Ht/Wt: 6'10" / 235 lbs
Position: PF
Team: Kentucky
Class: Freshman

2015 Draft Profile - Trey Lyles

Strengths
Not many big men have the offensive skill set that Lyles carries. Along with a superlative frame and excellent length, Lyles is able to create offense for himself and others extremely well for a power forward. He can operate in the post and with his face-up game because of his ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the basket. Lost on a lot of young big men is correct footwork and touch around the basket, but that's not the case with Lyles. He has soft touch around the rim, which helps him finish in a variety of ways, making up for a lack of pure athleticism.

His ball-handling ability not only helps him attack the basket, but it also can help him lead a fast break after snagging a rebound. Lyles is not only a willing passer, but an effective one as well, thanks in large part to his vision and high basketball IQ. Topping off his tremendous offensive skill set is his ability to knock down midrange jumpers. Every so often, he'll step out beyond the three point line and flash his shooting range if he's left open, although he needs to develop more consistency from long range.

Weaknesses
Despite having excellent mobility for his size, Lyles is far from an explosive athlete and has average leaping ability, which makes it difficult for him to protect the rim on a consistent basis. His approach to the defensive end is very lackadaisical far too often -- something he can't afford when he already has minimal lateral quickness. His overall lack of explosiveness could lead to difficulty on offense at the next level as well, seeing as he'll need to finish over bigger, more athletic defenders than the college game has to offer.

There are questions about his conditioning because it's been up and down the past few years, depending on how much weight he carried. He added some weight, presumably to handle more physical players down low. Unfortunately, that led to a decrease in agility, though he has slimmed back down. Poor lateral quickness could make defending the pick and roll quite the hassle for Lyles in the NBA. He may have to pick his poison in that regard, either by sagging off and giving the ball-handler room to shoot or pressing up and risking dribble penetration. His defensive game will need refinement if he wants to take his game to greater heights.

NBA Player Comparison
From a skill standpoint in a half court setting, Lyles resembles Carlos Boozer at times because of his face-up game and ability to hit from midrange. But Lyles is taller and has significantly better length, plus a higher defensive ceiling, despite his current deficiencies in that area. His ability to handle the ball and get out on the break is actually reminiscent of Lamar Odom, who had a unique skill set for his size along with little explosiveness and streaky perimeter shooting. The skill set Lyles brings to the table should make him a solid rotation player at the very least, although it doesn't seem like he has the amount of upside to make him a star in the NBA.

Statistics
PPG: 7.5 RPG: 5.3 APG: 1.3 SPG: 0.5 BPG: 0.4 FG%: 48.9 FT%: 66.7 3PT%: 14.3

Trey Lyles Videos

Meet the Cats: UK freshman forward Trey Lyles


Trey Lyles - Kentucky Highlights 2015


Trey Lyles Full Highlights vs Arkansas (18 Pts)


The Trey Lyles Senior Mixtape #UK Bound





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