Scouting Report
Obadiah Noel / Guard / UMass-Lowell
Player Strengths
Ability to get into the lane
Good Anticipation and Instincts
Very good athleticism
Good IQ and court vision
Deadly in pick & roll sets
Sound in reading screens
Good Length for a PG
Great at moving without the ball
Noel has ideal positional size to play PG in the NBA
Great vision and playmaking ability
Good shooter from all three levels, especially off the bounce. Will need to get more elevation off the ground to shoot over taller wings with length.
Has good speed and quickness
Noel is tough mentally and physically as well as being highly competitive
Player Weaknesses
Level of experience is something to look at. As talented as Noel is, he didn't play for a prominent high school and aau program where a high level of competition is the norm. He's also playing in a low major conference So questions will be there about his ability to handle the rigors of battling elite guards at the NBA level, night in and night out.
Ability to defend multiple positions
Defensive Lapses
Future Pro Potential
Starter- All Star
Pro Player Comparison
Markelle Fultz/ Damian Lillard
Overall
Noel has a game tailor made for the NBA. He’s versatile enough to play both guard spots and athletic enough to defend both guard spots. He can score from all three levels efficiently and his vision and passing ability makes him a nightmare to slow down. The knock on him from front offices I’m sure will be the lack of games against top competition at each level from HS, AAU and now in college and his attention to detail defensively. I wouldn’t let this detour me from taking Noel personally. Against Ohio State last season he had 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists on 50 percent shooting from the field and 3-point range, and against Michigan, Noel posted 16 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals on 50% shooting from the field. Im sure he was at top of the scouting report in both games, yet he still had good performances against high major competition. Defensively he has room to grow, but when I look around the league, so do the majority of players there. I think it was a smart move for him to come back to school to improve his stock. Leaving after his junior season with the uncertainty in the process due to the Covid pandemic would’ve greatly hurt his chances at being drafted. One, the knocks I mentioned on him would’ve been louder and two, he wouldn’t have any workouts to show front offices otherwise against other guards in the draft. A strong showing this season will and with hopes of a more normal draft process next year, I can see Noel being taken late first or early second round in the 2021 NBA draft. He’s that talented.
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