Marjon Beauchamp 2021-22 G League Ignite Season Highlights | 15.1 PPG 7.3 RPG 57.1 FG%

With high-level NBA decision-makers sitting courtside at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center to watch the G League Ignite on Sunday, Beauchamp was arguably the best player on the floor, looking the part of a potential lottery pick in the process. The 20-year-old, long-armed wing finished with 21 points on 14 shots, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals against Grand Rapids, playing with nonstop energy on both ends of the floor while defending former NBA vets, including 12-year pro Lance Stephenson. Beauchamp's value was further accentuated when he was ruled out due to illness as the Ignite were trounced by the Austin Spurs. After spending two days around the Ignite in October, I wrote that Beauchamp, "could go down as the G League Ignite's biggest success story to date." That proclamation is still holding through 12 games as he's gone from basketball nomad to surefire first-round pick in a matter of six months, averaging 15.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 36 minutes. When I first evaluated Beauchamp at a Rainier Beach open gym in Seattle more than three years ago, he was a jumbo point guard with talent off the dribble but minimal defensive intensity. That reputation carried him to four different high schools and a stint at Yakima Valley Community College. "I had to go through a lot of stuff and find my game," he told ESPN's Jonathan Givony after his big game on Sunday. "Really just bring that energy because I used to play lackadaisical. I just feel like I changed on that side and my defense, I locked in on that a lot more than I used to." Beauchamp will still get caught ball watching or help off of a strong side corner shooter. But at 6-6 with a 7-1 wingspan, huge hands and a newfound motor, he projects as a multi-position defender in the NBA with the potential to impact the game like Mikal Bridges or Matisse Thybulle. He has excellent feet, works hard to contest jumpers, competes on three-quarter denials in the post and is rangy enough to contest for steals and blocks from the weakside. He's also an excellent positional rebounder. The best part of Beauchamp's projection is that you don't have to run plays for him to make his presence felt, which bodes well for his NBA future. He's a gap-filler wing who generates offense without using any dribbles by being opportunistic in transition, finding soft spots as a cutter and getting downhill off pindowns and closeout attacks. He's also an above average passer, showing the ability to make simple drop-offs and kick outs, especially in transition. His experience functioning as a big guard in those Seattle open runs is now more useful, thus giving him more upside than defensive-minded wings. To reach his full potential, he'll have to improve as a 3-point shooter, as he's a bit hesitant to fire off the catch, even from the corners. But he boasts strong shooting mechanics and flashes a reliable stroke in the midrange and from the charity stripe. -- Mike Schmitz Follow Us On Insta📷 : https://tinyurl.com/ens47x34 Business Inquiries☎️ : [email protected]