Utah Jazz NBA Draft Prospect: Quentin Grimes

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The NBA Draft is less than three weeks away, and owning the 30th pick in the first round, the Utah Jazz are actively examining college and international prospects that could help in them in the near future. Today, we look at Houston guard Quentin Grimes who is projected to be selected near where the Jazz are drafting.

Grimes is a 6’5, 210 lbs combo guard who spent three seasons in college, starting at Kansas as a top 10 national recruit before transferring to Houston after an up and down freshman season.

The Houston guard found his rhythm playing with the Cougars where he earned All-American Third Team honors, All-AAC honors, and was named the AAC Player of the Year while leading his team to the Final Four.

Quentin Grimes: Guard – Houston

17.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, 40.6/40.3/78.8

Strengths: Typical of elite high school prospects, Grimes entered college with elite size for a point guard before transitioning to a combo guard later in his college career. Despite changing positions, Grimes’ frame and above-average athleticism allowed him to transition to playing off the ball as his game developed.

Quentin Grimes rejects the screen and slashes middle for ✌️ during the Microsoft Surface NBA Draft Combine 2021!

📺: ESPNU pic.twitter.com/nYxA7jF0v3

— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) June 25, 2021

Grimes’ biggest strength in the NBA will be his three-point shooting after he connected on 40 percent of his 8.3 attempts as a junior at Houston. The guard’s shot developed tremendously during his college career, climbing from 34 percent as a freshman and 32 percent as a sophomore to become one of the deadliest shooters in the country.

Grimes displays a pure jump shot extending out to NBA range with a quick and willing release, and will likely find the floor early in his pro career due to his ability to spread the floor. Unlike some prep-stars, Grimes showed a willingness to play off the ball and make the right play for his teammates rather than hunting his own shot.

Along with his three-point shooting, Grimes rebounding improved dramatically during his years in college. Grimes left Houston averaging 5.7 rebounds per game, an excellent number for a guard at any level and another way he could find the floor in the NBA.

The guard is also a major threat in transition with his strong frame, confident handle, and ability to easily finish above the rim.

Houston's Quentin Grimes has been one of the big winners of the week after leading the NBA Combine in scoring. He continued that momentum at his Pro Day yesterday with plenty of NBA executives in attendance. pic.twitter.com/njxmbsIOn8

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 27, 2021

Houston was one of the best teams in college basketball all season, finishing the year as a top 10 team three-point shooting team and defensive team, with Grimes helping to set the tone on both ends of the floor.

The Cougars NBA style of play along with Grimes advanced physical profile could allow him to adjust more easily to the NBA than some other players projected to go late in the first round.

Weaknesses: There are always concerns about players who don’t dominate college basketball until they’re older and more experienced than some of the 18 and 19-year-olds they share the floor with.

That fear exists with Grimes, though his high-level play in high school and performance at the NBA Draft Combine should ease some of those concerns.

While he showed he could shoot the ball well from the three-point line as a junior, Grimes struggled throughout his career to finish inside the arc, finishing with a career 41 percent field goal success rate.

Quentin Grimes from DEEP 🎯@UHCougarMBK #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/NTOyOeeNEk

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 28, 2021

Grimes should have had more success near the rim than he did in college with his strong frame, high release, and good athleticism.

Despite playing point guard in high school, Grimes isn’t the most natural playmaker even when attacking off the dribble. He’ll have to prove he can finish at the rim on closeouts and quick the ball out to teammates on the perimeter when he gets into the paint in the NBA.

Though he has a good frame, he lacks elite length and athleticism which will lower his ceiling as a defender at the NBA level.

Overall: Grimes is a good NBA draft prospect with enough tools to warrant a selection late in the first round. His lack of elite ball-handling skills and advanced age will keep him from being a lottery pick, but with his size, shooting, and history of high-level experience, he has the potential to develop into a rotation-level player in the NBA.

Previous Draft Breakdowns:

Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland