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DeAndre Bembry profile
Drafted #21 in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Hawks
RCSI: 251 (2013)
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
Weight: 207 lbs (94 kg)
Position: SF
High School: St. Patrick High School (New Jersey)
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
AAU: SportsU
College: Saint Joseph's
Current Team: Bucks
Win - Loss: 3 - 2
DeAndre Bembry Highlights from Pensack Sports Pro Day

Articles

NBA Market Watch: DeAndre Bembry

Kevin O'Connor
Kevin O'Connor
Eric Weiss
Eric Weiss
Jun 10, 2016, 09:51 am
With an afro reminiscent of the era when big hair ruled the basketball world, it's clear DeAndre Bembry has some flare to his character that would make the likes of Artis Gilmore and and Dr. J proud. But when looking beyond the superficial, Bembry also possesses the personality traits comparable to some of the up-and-comers of the modern era, such as Justise Winslow – clearly indicating “the hair don't lie.”
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What follows is a look at Bembry through the scope of Sports Aptitude's proprietary methodology that utilizes Personality and Situation Factors to help better quantify the probability of success. (For more on Bembry's Personality Group click here.)

Bembry didn't always receive the attention he does today as a fast-rising, first round prospect. He was the 251st ranked high school recruit, and top schools overlooked him. This is somewhat surprising considering he played on the same AAU team that birthed more heralded recruits Karl Town and Wade Baldwin, as well as attending the prestigious Patrick School for his final two high school seasons.

Historically, players with Bembry's personality traits place more value on being in cohesive team environments as opposed to blindly chasing individual status – it's quite possible that Bembry's downstated demeanor and willingness to adjust around others garnered less “me first” attention despite his team's background history.

Once he settled in at The Patrick School in New Jersey, former home of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, things started to stabilize and the local Universities began to take notice. Again, this is not an unexpected “late bloom” for a player who profiles as highly methodical and patient with the process of development.

After deciding between St Joseph's and Temple, Bembry eventually committed to St. Joseph's because, he said, "It just came down to a chance to play. It was a great team that needed a piece. I gave them that piece.”

The early opportunity worked for Bembry. He was the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year as a freshman, named to the All-Conference first-team as a sophomore, and then as a junior he won A-10 Player of the Year and led the Hawks to the NCAA Tournament.

Bembry was “given” nothing. Coach Phil Martelli was clear that the opportunity in front of Bembry would have to be earned. This is the ideal blend of opportunity and expectation for players from Bembry's “Team Culture” oriented personality group.

These are players whose decisions are a strong reflection of their surroundings. They also generally thrive in situations that provide more structure, continuity, and a path to opportunity that is more easily identified. In fact, the largest drop of successful NBA players comes from this group.

Players in this “Team Culture” group that share Bembry's own traits typically excel on the NBA level in situations that are best described as having a “transition plan” in place. When things are more stable and there is an obtainable role to pursue, these players are often at their best.

Much like the successful players in his group, Bembry is ideally suited to be challenged by a team that values his current skill-set and provides him with a clear action-item list of tasks leading him on the path to unlocking his potential.

Bembry has shown what he can do when the demands placed on him are high. Yet, he hasn't been asked to carry a light load since very early in his high school career. As is often the case with players like him; the expectations of fulfilling a key role on a cohesive team with superior talent may unlock another level to his game.


StatisticJuniorSophomoreFreshman
Half Court PPP0.9250.8570.838
Spot Up PPP1.0290.8490.933
Isolation PPP0.8150.5710.524
Box Plus-Minus9.16.92.4


Through three years with the Hawks, Bembry experienced a rapid level of improvement, with his hallmark attribute being his versatility. He can defend multiple positions and fill multiple roles on offense as a 6-foot-6 playmaker.

“It's a great edge because if I end up getting switched onto a point guard or switched onto a forward, I can hold my own ground without having a problem. I feel comfortable one through three and I don't have a problem getting switched onto a four,” Bembry told Sports Aptitude. “On offense, it's same way. I was used to in college these past two years playing with the ball in my hands sometimes, or playing off-ball. I'm comfortable with either one.”

Bembry constantly improved as a ball handler, adding dribble hesitations and euro-steps to complement his natural passing instincts, vision, and height advantage.


StatisticJuniorSophomoreFreshman
AST/TOV Ratio2.211.251.08
Pure Point Rating2.48-1.31-2.27


Bembry told Sports Aptitude he's been watching film for “the past two or three years,” and considers it integral to his progression. As the data above shows, his assist-turnover and pure point rating both took leaps forward each season.

