vision and can deliver passes on all levels with both hands. Amongst the best passers in Basketball Champions League with a 40,76 % AST % and averages 7.4 assists per36. Can deliver accurate full court passes or soft passes for alley oops. As a good slasher, usually the defense helps on him after he beats his man and he makes some good passes and decisions on-the-go and is a great drive & dish player. Probably his signature move are his dribble passes where he transitions the ball from a dribble to pass smoothly and can deliver a sharp and precise pass with both hands.
Cutting: Has good feel and instincts for cuts. With his explosive change of direction he can get by defender and directly to the rim. Can be used as an alley oop target from the weak side too.
DEFENSE
Perimeter defense: Not the best defender even though he has all the tools for a good defensive player. Doesn’t look locked in in defense and his reactions aren’t the best for an athlete like him. There were some possessions that give some hope, where he showed some good reactions and some defensive potential but that happened too rarely in my opinion. Knowing that he has the work ethic, I’m pretty sure he will improve his defensive game over the next years too.
Pick & roll defense: Another area that needs some improvements. He could anticipate and go around screens better with the athleticism and footwork that he possesses. Also navigates the ball handler poorly, gives him too much space and should play with more contact. That alone would br ing his defensive game to a higher level already.
Off-ball defense: Similar as above, I miss some effort from his side in off ball defense. Too many times he can just lose focus/concentration and leave his man open or make a cut. Can be ball watchim, allows cuts, also reads the offense poorly and can “cheat” on screens.. .
Rebounding: There is something to like about his defensive game. He is a very good rebounder for his position and also shows some effort to go for rebounds. Has good instincts and makes good reads where the ball is going. Averages 4.1 rebounds per36 in Basketball Champions League.
SUMMARY
There is a lot to like in Kyle Allman Jr. The work that he puts in improving his game can bring him a long way. His offensive game is on high level already but can improve in basically all departments too. Especially his slashing angles and consistency in his shot are the main two areas that can be improved in my opinion.
On the defensive end there is much more to improve in on- and off-ball defense. Focus/concentration and effort needs to be higher and more visible but his body and athletic tools make him a player that could play a good defense in the future too.
It will be interesting to follow his career path but I’m pretty sure that it should go up every season and maybe it could bring him to the highest level, not just in Europe, but in the NBA too. It’s a long shot but he has enough room for improvements and could get there eventually.
