Draft Profile: Kevon Looney

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By Taylor C. Snow

Kevon Looney established himself as one the most valiant rebounders in the nation this past season, corralling the most boards (331) of any freshman. He tallied 11 or more rebounds during seven of his first 10 collegiate games and gathered a season-high 19 boards during a 27-point effort against Stanford on Jan. 8.

Kevon Looney is the kind of guy you want on your team in the modern NBA game. He’s about as versatile as they come, to the point where it’s difficult to say that he’s more of a wing or a forward. I think he can and will play both positions in the league. Looney is the definition of a ‘potential’ pick. That’s one reason why you’ll find his name all over the board on mock drafts. He’s a long, gifted athlete who looks like a natural basketball player on the court, yet his jumper is inconsistent and he possesses no post moves. His jumper is, however, free-flowing and smooth; I believe it will improve greatly with time, extending to the NBA 3-point line. He does have a nice touch around the basket and regularly finishes above the rim. I love his body control, and he shows great patience with the ball. He can get out and lead a fast break (although he'll never run the break unless the ball is in his hands - he's constantly the last player up the court). He also has great hands. If he figures that jumper out and develops some post moves, he’s going to be in the NBA for a long time. If he doesn’t, he’ll have a tough time garnering playing time. Looney is a fantastic rebounder. He possesses elite timing and, coupled with that length and those great hands, he’s able to snatch loose balls out of the air before other players get to them. Defensively, he has some work to do. Looney does not show a high motor at that end of the court. He ices in every pick-and-roll, and he’s going to need to learn how to show and get back to his man. I think he has the lateral mobility to do this at a high level, but if I was an NBA general manager, I’d need to see it during workouts. Looney does a great job of contesting shots around the basket. His length is a legitimate weapon, and his body control allows him to contest without fouling. The tools are all there for Looney to become a very versatile defender in the NBA. The question is: does he want to become one? Based off of reports on his personality and work ethic, I think an NBA team is going to be able to tap into that defensive potential, all while watching his offensive game develop. Add that all together and you’d have a very valuable asset.

By Taylor C. Snow

Looney was born on Feb. 6, 1996 in Milwaukee, Wis. to Doug and Victoria Looney. He has two older siblings: a brother, Kevin, and a sister, Summer. Looney began to garner Division I offers when he was only a freshman at Hamilton High School. As a junior, he put up 26.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, 7.0 blocks and 3.1 assists per game. During the 2013-14 season, the 6-foot-9 senior ran the point for Hamilton and became the sixth player in state history to be named a McDonald’s All-American. That year, Looney averaged borderline quadruple-double numbers: 27.9 points, 12.7 rebounds, 8.0 blocks and 7.0 assists. Looney switched to power forward when he embarked on his college career at UCLA. He set the tone in his collegiate debut, when he poured in 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds against Montana State. He went on to tally seven double-doubles in his next nine games, and led all freshmen in that category with 15. Looney averaged 11.6 points per game and his 9.2 rebounding average was second among freshmen in the nation. He was also the only player in the Pac-12 to reach triple figures in offensive boards (122). Looney helped guide the 11th-seeded Bruins through the opening rounds of the 2015 NCAA Tournament, before succumbing to Gonzaga in the Sweet 16. He averaged 8.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in the tourney. Looney declared for the NBA Draft on April 6.