Bembry's jumper is considered a weakness at this stage of his career, but at 35.4 percent on over 270 catch-and-shoot jumpers at St. Joseph's, it's not as if his shot is totally broken. With some adjustments to his mechanics, he may begin to translate his soft touch around the rim into a more perimeter-focused game. With the understanding that it's precisely what NBA teams want to see him improve, Bembry said at the combine he's working to accomplish that.

“It's keeping my balance, keeping my elbow straight. It's little things with my jumper,” said Bembry. “But it's also repetition. I've been working out for about six weeks leading up to the combine and I feel comfortable shooting.”

If Bembry becomes an even average spot up shooter early in his career, and many teams already believe he will, it'll make it easier for coaches to integrate him into their rotation as a playmaker who takes advantage of matchups, defends multiple positions, and can stand in the corner to space the floor when asked to.

Players from this “Team Culture” group frequently see a spike in their efficiency when they are allowed to play off of others instead of forced to be the whole show.

With an afro comparable to Dr. J, fans might assume Bembry has a loud, eccentric personality, but his traits suggest he's better suited to be a “calming influence” on the court. In the right situation, DeAndre Bembry's ability to “give the game what it needs,” coupled with his smooth demeanor, will be his most recognizable attribute - and make his opponents “fear the ‘fro”.

DeAndre Bembry NBA Pro Day Workout and Interview

DeAndre Bembry 2016 NBA Draft Combine Interview

Matt McGann
Matt McGann
Jun 01, 2016, 12:53 pm
A video interview with standout St. Joseph's wing DeAndre Bembry at the 2016 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.

DeAndre Bembry NBA Draft Scouting Report and Video Breakdown

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Mike Schmitz
Mike Schmitz
May 20, 2016, 11:13 am
Scouting Report by Jonathan Givony. Video Analysis by Mike Schmitz

Coming out of St. Patrick's high school in New Jersey, DeAndre Bembry was not particularly well-known when he announced his decision to attend Saint Joseph's in Philadelphia, only rated as the #251 recruit in the country at the time according to the RSCI.

He quickly showed that he's a much better prospect than he was given credit for, though, being named the Atlantic 10 rookie of the year. A strong sophomore campaign, where he was named a first-team All-Conference player, put him firmly on the NBA radar. He really broke out on the national stage as a junior, winning A-10 Player of the Year honors, and helping his team make the NCAA Tournament Round of 32, where they lost a close game to #1 seed Oregon.


Bembry has good physical tools for a shooting guard prospect, standing just a hair under 6'6 in shoes, with a 6'9 ¼ wingspan, and a solid frame he can continue to work on in an NBA weight room. He's a good athlete on top of that, capable of playing above the rim impressively in space off one or two feet, covering ground nicely with solid open-court speed, and being a little quicker off the floor than you might initially expect.

Bembry's calling card offensively lies with his versatility, as he showed the ability to slide anywhere between the point guard to power forward position at the college level, while being just as effective operating on or off the ball.

He is at his best in the open floor, where his long strides, ability to get low to the ground, and creativity operating at different speeds really shines through. He has excellent footwork and is really crafty with the way he finishes around the rim, never looking sped up and usually operating at his own unique pace.

In the half-court, Bembry is your classic “fill in the blanks” swiss army knife. He shows great instincts moving off the ball and sniffing out opportunities to make strong cuts to the rim and get easy baskets. He also uses his polished footwork and slithery body control to do some damage in the post, throwing in smooth hook shots and turnaround jumpers while drawing fouls at a nice rate. His long strides help him get to the rim off closeouts and other quick actions, as he often only needs a single dribble to make it all the way to the basket.

Bembry's most polished skill is likely his passing ability, as his 4.7 assists per-40 ranked third among wings in our Top-100 prospect rankings. He's a highly unselfish player with an outstanding feel for making his teammates better, regularly whipping the ball ahead in transition, finding the open man in drive and dish situations and showing excellent timing passing out of the pick and roll. He sees plays developing instinctually and doesn't need to dribble to facilitate for others, which keeps the half-court offense flowing smoothly, as he can pass the ball with either hand using his excellent court vision over the top of the defense.


