Kentucky big man Isaac Humphries is interviewed following his Pro Day workout in LA. Full video and interview included, produced by Matt McGann.
DX Pre-Draft Workout Circuit-De'Aaron Fox Interview and Workout
-Malik Monk Interview and Workout
-Donovan Mitchell Pro Day Workout and Interview
-Luke Kennard Pro Day Workout
-Luke Kennard Interview and Workout
-Zach Collins Interview and Workout
-John Collins Workout and Interview
-John Collins CAA Sports Pro Day Workout
-Ike Anigbogu Interview and Workout
-Jarrett Allen Interview and Workout
-Justin Jackson Interview and Workout
-Justin Patton Pro Day Workout and Interview
-Bam Adebayo Pro Day Workout Video and Interview
-Harry Giles Interview and Workout
-T.J. Leaf Interview and Workout
-Anzejs Pasecniks Pro Day Workout and Interview
-Jonathan Jeanne Interview and Workout
-Tyler Lydon Interview and Workout
-Bam Adebayo Interview and Workout
-Semi Ojeleye Pro Day Workout and Interview
-Rodions Kurucs Pro Day Workout and Interview
-Derrick White Interview and Workout
-Tony Bradley Pro Day Workout and Interview
-Jordan Bell Pro Day Workout Video and Interview
-Jawun Evans Interview and Workout
-Alec Peters Interview and Workout
-Thomas Bryant Interview and Workout
-Johnathan Motley Interview and Workout
-Josh Hart Pro Day Workout
-Frank Mason Interview and Workout
-Kyle Kuzma Interview and Workout
-Dilllon Brooks Workout and Interview
-Tyler Dorsey Interview and Workout
-Sindarius Thornwell Workout and Interview
-Sterling Brown Workout and Interview
-Jaron Blossomgame Pro Day Workout and Interview
-P.J. Dozier Pro Day Workout and Interview
-Cameron Oliver Interview and Workout
-Davon Reed Pro Day Workout and Interview
-V.J. Beachem Pro Day Workout and Interview
-Isaiah Hicks Interview and Workout
-Damyean Dotson Interview and Workout
-L.J. Peak Pro Day Workout Video and Interview
-Kadeem Allen Workout and Interview
-Andrew White Workout and Interview
-Derrick Walton Interview and Workout
-Dominique Hawkins Interview and Workout
-Wesley Iwundu Interview and Workout
-Amida Brimah Interview and Workout
-Matt Thomas Pro Day Workout and Interview
-Dylan Ennis Pre-Draft Workout and Interview
-Moses Kingsley Interview and Workout
-Dwayne Bacon Pro Day Workout Video
-Naz Long/Scoochie Smith/Steven Spieth Workout Videos
-Sebastian Saiz/Tyler Roberson Pro Day Workout Videos/Interviews
-
Mock Drafts
-
-
Research
-
Leagues
- NBA
- NCAA D-I
- EuroLeague
- EuroCup
- Spain - ACB
- Italy - Liga A
- France - Pro A
- Adriatic
- Greece - GBL
- NBA G-League
- Stats breakdowns
-
Leagues
Articles
Isaac Humphries NBA Draft Scouting Report
The odd man out yet again in his second season for the Kentucky Wildcats, Isaac Humphries struggled to earn consistent rotation minutes in the front court while playing alongside the likes of Skal Labissiere, Marcus Lee, Bam Adebayo and others. After averaging just over eight minutes per game this season, the lowest among prospects in our top 100, Humphries made the decision to forego his final two years of eligibility and pursue a professional career .
Measured at 7'0 at the 2016 Kentucky team combine, Humphries has good height for a big man, to go along with a strong 260 pound frame, but his 7'0 wingspan and 8'11 standing reach are closer to those of a power forward than an NBA center ideally. His lack of length and reach hurts his ability to protect the rim from the center position and he does not make up for that with tremendous athleticism to compensate, often struggling with the quickness of more dynamic collegiate big men. His best case to carve out a role looks to be to trim down his frame and try to improve his explosiveness while increasing his ability to move laterally in space to be able to play away from the rim.
