Prospect Overview
Lanky, athletic point guard who lacks a degree of size but possesses an intriguing combination of speed, creativity with the ball, and jump shooting ability that shined during the second half of his freshman season.
About Kennedy Chandler
A speedy, explosive guard whose floor game blossomed as he caught fire over the second half of his freshman year, Kennedy Chandler catalyzed Tennessee’s SEC Tournament run while solidifying his standing as one of the top point guards available for the 2022 NBA Draft. Emerging as a highly-regarded prospect early in his prep career but climbing the rankings as an upperclassman, the Cordova, Tennessee native finished his prep career at Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) regarded as a consensus top-10 player in the high school class of 2021 while earning McDonald’s All-American honors.
Only reinforcing his one-and-done potential averaging 7.7 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.4 steals over 19.8 minutes per game playing alongside Chet Holmgren, Jaden Ivey, and Johnny Davis on the USA team that took gold at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup, Chandler faced steep expectations heading into his freshman year at Tennessee. Averaging 13.9 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.2 steals over 30.8 minutes per game while shooting 38% from beyond the arc, the 19-year-old starred in his lone season under head coach Rick Barnes, earning All-SEC second team and SEC Tournament MVP honors to lead the Volunteers to an NCAA Tournament berth.
• Measured standing 6-foot-0.5 in shoes with a 172-pound frame and a 6-foot-5.25 wingspan at the 2022 NBA Draft Combine, Chandler is not the most imposing guard from a physical perspective but compensates with excellent speed and competitive spirit.
• Playing primarily on the ball but also sliding off it within Tennessee’s half court sets, Chandler served as the engine of the Volunteers offense at times with his ability to create off the dribble, but also showed a willingness to execute and thrived as a set shooter. With the speed to turn the corner with or without a pick, the 19-year-old put steady pressure on the rim and often found ways to overcome his size as a finisher while still making the unselfish play as a passer. Though he proved to be a better 3point shooter with his feet set than a pull-up or free throw shooter, he made strides in all three areas as the year wore on and showed his potential as a lead guard when he was firing on all cylinders in February and March.
• Possessing great quickness and nice length for his height, Chandler was a pest defensively all season and grew more vocal late in the year. While he lacks a degree of size and will benefit from continuing to get stronger, his competitiveness helped him maximize his impact on that end of the floor in his lone collegiate season.
Advanced Stats
• Looking somewhat tentative at times early in the year, Chandler showed his creativity consistently later on using his improvement as a shooter to open up the rest of his game. A quick guard who plays with nice pace as a ball handler, he did a good job keeping pressure on opposing defenses, getting into the lane despite often playing alongside two big men, and using his tools to make plays for himself and others.
• Creating more shots for others than he used himself in pick and roll situations, Chandler had a lot of positive moments making the simple play or leveraging his speed and unselfishness to set the table for others. Using his ability to stop and start on a dime to get downhill and showing the ability to finish with both hands, he averaged 1.17 points per shot around the rim in the half court [59th percentile]. He may not be especially big or physical, but is an explosive leaper with great burst. While that was apparent in transition, it also allowed him to lean on his ability to get to the rim in the half court.
• Averaging a tremendous 1.28 points per catch and shoot jump shot [89th percentile], he shot the ball at a high level with his feet set, but is still developing the consistency as a pull-up shooter that would round out his floor game. Scoring 0.73 points per pull-up jump shot in the half court [43rd percentile], his ability to become a more consistent threat to score away from the rim off the dribble figures to play a key role in his transition to the next level.
Defensive Analysis
• Competing with great intensity on the defensive end, Chandler not only picked the pocket of opposing ball handlers but made an effort to be in the right spots off the ball as well. He allowed just 0.63 points per isolation possession [70th percentile] giving up little to more experienced guards off the dribble. While he was not immune to shading himself out of plays, he was remarkably solid for a freshman guard giving up size in many matchups.
• Chipping in on the glass, pressuring the ball beyond half court, and coming up with several memorable blocks, his diligence figures to be an asset at the next level, especially as his frame matures.
Profile by Synergy Sports
