Scouting and Highlights: John Ivory (2017)
John Ivory is a 6’5″ big for Detroit Northwestern. He is the tallest player on his squad and is responsible for a bulk of the rebounding and rim-protecting. It’s safe to say he’s a great shot blocker, despite being undersized. He is a solid role player and would be a nice fit in a variety of systems. He would be effective at the JuCo or D3 level.
Here’s my take on Ivory’s game:
Strengths:
Shot Blocking – This is the bread and butter of his game. He’s only 6’5″ which is short for a big, but he has great timing on his jumps. He’s an elite shot-blocker.
Rebounding – Similar to his shot-blocking ability, his rebounding is solid despite his short size. He does a good job timing his jumps to go up and get the ball. He also does a good job getting in position and boxing out, which is important due to his lack of height. Overall, he’s an effective rebounder.
Finishing – While he may not be known for finishing above the rim, he does a good job finishing off dump-offs and put-backs. He can finish through contact as well.
Plays Within System – He does a good job playing within his role. He doesn’t need to dominate the ball to be effective, which will help him fit in a variety systems. He makes his impact on defense and on the glass, which is valuable to any team. Since he can play well within a system, he will be able to make an impact right away.
Areas For Development:
Shooting – Since he’s undersized, the ability to stretch the floor would benefit him tremendously. This would give him added value on the offensive side of the ball. Developing a jumper out to the three point line would make Ivory head and shoulders better.
Athleticism – Adding some inches to his vert or some more explosiveness would make Ivory a completely different player. While he does a good job finishing around the rim, the ability to finish above the rim consistently would greatly benefit him. This would also help him in his defense and rebounding.