While Humphries didn't display a high level of athleticism the past two seasons, he was able to hold his own at times while playing for the Australian national team in the past, and he has a solid motor, working hard to making an impact in his limited minutes.
With such a small sample of data to pull from over the past two seasons, it's hard to glean much information from his statistical profile. He's had some drastic swings in his efficiency numbers year over year because he is working with such a small sample. He saw his two point field goal percentage increase from 39% to 51% (even still, the second lowest among centers in our top 100) but still only took 2.3 shots per game. Therefore, it's necessary to rely more on his game film to determine what type of Humphries' potential as a prospect.
He made his biggest impact as a rebounder, pulling down 13.5 rebounds per 40 minutes, 6.5 of which were on the offensive side. Although he is confined to rebounding inside a small area with his average quickness and explosiveness, he has soft hands to corral loose balls. Even if he can't get to the glass himself, he can open up space for his teammates to track down the rebound as he has the strength to hold his opponent off, which will be a valuable role for him to fill at the next level.
His soft hands helped him make some tough catches around the rim which led to easy shots from close range. While he saw an uptick in his conversion rate around the rim to 63% on 46 attempts according to Synergy Sports Technology, he didn't always display a high level of touch as he saw many of misses clang wildly off the rim. Lacking the explosiveness to play above the rim in traffic at this point in his career, he will need to develop a higher skill-level off the backboard to be able to finish at the next level.
Humphries is most comfortable inside the paint, with the majority of his offensive possessions coming from post-ups according to Synergy Sports Technology. He will certainly have to expand his game at the pro level as he is not a dominant post player but he can use his strength to back down his man under the rim. Most of his moves end up with a decent look at the rim off of a right handed hook shot ,but he lacks a counter move to keep the defense guessing and it will be difficult to score at the next level with his back to the basket without a more well-rounded arsenal of moves.
There were moments when it looked like the game was moving too fast for Humphries, although this was likely heavily influenced by his lack of minutes, and it will be interesting to monitor how his feel for the game develops as he matures. He was a bit of a black hole at times, as he recorded a 4.8% assist rate and a 13.9% turnover rate, proving to be a little erratic with the ball and not confident enough to make quick decisions. After making these turnovers, he had a tendency to hang his head and take himself out of the next play, and he will have to improve his mental toughness to stay composed and not compound his mistakes.
This lack of poise was also manifested in his jump shot, where he made just 25% (4-12) of his attempts logged by Synergy Sports Technology. He showed flashes of potential from the mid-range as he displayed some confidence in catch and shoot opportunities from a stand still position, but struggled when rushed and was often too anxious to get the ball out of his hand which hurt his mechanics. He's seen just average success from the free throw line either (65% on 40 attempts in his career) but his form is better and provides hope that he can develop this part of game. He showed some promise driving at the youth level and having the game slow down while being able to create from the mid-range will begin to unlock his potential to play outside of the paint, something he'll certainly need to do to maximize his potential.
Defensively, Humphries is best when defending his man in the post as he can use his strong frame to wall off and does a good job of contesting despite his average reach. He struggles when forced to move in space as he doesn't get in good defensive position and has heavy feet, allowing quicker big men to easily drive by or pivot past him. He is slow to close out on the perimeter and doesn't rotate quick enough to help his teammates and protect the rim. This lack of foot speed makes him foul prone as he committed nearly eight fouls per 40 minutes in his two seasons. It looks like he has a ways to go before he can provide consistent value on this end, but he does work hard defensively, especially on the glass.