The biggest thing Bembry will need to work on to find a niche in the NBA is the consistency of his outside shot. He's shown some potential in this area at times, knocking down 122 3-pointers in 102 games at the college level, which indicates he's far from a non-shooter. Still, he's just a career 31% 3-point shooter overall, and regressed every year beyond the arc with his percentages at the college level (35% to 33% to 27%), while his career 62% shooting from the free throw line is not terribly encouraging either. His footwork is not great and really slows down his release, as he takes too much time to 1-2 into his shot rather than hopping into it, and at times tends to flail his elbow out or even hold onto the ball too long, which gives him inconsistent results.

While Bembry was decent shooting the ball with his feet set through his college career, he really struggled at times pulling up off the dribble, as he tends to shoot on the way down too often. Bembry's struggles off the dribble could really limit his ability to make plays with the ball at the NBA level, as he is not the most explosive athlete you'll find in terms of his pure first step, being more smooth than he is overwhelmingly fast twitch changing gears, and won't be able to live inside the paint the way other wing players with limited range can.

Bembry is still evolving as a shot-creator, as even at the college level, he wasn't quite elite in pick and roll or isolation situations, and doesn't really project as a guy you simply give the ball to and ask to make magic off multiple dribbles as the shot-clock runs down. He can still stand to tighten up his ball-handling skills, particularly driving left, and can be a little bit predictable with what he's trying to accomplish in the half-court.

Scouts would like to see Bembry develop a little bit more of a sense of urgency as well, as there were too many games he competed in at the college level where he simply didn't really leave his mark, despite being by far the best player on the court. He has a bit of a laid back attitude, lending to a tendency to blend in, and can be overly unselfish at times.

This shows up most vividly on the defensive end, where despite having quick feet, solid length and excellent instincts and anticipation skills, his intensity level tends to come and go. He doesn't always fight over screens as aggressively as you might hope, and can lose his focus and fall asleep off the ball.

Some of this may have been systematic, as St. Joe's was a much better team offensively this season than they were defensively. Bembry was also simply too important for them to risk getting him in foul trouble, and at 37 minutes per game while shouldering a heavy offensive load, he probably needed to find somewhere to rest at times.

Nevertheless, Bembry's excellent timing covering ground and getting in the passing lanes, coming up with blocks, and going out of his area for defensive rebounds showed his potential on this end of the floor, so there's no reason he can't be better in this area when surrounded by better talent and this becomes more of a focal point.

Bembry's ability to develop a consistent jump-shot could be somewhat of a make or break factor in today's NBA, but he's demonstrated enough potential in this area to believe he can continue to improve in this area. It won't be surprising at all if some NBA front office or coaching staff falls in love with his overall feel for the game and versatility and decides to select him in the mid to late first round regardless, as it's difficult to find players in his mold who can be utilized in as many roles and configurations as he can (provided he can hit spot-up jumpers).

NBA Combine Competitive Action Recap: Day One

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Mike Schmitz
Mike Schmitz
May 12, 2016, 09:48 pm
DeAndre Bembry, Junior SG/SF, Saint Joseph's
18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 7-10 2P, 1-2 3P, 1-1 FT, 21.4 minutes FT

The 21-year-old Bembry put together an impressive all-around performance as he scored 18 points in only 21 minutes while playmaking from the perimeter and showing some competitiveness on the defensive end. Bembry did a fair amount of his damage in transition where he's very opportunistic both as a lane-filler and ball handler.

A solid athlete, Bembry can finish above the rim in space and did so on a couple of occasions on Thursday. In the half court the 6' 6” Charlotte native found success playing both on and off the ball. He's very comfortable playmaking out of ball screens as he's an instinctual (though not overly advanced) ball handler with sharp court vision for a wing. Bembry's feel for the game also shows as a cutter – he was able to break free on the perimeter and finish off of a nice bounce pass from Jake Layman.

The key to Bembry unlocking his potential revolves around his jump shot. Bembry knocked down a catch and shoot three on Thursday and rattled home a step back mid-range pull up, but he missed a pair of jumpers as well. Although his mechanics aren't all that bad, he struggled to shoot it consistently for three years at Saint Joe's, so it will be interesting to see how he evolves as a shooter moving forward. Bembry also has room to improve as a 1-on-1 shot creator versus NBA level defenders. All in all Bembry is a versatile wing who checks a few different boxes and could very well hear his name called in the first round of this year's draft.

NCAA Tournament NBA Draft Prospect TV Schedule: Sunday

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Matt Williams
Matt Williams
Mar 19, 2016, 11:04 pm
Few players have increased their stock in recent weeks as much as St. Joe's wing DeAndre Bembry, who is fresh off another very strong performance against Cincinnati in the Round of 64, with 23 points (on 14 shots), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. He seems to have saved his best for last, after an exhilarating 30 point outing against VCU in the Atlantic-10 Tournament Championship game.

