NBA Draft 2014: DeAndre Kane scouting report and projection

By Brian Spaen | Jun 17, 2014

There are two players on Iowa State, DeAndre Kane and Melvin Ejim, that have a realistic chance at getting drafted, and that’s quite an accomplishment for a team that’s recently only had one draftee — Royce White.

First up, let’s take a look at the transfer from Marshall.

Decision making has improved, though with still a fairly high number of TOs committed, questions may arise over his ability to run the point at the NBA level[.]

DeAndre Kane

Position: Guard
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 200 lbs.
Birth date: June 10, 1989 (Age: 25)
Last season’s averages: 17.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.9 turnovers

Strengths: In a similar vein to White, Kane is a bigger point guard that can have an effect on the boards. He’s also undoubtedly been Iowa State’s best true point guard under the Fred Hoiberg era. He’s able to create open shots for his teammates, and he was one of the reasons why Naz Long was able to can so many clutch 3-point shots.

Kane continues to improve his game, and there’s no question that he wouldn’t be close to being drafted if it wasn’t for playing under Hoiberg this season with the Cyclones.

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Weaknesses: There’s two things that plague him: Age and free throws. While I don’t believe that being older than the rest of the group should have a big negative effect — he’s probably more ready for the NBA than most of them physically — that’s a clear worry for many NBA GMs.

The charity stripe was never his friend. He was able to get a career-high average of 63.5 percent this past season, but that’s going to have to improve significantly at the next level. Otherwise, there’s no reason not to forcibly stop him if he goes inside.

Draft stock: Hovering as a late second-round pick. Numerous outlets anticipate him being one of the last 5-10 players taken off the board.

Mar 27, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard DeAndre Kane (50) shoots the ball during practice for the east regional of the 2014 NCAA Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

What the critics are saying:

“Kane’s best skill right now is his ability to push the ball in transition and either get to the rim and finish, or draw a foul. His 8.1 free throw attempts per 40 minutes pace adjusted is an excellent mark for a guard, although it would be beneficial for him to improve on his 62.5% free throw percentage.” – Draft Express

“Considering Kane is four to five years older than most prospects in the 2014 NBA Draft, that hurts his stock since he was pretty much a man among boys this past season. Transferring to Iowa State did help his stock, and his all-around game should draw the interest of numerous teams looking for guard depth in the second round.” – Walter Football

“Attitude has improved, though led the nation in technical fouls as a freshman and sophomore, getting 7 each season, will that lead to possible attitude concerns? … Decision making has improved, though with still a fairly high number of TOs committed, questions may arise over his ability to run the point at the NBA level[.]” – NBADraft.net

Clones Confidential Projection: 50th pick from the Phoenix Suns. Kane will get a chance to learn from a former Cyclone legend, Jeff Hornacek. Because of his age, I believe he could make an immediate impact on that team as long as his 3-point shooting continues to improve and he’s able to be a much better free-throw shooter.

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