After reclassifying to the class of 2015, Humphries just turned 19 in January and is one of the youngest players in our top 100, younger than several freshman. It was going to be hard for Humphries to get minutes in his junior season with Kentucky bringing in frontcourt players P.J. Washington and Nick Richards while retaining Tai Wynyard and Sacha Killeya-Jones. Therefore, it's easier to understand Humphries deciding to move on and start his professional career as he has several options available to him. Humphries will certainly have opportunities at a two-way contract or D-League affiliate spot should that interest him. If not, being an Australian citizen will give him an excellent chance at finding a lucrative contract back home to expand his game in hopes of working his way back to the States one day. He isn't really what NBA teams are looking for in a big man these days, as he doesn't have the ability to protect the rim, switch on pick and rolls, make shots from the perimeter, finish at a high level, or playmake for others, certainly not in an incredibly crowded draft at his position, but with a few years of seasoning, could possibly find a way to improve in these areas down the road.
Measured at 7'0 at the 2016 Kentucky team combine, Humphries has good height for a big man, to go along with a strong 260 pound frame, but his 7'0 wingspan and 8'11 standing reach are closer to those of a power forward than an NBA center ideally. His lack of length and reach hurts his ability to protect the rim from the center position and he does not make up for that with tremendous athleticism to compensate, often struggling with the quickness of more dynamic collegiate big men. His best case to carve out a role looks to be to trim down his frame and try to improve his explosiveness while increasing his ability to move laterally in space to be able to play away from the rim.
While Humphries didn't display a high level of athleticism the past two seasons, he was able to hold his own at times while playing for the Australian national team in the past, and he has a solid motor, working hard to making an impact in his limited minutes.
With such a small sample of data to pull from over the past two seasons, it's hard to glean much information from his statistical profile. He's had some drastic swings in his efficiency numbers year over year because he is working with such a small sample. He saw his two point field goal percentage increase from 39% to 51% (even still, the second lowest among centers in our top 100) but still only took 2.3 shots per game. Therefore, it's necessary to rely more on his game film to determine what type of Humphries' potential as a prospect.
He made his biggest impact as a rebounder, pulling down 13.5 rebounds per 40 minutes, 6.5 of which were on the offensive side. Although he is confined to rebounding inside a small area with his average quickness and explosiveness, he has soft hands to corral loose balls. Even if he can't get to the glass himself, he can open up space for his teammates to track down the rebound as he has the strength to hold his opponent off, which will be a valuable role for him to fill at the next level.
His soft hands helped him make some tough catches around the rim which led to easy shots from close range. While he saw an uptick in his conversion rate around the rim to 63% on 46 attempts according to Synergy Sports Technology, he didn't always display a high level of touch as he saw many of misses clang wildly off the rim. Lacking the explosiveness to play above the rim in traffic at this point in his career, he will need to develop a higher skill-level off the backboard to be able to finish at the next level.
Humphries is most comfortable inside the paint, with the majority of his offensive possessions coming from post-ups according to Synergy Sports Technology. He will certainly have to expand his game at the pro level as he is not a dominant post player but he can use his strength to back down his man under the rim. Most of his moves end up with a decent look at the rim off of a right handed hook shot ,but he lacks a counter move to keep the defense guessing and it will be difficult to score at the next level with his back to the basket without a more well-rounded arsenal of moves.
There were moments when it looked like the game was moving too fast for Humphries, although this was likely heavily influenced by his lack of minutes, and it will be interesting to monitor how his feel for the game develops as he matures. He was a bit of a black hole at times, as he recorded a 4.8% assist rate and a 13.9% turnover rate, proving to be a little erratic with the ball and not confident enough to make quick decisions. After making these turnovers, he had a tendency to hang his head and take himself out of the next play, and he will have to improve his mental toughness to stay composed and not compound his mistakes.
This lack of poise was also manifested in his jump shot, where he made just 25% (4-12) of his attempts logged by Synergy Sports Technology. He showed flashes of potential from the mid-range as he displayed some confidence in catch and shoot opportunities from a stand still position, but struggled when rushed and was often too anxious to get the ball out of his hand which hurt his mechanics. He's seen just average success from the free throw line either (65% on 40 attempts in his career) but his form is better and provides hope that he can develop this part of game. He showed some promise driving at the youth level and having the game slow down while being able to create from the mid-range will begin to unlock his potential to play outside of the paint, something he'll certainly need to do to maximize his potential.