Bembry will see one of the strongest opponents he's faced thus far in his college career in #1 seed Oregon, certainly from an offensive standpoint at least. He'll likely be matched up with forwards Elgin Cook, Dillon Brooks and Dwayne Benjamin for most of the night, all of whom are very different players. Brooks is the most skilled of the bunch, but Bembry will have a significant advantage here in terms of athleticism and length. Cook might be Oregon's best matchup for slowing down Bembry, with his chiseled frame, long arms, strong athleticism and aggressive mentality defensively.

Scouts shouldn't have too many question marks about Bembry's overall talent level, as he's one of the most versatile players in the college game, possessing tremendous instincts, passing ability and underrated athleticism. He tends to float in and out of games for whatever reason, though, on both ends of the floor, looking far too lackadaisical with his intensity and effort level. His shooting has also been somewhat of a concern, as he's converted just 26% of his 3-point attempts this season and 31% for his career.

For St. Joe's to have any chance of staying in this game, they'll need Bembry at his absolute most aggressive and best, but they should feel good about the fact that they'll have the best NBA prospect on the court whenever he's in the game.

Top NBA Prospects in the Non-BCS, #4: DeAndre Bembry Scouting Video

Mike Schmitz
Mike Schmitz
Nov 05, 2015, 10:03 am
Mike Schmitz continues our coverage of the top NBA prospects in non-BCS conferences with a video scouting report on the #4 prospect, Saint Joseph's DeAndre Bembry.
More DX Conference Preseason Previews:
-The Top 20 NBA Draft Prospects in the Pac-12
-The Top 20 NBA Draft Prospects in the Big East
-The Top 15 NBA Draft Prospects in the Big 12
-The Top 20 NBA Draft Prospects in the SEC
-The Top 10 NBA Draft Prospects in the AAC
-The Top 30 NBA Draft Prospects in the ACC
-The Top 25 NBA Draft Prospects in the Big Ten

Top NBA Draft Prospects in the Non-BCS Conferences
-(#1) Stephen Zimmerman (Scouting Video)
-(#2) Domantas Sabonis (Scouting Video)
-(#3) Malik Pope (Scouting Video)
(#4) DeAndre Bembry, 6'6, Junior, Shooting Guard, Saint Joe's

Strengths:



Weaknesses:



Mike Schmitz is the video analyst for DraftExpress. Follow him on twitter and check out his archive. He will be breaking down the NBA draft in digital format all year long for us.

Nike Academy Scouting Reports: College Shooting Guard Prospects

Mike Schmitz
Mike Schmitz
Jul 02, 2015, 04:12 am
Mike Schmitz

Saint Joe's guard DeAndre Bembry helped himself as much as any other player at the Nike Academy in Santa Monica, CA. Measuring a solid 6' 6” in shoes (albeit with an average 6' 8” wingspan and overall frame), Bembry displayed a very versatile offensive skill set that, when coupled with his athleticism, could make him a very interesting prospect in the 2016 NBA Draft if he puts together a productive junior season.

Bembry played above the rim in transition, facilitated out of pick and roll sets and isolations in the half court, moved actively off the ball, and made enough shots (both off the catch and off the dribble) to generate some hope for him developing into a more reliable shooter. Bembry may not be an elite athlete at the NBA level, but he shows great speed in the open court and is able to play above the rim with relative ease in the half court.

But what stood out the most was Bembry's ability to make plays with the ball. Although he's not an overly advanced ball handler, the Charlotte, NC native was very comfortable distributing on the move, hitting the roll man in stride, locating spot up shooters in traffic and even throwing lobs on occasion.

Bembry is a bit stuck between the two and the three from a physical standpoint, but his natural passing instincts and ability to play with the ball helped ease some of those concerns. Bembry also has the lateral quickness to defend shooting guards at the NBA level, which more often than not defines a player's position more than anything he does on the offensive end.

What will sway Bembry's stock maybe more than anything is his jump shot, an area where he's had a lot of peaks and valleys during his two seasons at Saint Joe's. Bembry is a career 33.7% 3-point shooter (on 261 attempts) and 60.5% free throw shooter (324 attempts), but he shot the ball a bit better than his numbers suggest over the course of the three-day camp.

