By Josh CohenSept. 12, 2016
Bulldozer
Branden Dawson is super aggressive, strong and durable. He is built like a football fullback and in many ways plays basketball that way. He looks for contact and sometimes it appears he is going to run over defenders. But, he’s crafty and composed enough to avoid charging into them. WATCH:
Tenacious Defender
Dawson has very strong hands, good instincts and quick feet. He’s also extremely alert and versatile (can guard multiple positions). When engaged, Dawson does an excellent job preventing opponents from scoring in transition. He has an intimidating presence and he can be a punishing defender if you try to get too fancy. WATCH:
Persistent Rebounder
Dawson is one of those rare players that doesn’t need to always box out to grab a board. He often goes full force to the rim and skies higher than opponents. He pursues missed shots with so much ferociousness and determination. While sometimes reckless, Dawson plays with boundless spirit and explosiveness. WATCH:
Transition Excellence
Dawson excels when the game speeds up. He also is enough of a two-way threat to turn good defense into easy offense. Once he forces an opponent into a turnover, Dawson doesn’t hesitate to race the other way and finish emphatically. WATCH:
Sneaky Scorer
Dawson is a limited scorer. He’s doesn’t have range (attempted nine threes in D-League last year), is too undersized to power over more conventional fours and he’s not balanced or smooth enough to create shots off the dribble. However, when he uses his athleticism, muscle and motor, Dawson will find ways to put points on the board. In eight games with the Erie BayHawks last year, he averaged nearly 20 points. He will tip in missed shots, bank in some awkward-looking fadeaways, finish fast breaks and convert layups on backdoor cuts. WATCH: