A Royal Pain
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A Royal Prospect: St. John’s point guard Shamorie Ponds

By Jonathan Roberts

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 17: Shamorie Ponds of St John's works out during the 2019 NBA Combine at Quest MultiSport Complex on May 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 17: Shamorie Ponds of St John's works out during the 2019 NBA Combine at Quest MultiSport Complex on May 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Coming off a stellar season with the St. John’s Red Storm, could Shamorie Ponds be a fit for the Sacramento Kings in the second round?

If you haven’t heard of Shamorie Ponds by now, it’s well-past the time to. Coming off back-to-back seasons averaging at least 19 points, four rebounds and four assists, Ponds has shown he’s a more than capable threat on offense, but will his size be an issue in the NBA?

Shamorie Ponds at a glance:

  • Position: Point Guard
  • Height: 6’-0.5”
  • Wingspan: 6’-3.5”
  • Weight: 180 pounds
  • Age: 20
  • Projected Draft Range: Mid-Late Second Round
  • ESPN Top-100 Ranking: 47

2018-19 Statistics:

  • Points: 19.7 (Per-36: 20.2)
  • Rebounds: 4.1 (Per-36: 4.2)
  • Assists: 5.1 (Per-36: 5.2)
  • Steals: 2.6 (Per-36: 2.7)
  • Shooting Splits: .453/.353/.836
  • True Shooting Percentage: .576

After a season at St. John’s that ended in a play-in game loss to Arizona State, junior Red Storm’s  point guard Shamorie Ponds declared for the draft, and has established himself as a potential late-draft steal in short order.

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Over his three-year collegiate career, Ponds has established himself as a player capable of scoring off the dribble at a high-level, and has shown an ability to get buckets from all over the floor. He’s an excellent free throw shooter, an above-average rebounder and a decent defender capable of racking up steals.

He’s also a good athlete whose flashed potential as a playmaker with excellent on-court speed, which would, theoretically, fit in well with the Sacramento Kings. He’s shown good touch around the rim as well, which is exactly what you was from a slashing guard.

Shamorie Ponds is a prolific scorer and an adequate defender, so why is he so low on draft boards? Size and basketball IQ.

He’s shown an ability to improve year-over-year, but he’s also been inconsistent and a bit turnover prone. He averaged two turnovers per game last season, posting a less-than-ideal 1.08 assist to turnover ratio. Also of concern is his ball-stopping, but most disconcerting — and most affecting his draft stock — is his size.

At 6’-1”, Shamorie Ponds is pretty undersized at the NBA level, and especially on defense. He’s also not a true point guard — he’s more of a scorer — but his height leaves him well-undersized to succeed in the NBA as a two-guard.

If Ponds can learn to not stop the ball as much, and really lean into a spark-plug playmaker-type of player he could carve out a nice role for himself as a sixth man. With the Sacramento Kings, he’d be a good fit for a team needing a backup point guard, and with his speed he wouldn’t slow the pace when he’s in the game.

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If Shamorie Ponds is available at 40 or 47, the Sacramento Kings should take a good look at him, though it really depends on who else is available. This point guard class is very shallow, however, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility Ponds is selected somewhere in the 28-35 range. At 40 or 47 though, the Sacramento Kings can’t be disappointed in drafting a player with Ponds’ potential.

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