After meeting with the teams and seeing what he needed to work on, Keisei Tominaga withdrew his name from the NBA draft to return to Nebraska for his senior season. Tominaga, known as Japan’s Steph Curry, already has some NBA-ready skills. But he probably wouldn’t have been drafted if he had dropped out of college. His return gives him another chance to up his game and enter a much weaker 2024 draft class.
Could Tominaga be drafted in the summer of 2024? Here’s why he should be on the radar of NBA teams and what he needs to improve on in order to be called his name next year.
Keisei Tominaga is already an NBA-caliber 3-point shooter
Tominaga could enter the league tomorrow and be one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. He got to ring a bell during his Pacers workout as part of a tradition they extend to players who hit at least 20 of 25 3-pointers in practice.
pre-draft training no. 2.????@NerdWallet | #GoldOn the Clock pic.twitter.com/SwukDHipS9
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) 30 maggio 2023
Tominaga hit 40 percent of his 3 as a junior at Nebraska. That should translate directly to the NBA because many of his shots are already coming off NBA-style moves and sets. This is largely due to former NBA coach Fred Hoiberg, who is coaching Tominaga at Nebraska.
The zoom action is an extremely common set that every NBA team performs. Requires exiting two screens before catching the ball. Tominaga is already very adept at pulling off this action and his extremely quick left release allowed him to get the shot when he wanted.
It takes a while for many players to adjust to the additional distance to the NBA 3-point line compared to college. That shouldn’t be a problem for Tominaga, who is comfortable shooting Curry from range.
Speaking of Curry, that’s Tominaga’s favorite player. Curry’s influence shows up in Tominaga’s play. Nebraska runs it in similar actions that have become Curry staples, such as elevator screens and transfer 3s where passes the ball to get it back for a 3.
Tominaga even threw a lookaway 3 on the season, taking his head off his shot as he let the ball go as Curry has become famous for doing.
Keisei Tominaga has good sensations
Tominaga wasn’t just a shooter in Nebraska. He was even able to get to the edge smart cuts and pushing the ball in transition. It is mainly based on a hesitation dribble and a left handed float which can go down to 15 feet.
Tominaga won’t break down defenses too much on his own, but he has good touch around the basket and can capitalize when he sees an opening.
Keisei Tominaga’s lack of size and strength are the biggest challenges he has to overcome
Keisei’s father Hiroyuki is a 7-footer who played professionally in Japan for 10 years. If Keisei inherited his father’s height, then he would have been a first-round pick. Instead, he stands at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, making his path to the championship difficult.
Of the 539 players who appeared on an NBA roster in 2023, only 54 were 6 feet 2 or shorter. The lack of size presents a problem on the defensive end, and Tominaga recognized that after his training with the Pacers.
“Defense stuff or physical stuff. That kind of thing, I need to improve even more,” she said.
Tominaga has good footwork and fights hard to stay ahead of the players. But he struggles with physical matchups and players can shoot right over his defense.
Players like Curry have developed into solid NBA-level defenders by getting much stronger. Tominaga will need to add a lot of muscle to his frame to hold up in the NBA.
Keisei Tominaga has great intangibles
Tominaga has quickly become a Nebraska fan favorite due to the infectious energy with which he plays. He’s not afraid to show some positive emotion after big plays. His teammates are constantly rooting for him to succeed, and his coach has spoken highly of him throughout the year.
“Keisei played on the biggest stage. I think that’s why he’s such a confident player and never backs down on anyone,” said Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg. he told the Big Ten Network. “He represented his national team in the 3v3 [olympics]where he was the best player on the pitch”.
Tominaga also has excellent sportsmanship, winning the Charles Sesher Award given to the player who has demonstrated the best sportsmanship through his actions towards teammates, coaches, opponents and officials while playing for Ranger College.
Tominaga has already worked hard on his game to become one of the best players on the Nebraska team. He will have to continue to improve, but the teams are always looking for the shot. If he can prove he’s not a defensive liability, then he’ll have a shot at being drafted next summer.
2023-06-03 22:47:27
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