Mar 22, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Ryan Kelly (34) shoots a jump shot during the first half against the Albany Great Danes during the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
With the 48th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select…Ryan Kelly, power forward out of Duke University. The 6’10 senior is a sharp-shooting big man that can fill the stretch four role in Mike D’Antoni’s system. I won’t go in-depth about his game because you can find his draft profile Jacob Rude did on the site here.
With a three point percentage of 42.2 percent, Ryan Kelly was thought of as one of the best shooting big men in all of college basketball. He may not be the best rebounder, or freak athlete, but he is smart, knows how to pass, and shoot. While he isn’t a great defender, he does alright for someone who isn’t very athletic. Kelly, should he get minutes in his first season, could find himself in a pick-and-pop role with Steve Nash, or Steve Blake. I think his best comparison would be Ryan Anderson.
A big concern that I have of Kelly is his ability to rebound well. For someone who is 6’10 and about 230 pounds, you would think he would average more than 5.3 rebounds a game. On the defensive side of the ball, he will struggle with athletic stretch fours — this may be where Earl Clark fits in.
With Antawn Jamison leaving the Lakers, Ryan Kelly could very well find himself getting decent minutes off the bench. He might not play 20-25 minutes a game, but he could play 10-15. I’ve been on the Ryan Kelly bandwagon ever since I saw him in the Lakers range in a few mock drafts. For someone who loves big men that can shoot, I am very happy with this pick.