Scouting and Highlights: Blake Dockery (2018)
Standing at 6’2″, Blake Dockery is about as athletic as they come. He plays his high school ball with Baldwin and his AAU with Parallel 45. His playstyle is hard to describe – at times he does a good job running a true point but other times he turns it over too much. At times he’s an effective scorer – other times he’s passive and doesn’t look to score. One thing that Dockery will bring to every game is athletic effort, making him a very good rebounder and defender.
Dockery has the potential to be a very good player any of the following levels: JuCo, D3 and NAIA. Given his superior athleticism and decent size for a guard at 6’2″, Dockery could make an impact at the D2 level if he improves after a year or two of lower level college ball. However, right now he would be a project for D2 teams.
Here’s my take on Dockery’s game:
Strengths:
Athleticism – I’ve mentioned this several times already, but it can’t be understated. Speed, quickness, strength, vertical, toughness – anything physical Dockery excels at. He has a very successful track resume with his high school, which speaks to his athletic versatility. He uses his athleticism to make on impact on the game in a variety of ways, even when he’s struggling offensively.
Rebounding – For a 6’2″ guard, Dockery is an excellent rebounder. He’s aggressive on the glass, refusing to be pushed around by an opponent’s boxout. Also, he does a great job elevating and grabbing the ball at it’s highest point. He’s capable of competing on the glass with the best of them.
Playmaking – While not a guaranteed every game, most games Dockery is a reliable playmaker. This slight inconsistency can be credited to his versatility as an athlete- he’s not just a basketball player, something that benefits him in other areas of the game. Dockery has good vision and looks to pass just as much as he looks to score – something many kids refuse to do.
Finishing – As with most elite athletes, he’s capable of elevating and finishing at or above the rim. When you combine this with his soft touch and ability to absorb contact, Dockery is dangerous when allowed to get in the paint. His aggressiveness helps him finish through contact as well as draw fouls.
Areas For Development:
Shooting – Developing a consistent perimeter jumper is the next step for Dockery to take as a basketball player. He’s capable of hitting from deep or midrange currently – he’s just not a huge threat from either. Developing the consistency would force defenders to respect his shooting ability which would open up lanes to finish at the rim – something he could carry his team doing.
Consistency – Overall, there isn’t any true weakness in Dockery’s game. With that being said, he also doesn’t have a single basketball skill that is elite (shooting, handles, passing, IQ, etc.). The most consistent part of his game is his athleticism and effort, both of which are very valuable to his team. For him to take the next step, however, he must become consistent with his basketball skills. Even he were just to become a more reliable perimeter shooter, for example, that would open up many other opportunities for Dockery to excel.