Draft Profile: Denzel Valentine

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Denzel Valentine played four seasons for Michigan State University, where he established himself as one of the most decorated basketball players in the prestigious program’s history. The versatile forward posted arguably the most well-rounded season in NCAA history during his senior campaign, when he became the first player on record to average at least 19 points, seven assists and seven rebounds per game in a single season. Valentine’s efforts earned him a number of the nation’s top awards, including AP Player of the Year and NABC Player of the Year.

Possessions Scouted from 2015-16 Season:
OFFENSE: 18.5 percent of possessions
DEFENSE: 20.1 percent of possessions

Denzel Valentine might be the best passer in this Draft. He has high-level vision and is a precision passer. He would be a top-10 pick if it weren’t for his lack of athleticism and explosion; he does not overwhelm opponents with his athleticism but rather relies on his sound fundamentals. Valentine is a versatile guard/forward who plays like a point guard and, in many cases, was the point guard for Michigan State. He possesses great length – a plus-five wingspan – and is also a very good perimeter shooter. He has a nice little floater in his game. He is a passer who can shoot, not the other way around. Valentine never seems to be flustered. He’s cool, calm and collected and is patient with the ball in his hands. He is blessed with a high basketball IQ. He is a quick decision maker with the ball in his hands and also moves well off of the ball. Valentine will be a versatile defender in the NBA. He has great anticipation and reactions. Despite his lack of athleticism, he plays agile at the defensive end. He fights hard through screens and has quick and accurate hands. He works hard on every possession. He will regularly defend 1s, 2s and 3s, as well as 4s in a pinch. His instincts carry over to the glass, where he is a very good rebounder for his size. Valentine is a skilled and developed player. The only thing he’s lacking is elite athleticism.

Denzel Valentine was born on Nov. 16, 1993 to Kathy and Carlton Valentine. His father played college basketball at Michigan State (1985-88) and his brother Drew played at Oakland University, where he now serves as an assistant coach. Valentine played prep hoops under the tutelage of his father at J.W. Sexton High School in Lansing, Mich. As a junior in 2010-11, he led the program to its first state title in 51 years, while averaging 12.7 points, 8.5 assists, 7.9 rebounds, 5.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. He then averaged 14.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG and 9.0 APG during his senior season, leading the Big Reds to a 27-1 record and another state championship. Rivals ranked him as the No. 81 recruit in the nation for the class of 2012, while ESPN ranked him No. 98. Valentine, like his father, went on to play four seasons at Michigan State. During his freshman campaign, he averaged 5.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 2.4 APG, and earned the Spartans’ Unsung Player Award. As a sophomore, Valentine was the only MSU player to appear in all 38 games, starting 33 of them. He averaged 8.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 3.8 APG, while earning a multitude of team awards, including Unsung Player, Most Improved Player and Inspirational Player. Valentine was named a tri-captain during his junior season, and averaged 14.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 4.3 APG. He was the only player in the Big 10 who ranked in the top 15 in each of those categories. He led the No. 7 seed Spartans to a Final Four appearance while averaging 15.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 3.6 APG during the NCAA Tournament. MSU lost to eventual champion Duke in the semifinal, as Valentine turned in a 22-point, 11-rebound effort. He then turned in one of the top campaigns in MSU history during his senior season, when he averaged 19.2 PPG, 7.8 APG and 7.5 RPG. He led the Big Ten in scoring and assists, and made the second most 3-pointers (104) in the conference. He also finished fourth in the nation in assists per game, and led the country in box plus/minus with a plus-16.5. Valentine notched his first career triple-double during the second game of the season, recording 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in a 79-73 win over No. 4 Kansas. He added another triple-double to his resume three games later, posting 29 points, 11 boards and 10 dimes in just 29 minutes during a blowout win over Boston College. He scored in double figures during 30 of the 31 games he appeared in. Valentine helped the Spartans earn a No. 2 seed for the NCAA Tournament, but they were upset in the first round, dropping a 90-81 contest to 15-seed Middle Tennessee. He tallied 13 points, 12 assists and six rebounds in the loss. At season’s end, Valentine was showered with numerous prestigious awards, including AP Player of the Year, NABC Player of the Year, Senior CLASS Award (most outstanding student-athlete), the Julius Erving Award (most outstanding small forward), and Big Ten Player of the Year. He was also named to the First-Team All-Big Ten and was a consensus First-Team All-American.