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Zhaire Smith | Robert Williams | Keita Bates-Diop | Miles Bridges | Josh Okogie | Chandler Hutchison | Džanan Musa | Troy Brown | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Melvin Frazier | Kevin Knox | Jacob Evans | Kevin Huerter

Measurables

Age: 21
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 205 lbs
Wingspan: 7’ 0.75”
Standing reach: 8’ 3.5”
Hand length: 8.75” x 9.50”
Max vertical: 33”
Bench Press reps: 2
Three-quarter sprint: 3.25

Stats

Totals Table
Season School Conf G GS MP FG FGA FG% 2P 2PA 2P% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
2015-16 SMU AAC 30 23 980 113 237 .477 61 115 .530 52 122 .426 37 51 .725 9 80 89 82 24 8 46 43 315
2016-17 SMU AAC 35 35 1239 152 348 .437 70 154 .455 82 194 .423 69 91 .758 15 129 144 159 44 11 63 54 455
2017-18 SMU AAC 22 22 800 123 274 .449 67 145 .462 56 129 .434 94 111 .847 14 89 103 96 31 14 50 38 396
Career SMU 87 80 3019 388 859 .452 198 414 .478 190 445 .427 200 253 .791 38 298 336 337 99 33 159 135 1166
Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 6/20/2018.

Strengths

Shooting: Milton was an excellent off-ball shooter at SMU, making 43.9% of attempts from three and 44.9% from the field overall. He has nice shot mechanics and a pretty floater which helped contribute to his 18 ppg in the 2017-18 season.

Basketball IQ: As SMU’s starting point guard, Shake demonstrated capable ballhandling and playmaking skills but was a poised decision maker as well. He has great court vision and is unselfish. Milton plays well within himself and doesn’t try to do things he isn’t capable of, a very underrated quality in prospects.

Versatility: Milton’s measurables put him in a position to succeed on both ends of the floor. He is a decent on-ball defender who is capable of guarding multiple positions, and his length and creativity enable him to score in a variety of ways.

Weaknesses

Athleticism: Shake’s major weakness is his athleticism. He’s long, but he’s not explosive or particularly strong. This particularly limits his ability when driving to the rim as he is often pushed around by other players. Still, he finds ways to finish in the paint but overall he very much a below-the-rim player.

Uncertainty about translation to NBA: Milton belongs in the NBA, no doubt. But there are question marks about what exactly will translate right away. For example, his court vision and playmaking are satisfactory for a college player but would be considered average at best in the NBA. Defensively, he also leaves much to be desired off-ball.

Fit with the Denver Nuggets

Shake Milton provides a unique skillset that could certainly prove useful for Denver. His length and shooting project him to be a 3-and-D type of player, and it’s no secret the Nuggets lack that on the wing. But he also played point guard in college, and even with prospects like Monte Morris in the wings, backup point guard is still very much a need for Denver. One of the great things about Milton is that his size would enable him to fit either of those needs for the Nuggets off the bench. As such, he is a player Denver should certainly look at if he’s still on the board.