NBA Draft: Size unfairly holding former Vol Kennedy Chandler back; he’s aware of it too

There are legitimate reservations to have about Tennessee basketball guard Kennedy Chandler as the 2022 NBA Draft nears. A huge one is his lack of efficient free throw shooting in college. Chandler shot 60.6 percent from the foul line.

You could also question if his development of the midrange was a valuable skill to develop for the pros given the way today’s NBA game is played. That’s a focus of Rick Barnes, and it doesn’t seem like a good one for undersized guards.

However, rather than focus on those things, size itself is what continues to hold Chandler back in the NBA Draft. Matt Norlander of CBS Sports now has him going all the way down at No. 26 to the Houston Rockets in his hypothetic draft if it were based on who will have the best pro career. Here’s his explanation.

"The only thing preventing Chandler from being a top-20 guy is the frame. He’s a 6-footer, which is what will cause him to fall on draft night. Otherwise, there’s a lot to love here.…I do think his size will restrict him, and I’m not sold on the staunchness of his shooting, but there is zero debate as to whether he’s a top-30 (maybe even top-20) talent in this draft."

Meanwhile, Jonathan Givony of ESPN has him going 25th to the San Antonio Spurs. He listed Chandler as a “long view” pick for them but still praised his abilities in every way, making him sound like a lottery pick. Here’s what he said about Chandler.

"After a rocky start, Chandler emerged as one of the premier point guards in the college game in the second half of the season, showing blazing speed, dynamic ball-handling and passing ability and an increasingly consistent pull-up jumper. His measurements (6-1, 172 pounds with a 6-5½ wingspan) are what might keep him out of the top 20 like his talent suggests, but didn’t prevent him from playing outstanding defense and leading the SEC in steals."

The fact of the matter is these worries don’t jive with the data. In Chris Harden of ESPN’s use of analytics to break down the players in this year’s NBA Draft, it becomes pretty clear that Chandler should be a lottery pick. His ranking is all the way up to No. 11.

What’s clear is that despite his potential as somebody who shot over 38 percent from three last year and over two steals while proving his ability to truly play both guard spots, his size at 6’1″ 170 pounds is concerning scouts. That alone is ridiculous.

Chandler, though, seems to be aware of it. In an interview with Hoops Hype, he recently talked about everything related to the draft. When size came up, he accurately brought up the success of Chris Paul, Jeff Teague, Tony Parker, Jalen Brunson and Jordan McLaughlin. Here’s how he addressed the lack of respect coming with this.

"My whole life people have criticized that about me. I made it at every single level, and I’m going to do the same in the NBA. I use my quickness, and I’m able to stand my ground (on defense). Guys in college wanted to post me up, but I never let that happen. I feel like the weight room in the offseason has helped me get so much stronger. I’ve gained seven or eight pounds. Size is nothing to me. If I have to prove people wrong again, that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve done it my entire life."

Anybody who saw Chandler play for the Vols this past year knows he’s not just bloviating with those comments. He clearly understood leverage and strength more than most guards his size, and it’s what allowed him to often times switch positions.

Then you have the clutch gene and the intangibles, and Chandler has both of those. He clearly had a tough time dealing with the Vols’ NCAA Tournament loss to the Michigan Wolverines, and he consistently stepped up for them in close games al year when they needed a bucket.

Taking all this into account, Chandler is a lottery pick talent who looks like he will be a steal for somebody in the NBA Draft. Crucial for him now is being able to go to the right situation with the right team that will give him a look. San Antonio would obviously fit that, so if he falls to them, it’ll be a blessing in disguise.