Scouting Report: Adrien Stevens

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

The beat rolls on, with Adrien Stevens as the focus of my next scouting report. I've watched two full length games, one from his junior year and one from his senior. I've also watched several extended highlight videos, of both his HS and summer team.

Physical and Athletic Profile

6-4/200
6-10 wingspan

Shaka likes to compare him to Stevie Mitchell, but Adrien is a little taller and longer. He's also more athletic than Stevie, but not quite as athletic as Chase Ross/Dwyane Wade. I'd say he's a similar athlete to Wesley Matthews coming out of HS.

Adrien has a college ready body. Thick, strong build with room to add a little muscle. I think he can easily get to 205, maybe even 210.

Offensive strengths

Jack-of-all trades. Not necessarily superb in any one area, but average to above average across the board.

Looks comfortable dribbling with both hands. Will help as a secondary ball handler. Down the line, I can see playing some PG. He does play both guard spots for his HS and travel teams.

Will drive and finish with both hands, but his right (strong) hand is a bit better. Still, he's got a good starting point for using his left hand. Also likes to use a spin move in either direction when the defense cuts off his initial driving angle.

Uses his strength well to finish through contact. Will bounce off defenders to create space at the rim.

Very nice passer. Not quite the passing repertoire of Nigel James, but a solid distributor. Drives the lane and finds teammates at the rim for layups or kicks out to the corner for 3s.

Solid form on his jump shot, with a high release point. Elevates better than Nigel James. Not a sniper, but I feel confident in Adrien being as good as Chase Ross from 3.

Comfortable posting up and playing with his back to the basket. Will use his strength to back down smaller guards and finish over the top. Finds the open man when double teamed.

Poised at all times. Tends to make the right pass more often than not. Comfortable surveying the floor, even against double teams.

Offensive concerns

Shot is still a bit flat, but not as flat as his junior year. Shooting motion can get a bit wonky at times with a drifting release point. Ideally, he can become a quicker and smoother shooter through repetition.

Usually finishes with one handed layups. With his athleticism, I'd like to see him try to dunk a little more often.

There are times I wish he was little more aggressive, looking to be an alpha scorer. While it's a good thing that he plays well within a team setting, I want to see him really take over game.

Defensive strengths

Gets into a good defensive position and slides his feet well. Stays engaged both on and off the ball. As a junior, Adrien had some bad habits. He would get caught ball watching, letting his man get open, and he didn't always stop the ball in transition. He cleaned these up as a senior, showing much more discipline and consistency as a defender.

A steal merchant, but calculated, not merely a gambler. Jumps passing lanes, using his length to deflect and steal the ball. Also good at poking the ball away without fouling. He does a really nice job of digging down from the wing, using his length to swipe at the ball.

Use his strength to fit through screens, both on and off the ball.

Not afraid to dive on the floor for a loose ball. Hustle won't be a problem.

Will occasionally block shots at the rim.

Defensive concerns
 
Could do a better job of recovering when he gets beat. Doesn't get beat often in HS, but in college he will face better ball handlers that will be able to challenge him.

HS scheme is pretty standard man to man, without a lot of double teaming. Will need to prove himself in a more demanding, complicated system.

Playing style and fit

His HS team runs a 4-out, 1-in motion. They really look for shooters in the corner, so Adrien will be well versed in that feature. They use some ball screens, but not nearly as many as Marquette.

Plays both guard positions in HS. Big enough to play the wing in a 3 guard lineup. Early on, I see Adrien as a wing. Over time I could see him growing into a part-time PG.

He also fits Shaka's profile for long, athletic wing defenders. Should develop into a good two way player.

Fun facts

1) His grandfather, Curtis Greer was an NFL 1st round pick and played 7 years in the NFL, and was an All-American at Michigan.

2) His father, Larry Stevens, Jr, also played football at Michigan and briefly in the NFL.

3) His mom played soccer at Michigan. Quite the family of athletes!

Expectations

Adrien's defense and well rounded offense give him a chance to challenge Tre Norman for playing time. I would not be surprised to see Adrien play 10 mpg role, similar to Stevie as a frosh. Maybe even 15 mpg, like sophomore year Zaide Lowery. More than that would be a huge bonus.

Long-term, I can easily see Adrien Stevens matching Stevie Mitchell's career. But I also see the upside for more. Being as good as Vander Blue, or the junior year version of Jerel McNeal sounds like a reasonable ceiling to me.

[TallTitan34]

Great job on these write ups.  Appreciate it.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

What about his midrange game?

[wadesworld]

What about his midrange game?

More importantly, his neck.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Great neck.

Midrange, he will occasionally makes a midrange jumpers but his team usually avoids shooting them.

[tower912]

Great neck.

Midrange, he will occasionally make a midrange jumpers but his team usually avoids shooting them.

As they should.

[MuggsyB]

The beat rolls on, with Adrien Stevens as the focus of my next scouting report. I've watched two full length games, one from his junior year and one from his senior. I've also watched several extended highlight videos, of both his HS and summer team.

