2023 NBA Draft Prospect Highlights: Kobe Bufkin
Overview
Bursting onto the scene down the final stretch for Michigan, Kobe Bufkin’s sophomore year emergence earned him Third-team All-Big Ten honors. Over Michigan’s final 12 games, Bufkin averaged 17.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.9 steals-plus-blocks per game while shooting 52.0 percent from the field and 45.1 percent from beyond the arc. Bufkin was a McDonald’s All-American in 2021, and he’s very young for his class, not turning 20 until September 2023.
Analysis
Bufkin is a do-it-all combo guard specializing in scoring at the basket. His body control and offensive polish are impressive. He’s a well-built lefty at 6-foot-5 that can score at all three levels. Bufkin makes good decisions with the ball in his hands, is a great rebounder for a guard, and has a size that yields natural versatility. Finding a prospect with so few holes, flashy skills, and above-average size at a premium position is rare.
Projection
The sample size on Bufkin is small, but there are strong indicators that he’s fundamentally sound with a high ceiling. He’ll need some reps orchestrating an NBA offense, but his hustle will earn him minutes, and his shooting is already credible. The slashing should translate. Bufkin may be locked into a sizable role by the later stages of his rookie season and could become a reliable sixth man sooner than later.
— Profile by RotoWire