2023 NBA Draft Prospect Highlights: Chris Livingston
Overview
Chris Livingston is a product of Oak Hill Academy and a 2022 McDonald’s All-American. He also participated in the Jordan Brand Classic and was the MVP at FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship for the United States. In his lone campaign at Kentucky, Livingston earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2023 while starting all 34 games. Livingston played 55.4% of the Wildcats’ total minutes, specializing in defensive versatility and toughness. He averaged 6.3 points and 4.2 rebounds on 43/31/72 shooting splits.
Analysis
Livingston has been boosting his draft stock throughout the pre-draft process. A fill-in invite at the NBA Combine, Livingston measured 6-foot-6 with a strong 6-foot-11 wingspan. At 220 pounds, Livingston is a bulky, mismatch forward that could be a defensive chess piece. He was a reliable pick-and-roll defender for Kentucky and limited opponents to 37.5% shooting as a primary defender.
Projection
Livingston’s build aligns with the modern NBA, with his physicality making him capable of guarding slashing jumbo wings and athletic forwards. However, his offensive game is much less projectable. Livingston operated in a limited scoring role at Kentucky, attempting just 5.4 shots per game. His aforementioned efficiency is a work in progress as well. Livingston profiles similarly to Jae’Sean Tate of the Houston Rockets, although his blue-chip pedigree throughout his youth could lead to an upside swing.
— Profile by RotoWire