James Gist

The lanky forward had a good game in limited minutes. He once again showed a nice shooting stroke, but is going to need to work on his consistency wherever he lands this coming season. He’s the type of shooter who will show a great release on one attempt, and then shoot with a different one from the same spot a minute later. He showed a good turnaround jumper today, and that’s just another tool he needs to polish. Gist doesn’t offer much in the way of ball handling, but he did a good job using his body to shield the ball when he did manage to find his way to the rim. Gist does a good job rebounding the ball, but had a hard time pulling them down today. He’ll get overshadowed on the glass by stronger players, but can be effective on both ends when he can swoop in from the outside and use his leaping ability to his advantage. Gist is a nice prospect right now, and his willingness to play overseas could allow him to become a nice asset for the Spurs down the line. There is some talk now that he may end up in training camp, though.

Gist had a decent game today, but was productive. He knocked down a catch and shoot college three pointer early, and proceeded to fall in love with outside shot. Though he didn’t force many bad shots (and he’s made some this week), outside shooting just isn’t a consistent enough part of his game right now. His release point isn’t consistent yet because he doesn’t use his legs as much as he needs to when shooting from that range. Gist is capable of making plays at the rim due to his length and athleticism. He pulled down his share of offensive boards today, and displayed soft touch at the rim when in position to finish. Defensively, Gist did a good job contesting shots and staying in front of his man. He had good, but not great lateral quickness, but compensates with a huge wingspan. That length makes him a very good rebounder on both ends, as he made clear today. The rest of his offensive game has a way to go, and he still needs experience to get better defensively, but he’ll get every opportunity to develop overseas.

Gist gained attention early in the game by showcasing his freakish athleticism, and threw down a number of thunderous dunks both in transition and the half court. He runs the court like a guard, and his physical attributes can be considered elite for any level. He also showed the ability to step out and spot up accurately with his jumper. The second rounder hit a 20 footer early in the game, and followed it up by later knocking down an NBA three pointer. Gist also put in a great deal of effort on the glass, though he still needs to work on more effectively utilizing his body rather than relying on athleticism. If he can continue to show this type of effort more consistently, he could have a chance at making the opening day roster.

James Gist had a worse stat-line today (6 points, 3-10 FG) than he did yesterday, but in our eyes played better this time around. He looked very active defensively in the passing lanes and did a great job getting out in transition, using his athleticism well around the rim and even knocking down a long-range perimeter jumper. The energy he brought to the floor was exactly what the doctor ordered for his draft stock. The 7 rebounds he pulled out in 20 minutes definitely stands out.

While Maryland has had its ups and downs as a team thus far, they have had a major bright spot in the development of forward James Gist. Previously thought of as just an athlete, he has improved mightily over the last year to the point that he is now Maryland’s second leading scorer, along with leading the squad in rebounds.

The bulk of James’ damage is felt within five feet of the basket, where his excellent leaping ability is put on center stage. Owning a great set of hands, he converts on basically everything thrown to him in the paint with a powerful dunk or acrobatic lay-in. He could very well be the top leaper in the ACC not named Deron Washington, and he uses his leaping ability to extend over the defense when making scoring attempts at the basket. Gist’s ability to get off shots at a high release point is especially crucial in his case, given that he is a bit undersized for a power forward.

Showing off a rapidly improving post game, Gist has established himself as the Terrapins go-to-guy in the pivot. He really enjoys going to his turnaround jumper out, which he can hit going towards either shoulder. The quickness that he possesses allows him to maneuver his way around bigger, bulkier posts and he has shown no problem getting his shot off when matched against defenders of any size for that matter.

On the defensive end, James has done a very good job against the elite players that he has faced this season. His physical gifts allow him to immediately make his presence felt as a shot blocker, and when combined with his nice timing allows him to swat an above average amount of shots for a 6’8 player. Gist is usually relegated to guarding power forwards, where he has shown adequate enough quickness to stay in front of those big men who try to face the basket on him. There is surely a lot of upside in terms of his potential on defense, something that NBA scouts will surely notice when evaluating him before the draft.

The senior’s perimeter skills are definitely a work in progress, surely not up to par of what you would look for in a combo forward. He has a pretty nice short jumper out to about 10 feet, but his accuracy declines drastically as soon as he goes any farther out on the floor. The form on his jump shot is not bad, leaving optimism for improvement in this area, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

Gist’s ball handling and passing skills are also poor for a player hoping to transition to a combo forward. He looks uncomfortable when putting the ball on the floor more then two ore three times in a straight line, lacking much creativity off the bounce. He goes right virtually every time he puts the ball on the deck, only driving to his left in 11% of the possessions that we observed. Passing is also not a strong point for the Maryland forward, who averages nearly twice the amount of turnovers as he does assists.

