Matt WilliamsA regular starter for Alabama since he was a freshman, Trevor Releford returns for his senior season in prime position to end his career ranked as one of the top-10 scorers in Crimson Tide history. Likely filling the same role he did a season ago as Alabama's primary ball-handler and first-option, Releford will once again take the reigns of Anthony's Grant's offense faced with an even bigger burden to carry resulting from the unexpected departures of the team's second leading scorer Trevor Lacey and former McDonald's All-American Devonta Pollard.
A tenacious, competitive scoring point guard, Releford made a few notable strides as a junior en route to All-SEC First Team honors, managing to improve his efficiency while using more possessions on a nightly-basis. Though he showed growth in a few notable areas, he has continued to do with best work in transition. As we noted after his freshman year, he's exceptionally good at pushing the ball up the floor and making plays with a head of steam in an up-tempo game. He's not a blur in the open court, but he attacks with purpose, gets out on the break as often as almost any player in the country, seldom coughs the ball up, and shoots a terrific 65% from the field when he does so according to Synergy Sports Technology.
Releford posted a true-shooting percentage of 60% as a junior, good for
3rd among all collegiate points guards, thanks to his prolific fast break ability and the work he put into improving his shooting range. Knocking down 41% of his 3-point attempts last season, up from the 27% he shot as an underclassman, Releford did a much better job taking advantage of his opportunities from the outside, showing improved footwork and more reliable mechanics in the process. Shooting the ball with a quick release and solid range, Releford emerged as a formidable threat from beyond the arc last season, even if the sample size of 3.5 attempts per game leaves something to be desired Improving his percentages both off the dribble and when spotting up, his shot-making ability helped him seamlessly take on a bigger role in Alabama's offense after the departure of JaMychal Green.
Despite his improvement from the perimeter, Releford remains limited in some areas. Standing 6'0 with a compact frame, but compensating to some degree with a 6'6 wingspan, he lacks great size for a lead guard at the next level. He's also not overly explosive with the ball in his hands, relying more-so on his terrific handle and craftiness to create for himself in the half court at the college level. Lacking the burst to get all the way to the basket when he drives at times, he only converted at a 48%-clip in close in the half-court last season. He's capable of finishing creatively at times, but gets his shot blocked among the trees a fair among as well.
Some questions still remain about Releford's ability to play the point guard positions at the NBA level, as the 3.1 assists per-40 minutes pace adjusted he recorded last season were a career low and
rank him among the least productive passers among point guard prospects in our database. Though he isn't a prolific distributor and looks to score first when he puts the ball on the deck, Releford isn't a selfish player by any stretch, and his ability to create on the pick and roll still gives him some upside as a primary ball-handler at the next level. He may not drive and dish regularly, but he flashes the ability to make decisive passes dribbling off ball screens on occasion. There's little question his team will need him to score at a high rate to help them win games this season and it will be interesting to see what kind of balance Releford is able to strike between scoring and passing as a senior.
Defensively, Releford is capable of making an impact at the college level,
ranking among the top-50 or so players in the country in steals per-40 minutes pace adjusted. Playing a fair amount of zone, most of Releford's steals were the result of his active hands and ability to anticipate. Lacking great lateral quickness and leaping ability, Releford struggles to keep the ball in front of him and effectively contest shots at times, but plays with good energy on this end of the floor for the most part.
Looking forward, Releford's lack of size, elite athleticism, and to a lesser extent, pure point guard ability, remain concerns from a NBA perspective, but he's been a productive player in a BCS conference from the second he stepped on the floor as a freshman, makes things happen when he has the ball in his hands, and improved significantly as a shooter last season. There's little question he'll get plenty of looks at the conclusion of his senior season and seems like a prime candidate for the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. A fierce competitor like his older brother Travis Releford, now playing in Belgium, there's little doubt Trevor Releford will find plenty of suitors in the international game if the NBA doesn't work out.
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