Physical and Athletic Profile

6-4/200
6-10 wingspan

Shaka likes to compare him to Stevie Mitchell, but Adrien is a little taller and longer. He's also more athletic than Stevie, but not quite as athletic as Chase Ross/Dwyane Wade. I'd say he's a similar athlete to Wesley Matthews coming out of HS.

Adrien has a college ready body. Thick, strong build with room to add a little muscle. I think he can easily get to 205, maybe even 210.

Offensive strengths

Jack-of-all trades. Not necessarily superb in any one area, but average to above average across the board.

Looks comfortable dribbling with both hands. Will help as a secondary ball handler. Down the line, I can see playing some PG. He does play both guard spots for his HS and travel teams.

Will drive and finish with both hands, but his right (strong) hand is a bit better. Still, he's got a good starting point for using his left hand. Also likes to use a spin move in either direction when the defense cuts off his initial driving angle.

Uses his strength well to finish through contact. Will bounce off defenders to create space at the rim.

Very nice passer. Not quite the passing repertoire of Nigel James, but a solid distributor. Drives the lane and finds teammates at the rim for layups or kicks out to the corner for 3s.

Solid form on his jump shot, with a high release point. Elevates better than Nigel James. Not a sniper, but I feel confident in Adrien being as good as Chase Ross from 3.

Comfortable posting up and playing with his back to the basket. Will use his strength to back down smaller guards and finish over the top. Finds the open man when double teamed.

Poised at all times. Tends to make the right pass more often than not. Comfortable surveying the floor, even against double teams.

Offensive concerns

Shot is still a bit flat, but not as flat as his junior year. Shooting motion can get a bit wonky at times with a drifting release point. Ideally, he can become a quicker and smoother shooter through repetition.

Usually finishes with one handed layups. With his athleticism, I'd like to see him try to dunk a little more often.

There are times I wish he was little more aggressive, looking to be an alpha scorer. While it's a good thing that he plays well within a team setting, I want to see him really take over game.

Defensive strengths

Gets into a good defensive position and slides his feet well. Stays engaged both on and off the ball. As a junior, Adrien had some bad habits. He would get caught ball watching, letting his man get open, and he didn't always stop the ball in transition. He cleaned these up as a senior, showing much more discipline and consistency as a defender.

A steal merchant, but calculated, not merely a gambler. Jumps passing lanes, using his length to deflect and steal the ball. Also good at poking the ball away without fouling. He does a really nice job of digging down from the wing, using his length to swipe at the ball.

Use his strength to fit through screens, both on and off the ball.

Not afraid to dive on the floor for a loose ball. Hustle won't be a problem.

Will occasionally block shots at the rim.

Defensive concerns
 
Could do a better job of recovering when he gets beat. Doesn't get beat often in HS, but in college he will face better ball handlers that will be able to challenge him.

HS scheme is pretty standard man to man, without a lot of double teaming. Will need to prove himself in a more demanding, complicated system.

Playing style and fit

His HS team runs a 4-out, 1-in motion. They really look for shooters in the corner, so Adrien will be well versed in that feature. They use some ball screens, but not nearly as many as Marquette.

Plays both guard positions in HS. Big enough to play the wing in a 3 guard lineup. Early on, I see Adrien as a wing. Over time I could see him growing into a part-time PG.

He also fits Shaka's profile for long, athletic wing defenders. Should develop into a good two way player.

Fun facts

1) His grandfather, Curtis Greer was an NFL 1st round pick and played 7 years in the NFL, and was an All-American at Michigan.

2) His father, Larry Stevens, Jr, also played football at Michigan and briefly in the NFL.

3) His mom played soccer at Michigan. Quite the family of athletes!

Expectations

Adrien's defense and well rounded offense give him a chance to challenge Tre Norman for playing time. I would not be surprised to see Adrien play 10 mpg role, similar to Stevie as a frosh. Maybe even 15 mpg, like sophomore year Zaide Lowery. More than that would be a huge bonus.

Long-term, I can easily see Adrien Stevens matching Stevie Mitchell's career. But I also see the upside for more. Being as good as Vander Blue, or the junior year version of Jerel McNeal sounds like a reasonable ceiling to me.

Kaboom!!!  Tyvm!

[Galway Eagle]

From what I'm reading he's basically already transferred to Michigan and is just using us for a similar color scheme and letters

[MattyWarrior]

He's the only one with some weight on him

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Watched a 3rd game. Stevens did a lot of the same things he always does. Defended well, created turnovers, distributed well to his teammates.

Not his best scoring game, but his teammates were hot from outside so they didn't really need him to score.

An easy win, with Adrien contributing many winning plays despite not scoring a lot.

[MU82]

Great neck.

Midrange, he will occasionally makes a midrange jumpers but his team usually avoids shooting them.

Good that he's already used to stoopid coaching.

Seriously, JAM, thanks for these writeups.