Gist is certainly going to receive an invite to Portsmouth, giving him an opportunity to convince scouts that he can carve out a niche to make it in the NBA. He has NBA caliber athleticism, but is definitely lacking the skills that teams desire in a combo forward, making him a borderline draftee presently. Either way, his combination of great motor and athletic talents should be enough for a team give him a shot in training camp at the very least.

James Gist is a member of the ever-growing group of tweener forwards that have crowded the NBA Draft conversation as of late. Too short and skinny for a prototypical NBA power forward, he seems most suited for an NBA small forward with his quickness and athleticism. The problem? He’s clearly got some work to do in the skills department. However, his potential is undeniable and he should do some serious damage in the paint next year with the graduation of Ekene Ibekwe.

Standing a legitimate 6’8 and weighing around 225 lbs, Gist enjoys the athleticism, mobility, and speed to be labeled a physical specimen, even by lofty NBA standards. He runs the floor very well and has the explosiveness needed to finish contested dunks or layups on fast breaks. He doesn’t have great ball-handling ability, and looks fairly mechanical trying to create offense for himself. He shows decent form on his set shot, though, which has college three-point range. He also has a turnaround jump-shot and a jump hook in his offensive arsenal.

Off the dribble, Gist can shoot, but it does not look quite as natural at this point because he shows a tendency to pause before going into his shooting motion. In the post, he is a completely different player. He uses his strength and athleticism to dunk just about anything around the basket and get offensive rebounds, but is a bit limited trying to do much more than that. He doesn’t show the greatest touch near the basket, but, as witnessed through his percentages (53% FG, 42% 3FG, 71% FT), Gist is an effective scorer at the college level.

Gist has all of the physical attributes and athleticism to be a good college post-defender. He blocks shots all over the floor at a good rate (2.1/game) and can stick with most collegiate players. He is a good defensive rebounder (5/game, 6.6/48 min) that could get even better with a better understanding of fundamentals under his belt. However, it’s all about effort with Gist. He just has to stay focused on the defensive end to be effective. On the perimeter, he gives his man too much space, but it is simply a matter of undeveloped instinct rather than a lack of effort. It will be important for him to work on his defense this year, because without the equally long and athletic Ibekwe, any inadequacy will be more visible. His potential, though, is quite promising. He has very long arms to go with his athleticism and shows good enough lateral movement to make the transition in the NBA.

However, he must show that he is comfortable playing on the perimeter and creating his own offense. At this point in his career, he is an undersized post player with limited perimeter abilities. To become a true NBA combo-forward prospect, he’s going to have to develop this kind of offense.

This being said, there is a chance that James Gist will see some kind of big-league paycheck. His combination of skills, athleticism, size, and effort is coveted in the NBA. Without Ibekwe in the post and with improvement at the point guard position, a big season is expected out of Gist and the Terrapins. He could be a sleeper in the NBA draft game, and with another breakthrough season under his belt, it is not a stretch to imagine him sneaking into draft conversations.

James Gist didn’t declare for this year’s draft, but he’s here working out with Hernandez in preparation for next year’s college season, where he should get an expanded role with Ekene Ibekwe’s graduation. Gist is mostly a garbage man-type player now, blocking shots, pulling down rebounds, getting out on the break, and finishing around the rim, but he’s working on his mid-range jump shot and may potentially make the transition to combo-forward in the future if he develops his skills enough, as the 6’8 he’s listed at may be generous, and he would have a tough time playing the pure power forward spot at the next level. Even still, Gist may be destined for Europe when it’s all said and done, but with a breakout season in this his senior year, he could place himself into draft discussions, as he definitely has some strong skills and excellent athleticism.

Gist really lit it up in the mid-range shooting drills, hitting for 46-of-61 from about 15 feet out, exhibiting solid overall form, though he doesn’t always hold his follow through and he doesn’t fully extend his shot. Still, his form is consistent and his release point is high, and he’s obviously effective from the mid-range, something he should do more of next season. Gist also shot .429 from three-point range this past season, albeit on only 21 attempts. He hit a few three-pointers during the drill session here, though they didn’t spend much time working on that, but it appear Gist has the potential to develop at least college three-point range.

On the post drills, Gist looked really strong with his right-handed hook shot, barely missing on it, and overall showed good footwork and fluidity with his moves, though he looked a bit more comfortable with everything that was right hand-oriented. Gist needs to continue to work on his post and mid-range game, as it would help him to more consistently create his own scoring. Gist has the potential to have a real breakout senior season, with Ibekwe, D.J. Strawberry, and Mike Jones all not returning to school, which could put a lot more of the scoring load on his shoulders, something he may or may not be able to handle. He’s someone we’ll probably see at one or both of the pre-draft camps next year.