It’s hard to deny the talent of Indiana Hoosier’s junior guard Yogi Ferrell, make that Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell, and what he has meant to Coach Tom Crean’s team the past couple of years. Ferrell was an absolute stud coming out of high school and was ranked 19th in the country by Rivals.com in 2012.
The McDonalds All-American knew where he wanted to play his collegiate ball and committed to IU during his sophomore year of high school without even visiting the campus.
Editor’s note: this Vic Law feature article authored by new Sports Bank contributor Wes Evans. (@WesEvans24)
The Indianapolis native has vaulted himself into the ‘Big Ten Player of the Year’ picture by averaging 16.2 ppg (5th in the Big Ten) and 4 apg (4th in the Big Ten). Granted… Ferrell is in the lower right corner of the picture as the Big Ten POY award will be won by center Frank Kaminsky of Wisconsin, but his play has not gone unnoticed in college basketball circles. No one questions Ferrell’s ability to play with the top college players in the country, the question people have is…
Does Yogi Ferrell’s game translate to the NBA?
Most people’s immediate response is… yes… yes… and yes. But it takes more than nice college statistics to impress NBA front offices, just ask Ben Hansbrough and Aaron Craft. The reality is that Ferrell is an undersized guard that will be overmatched at the next level, even though he has the quickness to keep pace.
Yogi weighs in at 180 pounds and is listed at 6 feet tall on the roster but he is more like 5’ 1o” or 5’11” when he hits the floor. The problem is not with Ferrell’s talent, but with his physical stature which will not hold up against NBA competition. Defense has never been Yogi’s strong suit and having to play man to man against the NBA’s elite point guards will deter teams from drafting a player who is undersized.
The best NBA comparison to Yogi Ferrell currently, is journeyman guard and shoot first player Nate Robinson.
The 5’ 9” Robinson has made a career of being ‘instant offense’ coming off the bench and providing a spark for his team. Based on Ferrell’s size, speed, and shooting ability, he should strive to replicate Robinson’s game if he hopes to have any future in the NBA.
When it comes down to Yogi Ferrell’s NBA future, size does matter and it will be tough for NBA teams to overlook that fact when considering Ferrell in the upcoming draft.
@WesEvans24