Defensively, Humphries is best when defending his man in the post as he can use his strong frame to wall off and does a good job of contesting despite his average reach. He struggles when forced to move in space as he doesn't get in good defensive position and has heavy feet, allowing quicker big men to easily drive by or pivot past him. He is slow to close out on the perimeter and doesn't rotate quick enough to help his teammates and protect the rim. This lack of foot speed makes him foul prone as he committed nearly eight fouls per 40 minutes in his two seasons. It looks like he has a ways to go before he can provide consistent value on this end, but he does work hard defensively, especially on the glass.
After reclassifying to the class of 2015, Humphries just turned 19 in January and is one of the youngest players in our top 100, younger than several freshman. It was going to be hard for Humphries to get minutes in his junior season with Kentucky bringing in frontcourt players P.J. Washington and Nick Richards while retaining Tai Wynyard and Sacha Killeya-Jones. Therefore, it's easier to understand Humphries deciding to move on and start his professional career as he has several options available to him. Humphries will certainly have opportunities at a two-way contract or D-League affiliate spot should that interest him. If not, being an Australian citizen will give him an excellent chance at finding a lucrative contract back home to expand his game in hopes of working his way back to the States one day. He isn't really what NBA teams are looking for in a big man these days, as he doesn't have the ability to protect the rim, switch on pick and rolls, make shots from the perimeter, finish at a high level, or playmake for others, certainly not in an incredibly crowded draft at his position, but with a few years of seasoning, could possibly find a way to improve in these areas down the road.
Top NBA Draft Prospects in the SEC, Part Five: Prospects 8-11
Ryan Thomson
Humphries, a native of Caringbah, Australia, found his way to Kentucky after a successful stint at La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana. Humphries, originally a member of the 2016 recruiting class, burst onto the scene during the FIBA U17 competition in 2014 where he averaged 18.9 points and 11.6 rebounds over seven games. Humphries had his most impressive outing against Canada, scoring 41 points, recording 19 rebounds and 5 blocks. Humphries reclassified and spent the 2015-2016 season playing sporadically for Coach Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats.
Humphries settled in to a bench role with the Kentucky Wildcats that saw him start one of the 23 games he appeared in. He played only 9 minutes per game and with another influx of talent looming in Lexington, Humphries should continue to battle for minutes as a sophomore, even if he's been praised early on in the preseason for the improvements he's made.
Humphries is listed at 7'0 and 260 pounds, but possesses an underwhelming 7'0 wingspan. He is a mobile big who has a terrific basketball IQ, but has some limitations athletically in terms of his explosiveness. Humphries improved his body over the course of the season, listed as having a 12.2% body fat percentage at the 2015 UK Pro Day, it will be interesting to see where he tests at this seasons combine, keeping in mind that he won't turn 19 until January.
Humphries' numbers as a freshman weren't overly impressive, at 8.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3 blocks per-40, in just 9 minutes per game, but he showed some flashes of potential. Humphries best game of the season was likely his performance against Texas A&M, a game that saw Kentucky lose in overtime. He was productive in his time on the floor, playing 20 minutes, scoring 6 points with 12 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks.
Despite not being overwhelmingly long or explosive, Humphries averaged a solid 3.8 offensive rebounds per-40 and was able to convert on those second chance opportunities, shooting 75% on all offensive rebound possessions per Synergy Sports Technology. He does a great job of putting himself in good rebounding position while playing with a strong motor. Thanks to his good hands he is able to secure rebounds in traffic and finish quickly with either hand around the basket.
With that said, when he caught the ball on cuts and drop-offs, he struggled, shooting only 44.4% on his attempts around the basket, per Synergy Sports Technology, in large part because of his lack of elite length and athleticism. Humphries has a soft touch, but at times seemed overwhelmed by opponents' athleticism, which is not shocking considering he was the youngest player in college basketball. Humphries will need to prove that he can embrace contact and finish against length in traffic as he continues to progress with his college basketball career.
As the Kentucky offense was highly predicated on their guards generating offense, Humphries had few opportunities to showcase his ability as a low-post scorer. He has good footwork around the basket and doesn't allow defenses to speed him up. It will be interesting to see if he features at all on the inside for Kentucky or if he is relied on as a screen setter and rebounder.
Humphries only got to the free-throw line a handful of times this season, but shot 73.3%, making 11 of his 15 total attempts. His mechanics from the charity stripe are solid- he has a good knee bend and high follow through. In game action was a different story though, Humphries shot only 25% in catch and shoot situations, and his percentages plummeted the further away from the basket he moved, shooting 16.7% on jump shots past 17 feet, per Synergy Sports Technology. Looking past his percentages, Humphries has enough of a base in his mechanics that his ability to make jump shots could continue to improve.
Humphries is visibly uncomfortable when forced to move his feet in space on the defensive end. In an era where centers and power forwards are increasingly expected to be able to guard multiple ball screen actions in a single possession, Humphries may seem a bit of an odd fit. He doesn't move his feet particularly well when guarding ball screen actions and is often times out of position to challenge shots- evidenced by his extremely high 8.8 fouls per-40, but his high IQ and solid motor ultimately could help minimize the impact of his physical limitations. This will be one of the biggest keys to him emerging as a serious NBA prospect.
Humphries has the potential to be a solid one on one low post defender, and even showed some signs as a shot blocker, averaging 3.0 blocks per-40 as a freshman. In addition, Humphries does a terrific job of controlling the defensive glass, and if he can find a way to be less foul happy and keep himself on the floor rather than watching from the bench, he could be a productive player for the Wildcats. It is important to note that Humphries' emotions can at times get the better of him as he picked up a crucial technical late against Texas A&M and also has a tendency to hang his head after mistakes.
The key with Humphries is to remember that he is still only 18, not turning 19 until January. He has soft hands, a strong motor and is an instinctual rebounder on both ends of the floor. It will be interesting to see what sort of improvements Humphries has made on his body as well as if he can be a more effective finisher around the rim, consistently protect the rim and stay on the floor for extended periods.
Humphries, a native of Caringbah, Australia, found his way to Kentucky after a successful stint at La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana. Humphries, originally a member of the 2016 recruiting class, burst onto the scene during the FIBA U17 competition in 2014 where he averaged 18.9 points and 11.6 rebounds over seven games. Humphries had his most impressive outing against Canada, scoring 41 points, recording 19 rebounds and 5 blocks. Humphries reclassified and spent the 2015-2016 season playing sporadically for Coach Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats.
Humphries settled in to a bench role with the Kentucky Wildcats that saw him start one of the 23 games he appeared in. He played only 9 minutes per game and with another influx of talent looming in Lexington, Humphries should continue to battle for minutes as a sophomore, even if he's been praised early on in the preseason for the improvements he's made.
Humphries is listed at 7'0 and 260 pounds, but possesses an underwhelming 7'0 wingspan. He is a mobile big who has a terrific basketball IQ, but has some limitations athletically in terms of his explosiveness. Humphries improved his body over the course of the season, listed as having a 12.2% body fat percentage at the 2015 UK Pro Day, it will be interesting to see where he tests at this seasons combine, keeping in mind that he won't turn 19 until January.
Humphries' numbers as a freshman weren't overly impressive, at 8.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3 blocks per-40, in just 9 minutes per game, but he showed some flashes of potential. Humphries best game of the season was likely his performance against Texas A&M, a game that saw Kentucky lose in overtime. He was productive in his time on the floor, playing 20 minutes, scoring 6 points with 12 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks.
Despite not being overwhelmingly long or explosive, Humphries averaged a solid 3.8 offensive rebounds per-40 and was able to convert on those second chance opportunities, shooting 75% on all offensive rebound possessions per Synergy Sports Technology. He does a great job of putting himself in good rebounding position while playing with a strong motor. Thanks to his good hands he is able to secure rebounds in traffic and finish quickly with either hand around the basket.