Sporting a fairly wide stance and an off-centered release point, Bembry certainly had his ups and downs making shots from the perimeter, but he does get very good rotation on the ball as it comes out of his hand smoothly considering the release point. The 6' 6” guard/forward made a pull up three, a step back jumper going left, and knocked down a few catch and shoot threes with a hand in his face.

Bembry certainly wasn't immune to an airball or two or a bad miss left off the bounce, but there's definitely more potential as a shooter than his numbers suggest.

Bembry has the size, athleticism, and playmaking ability scouts like to see from the two-guard position at the NBA level, and if he turns in a productive junior season highlighted by an efficient percentage from distance, he could very well work his way into consideration by the time the 2016 NBA Draft rolls around.

Top NBA Prospects in the Non-BCS Conferences, Part 10: Prospects 22-25

Derek Bodner
Derek Bodner
Matt Williams
Matt Williams
Kyle Nelson
Kyle Nelson
Josh Riddell
Josh Riddell
Nov 10, 2014, 11:19 am


Derek Bodner

DeAndre Bembry was a pleasant surprise for Phil Martelli and the St. Joseph's Hawks last season, starting every game on an experienced team while chipping in 12.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per night. Bembry, who's 34 games started as a freshman were the most in Hawks history, would earn the A-10 Co-Rookie of the year along with Rhode Island's E.C. Matthews.

Heading into his second season, Bembry will have a much different role, both in the locker room and on the basketball court. With the loss of Langston Galloway and Ronald Roberts Jr. to graduation, St. Joseph's lost not only a lot of their scoring punch but also much of their leadership and experience. Beyond carrying an increased scoring load, Bembry will be a co-captain for the Hawks this season, the first sophomore to be chosen as a captain in Phil Martelli's 20 seasons with St. Joseph's.

Playing much of his high school career inside, the 6'6” Bembry successfully made the transition to the perimeter last season. He connected on 34.6% of his 3.1 three point attempts per game last season, improving on his consistency as the season went on, including an 11 game stretch in February and March where he connected on 1.6 three pointers per game at a 46.1% clip.

The overall form on Bembry's set shot doesn't look like it needs too much refinement, although his release point can become inconsistent when he's rushed. Still, with time and repetition, it looks to be a good enough base that Bembry can make progress towards improving his consistency.

Bembry also shows some ability to create off the dribble. He doesn't have an incredibly explosive first step, but he's comfortable going in either direction, and uses a good combination of change of direction, pump fakes, and head fakes to get where he needs to go. Once into the lane, he's a solid leaper, but really makes mark with aggressive drives, where he has good body control and ability to play through contact. His willingness to play through contact and his aggressiveness in initiating contact can take defenders by surprise, and his 50% free throw rate helps him out in this regard, although the 58.3% he shoots from the line when he gets there leaves something to be desired.

Much of this also comes into play when he's playing off the ball, as he does a good job moving without the basketball, making hard cuts to the basket to get himself open. While Bembry is likely to have the ball in his hands more this upcoming season, continuing to show a good knack for cutting off the ball, while improving as a set shooter and showing more confidence shooting when coming off of screens would make it easier to envision his successful transition to the next level.

Bembry also shows some promise as a setup man, dishing out 3.4 assists per 40 minutes, pace adjusted. He does a good job of pushing the ball in transition, able to spot both guys filling the lanes and players trailing and camped beyond the three point line. He also does a good job reacting to defenses collapsing on him when he drives, as he's a willing passer who keeps his head up. Still, he can become turnover prone, with nearly as many turnovers as assists, frequently making risky passes while also getting air born a little too often.

Bembry's greatest asset might be on the defensive end, where he frequently guarded the opposition's best wing scorer. Making the most of his 6'6” frame and long arms, staying engaged on the perimeter, in a good defensive stance, and doing a good job of working hard to cut off driving lanes. He does struggle at times fighting through the pick and roll, and he can get caught cheating too far off his man when playing off the ball, giving up open jump shots. Still, he's already very much a productive defender at the collegiate level, and the basis is there for him to be a good defender at the next level as well.

At this point, Bembry is a bit of a jack of all trades, with an intriguing combination of size, outside potential, slashing ability, passing, and defensive tools. Still, the old adage of being a jack of all trades, master of none applies here, as he's not yet fully proficient enough in any one area to really feel confident in what he would be at the next level. If he can continue to hone his perimeter skills, becoming more confident in both his set shot and his ability to connect off the dribble, Bembry could garner of attention from NBA scouts come draft time.

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