Film Study: Landry Shamet

With the 26th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers nabbed Landry Shamet, a smooth 6-foot-5 combo guard out of Wichita State. Shamet has wicked range and sound mechanics, shooting 43.7 percent beyond the arc on 5.1 attempts per game in two-plus seasons as a Shocker.

Some analysts questioned the pick, while others felt it was accurate value. From my perspective, adding Shamet to the roster seems to prepare for the event that Philadelphia’s starting two-guard last season, J.J. Redick, might be a casualty of the team’s desire to go star-hunting. If the Sixers acquire LeBron James, Paul George or Kawhi Leonard in some fashion, there likely won’t be the requisite cap space to re-sign Redick.

Shamet won’t immediately match Redick’s shooting credentials refined after over a decade in the league , but he is one of the best pure shooters from this draft class. He also represents a cost-controlled insurance plan in the event Redick, Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova — all plus marksmen — are axed in favor of a star wing.

More importantly, assuming the learning curve isn’t a complete culture shock for Shamet, he has the frame and length (6-foot-7 wingspan) to avoid being religiously attacked in switches like Redick and Belinelli were in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Celtics. Although, at just 190 pounds, he should look to add strength during his first few years in the league. Otherwise, the defensive end of the floor will be a bumpy ride.

As a prospect, Shamet’s biggest question marks center around his athleticism, quickness, and on-ball defense. He constantly gets hung up on well-executed screens, will struggle to score off the bounce against superior defenders and doesn’t project as a net positive at the point of attack defensively (otherwise known as on-ball defense).

However, providing better size and shooting than new teammate T.J McConnell, Shamet might be able to pilfer some minutes from the Process hero as the backup point guard. At 6-foot-5, Shamet should find burn both on and off the ball, given his blend of outside touch and good, not great, playmaking skills.

Additionally, Shamet boasts length and a high basketball IQ, fusing together to breed a good team defender. The Sixers have a trio of skilled individual and helpside defenders in the starting lineup with Robert Covington, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, meaning they can cover for some of Shamet’s deficiencies and allow him to laser in on the team defense side of things.

There is more nuance to Shamet’s game than one could explain in 400-plus words. For a full, in-depth look into his abilities, his potential fit as a Sixer, and how he might replace Redick’s contributions, check out my Twitter Moment for the full film study.