With that said, when he caught the ball on cuts and drop-offs, he struggled, shooting only 44.4% on his attempts around the basket, per Synergy Sports Technology, in large part because of his lack of elite length and athleticism. Humphries has a soft touch, but at times seemed overwhelmed by opponents' athleticism, which is not shocking considering he was the youngest player in college basketball. Humphries will need to prove that he can embrace contact and finish against length in traffic as he continues to progress with his college basketball career.
As the Kentucky offense was highly predicated on their guards generating offense, Humphries had few opportunities to showcase his ability as a low-post scorer. He has good footwork around the basket and doesn't allow defenses to speed him up. It will be interesting to see if he features at all on the inside for Kentucky or if he is relied on as a screen setter and rebounder.
Humphries only got to the free-throw line a handful of times this season, but shot 73.3%, making 11 of his 15 total attempts. His mechanics from the charity stripe are solid- he has a good knee bend and high follow through. In game action was a different story though, Humphries shot only 25% in catch and shoot situations, and his percentages plummeted the further away from the basket he moved, shooting 16.7% on jump shots past 17 feet, per Synergy Sports Technology. Looking past his percentages, Humphries has enough of a base in his mechanics that his ability to make jump shots could continue to improve.
Humphries is visibly uncomfortable when forced to move his feet in space on the defensive end. In an era where centers and power forwards are increasingly expected to be able to guard multiple ball screen actions in a single possession, Humphries may seem a bit of an odd fit. He doesn't move his feet particularly well when guarding ball screen actions and is often times out of position to challenge shots- evidenced by his extremely high 8.8 fouls per-40, but his high IQ and solid motor ultimately could help minimize the impact of his physical limitations. This will be one of the biggest keys to him emerging as a serious NBA prospect.
Humphries has the potential to be a solid one on one low post defender, and even showed some signs as a shot blocker, averaging 3.0 blocks per-40 as a freshman. In addition, Humphries does a terrific job of controlling the defensive glass, and if he can find a way to be less foul happy and keep himself on the floor rather than watching from the bench, he could be a productive player for the Wildcats. It is important to note that Humphries' emotions can at times get the better of him as he picked up a crucial technical late against Texas A&M and also has a tendency to hang his head after mistakes.
The key with Humphries is to remember that he is still only 18, not turning 19 until January. He has soft hands, a strong motor and is an instinctual rebounder on both ends of the floor. It will be interesting to see what sort of improvements Humphries has made on his body as well as if he can be a more effective finisher around the rim, consistently protect the rim and stay on the floor for extended periods.
2015 Kentucky Combine Measurements and Analysis
Australian center Isaac Humphries was Kentucky's tallest player at 7'0.25 in shoes, but his 7'0 wingspan is not particularly impressive. Tipping the scales at 260-pound, Humphries already possesses impressive bulk for a college center comparing favorably to Robert Sacre who measured 6'11.75 in shoes with a 7'0.5 wingspan and a 264 pound frame coming out of Gonzaga in 2012. Keep in mind that Humphries is still only 17 years old, which tells you something about how physically mature he is at this age. Though his 12.2% body fat percentage is the highest among players measured at the UK Pro Day, its still relatively low compared to the heavier set big men that has graced the NBA Combine over the last decade. Clearly Kentucky's Strength Staff does a fine job preparing their athletes for success both on the floor and in settings like this one, and Humphries will likely improve this number by the time next year's Combine rolls around.
2015 Basketball Without Borders Camp Roster Analysis
-Past Bender, recruiting fans will likely remember Isaac Humphries, the 6'11 Australian big man who averaged 18.9 points and 11.6 rebounds per-game at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championships before enrolling at La Lumiere (IN) as a 2016 high school prospect. Already holding offers from the likes of Arizona and Kansas, Humphries is a mobile big man with a high basketball IQ, solid fundamentals, and a nice scoring touch around the rim. A bit limited in terms of explosiveness and defensive ability, this will be a chance for Humphries to show how he's improved since entering the high school ranks.
Latest results
Tweets
Comments