Michigan State Basketball: 5 reasons Nick Ward should return for junior year

2. Height could be an issue with no mid-range game

Honestly, this ties into the jump shot weakness as well. Scouts are going to tell Nick Ward that if he is just 6-foot-8 and trying to be an NBA power forward, he needs to have something to set him apart or a unique aspect to his game.

Unfortunately for Ward, many NBA bigs can back defenders down and score with ease near the basket — that’s Nick’s bread and butter. However, the league is littered with 6-8 guys who can play back to the basket, but the ones who make it big are shooting from 10-15 feet out or even developing 3-point touch.

Without elite athleticism, Ward would be just another big on the end of a bench in the league or trying to make his way through the G-League. Sure, he has the potential to be a dominant big, a-la Zach Randolph, but even Z-Bo developed a nice jumper at some point.

There’s no doubt he has the aggressiveness to keep up with the NBA bigs, but if he can’t stretch the floor even a little, his 6-8 frame is going to hold him back. He has the height of an NBA small forward, but not the shooting touch of one.