// SCOUT_HOMEPAGE
RYANBBSTATS
PROFILES
03
BOARD_SPOTS
55
YEAR
2026
// SAVED_BOARD
2026_OVERALL_BOARD
TOP_30
// PROSPECT_GUIDE
BRAYDEN BURRIES
BRAYDEN BURRIES
One of the top guard prospects in the class, Burries brings a well-rounded skillset paired with physical and mental tools that lottery teams will love. A versatile offensive player, active defender and willing rebounder, Burries is close to a lottery lock.
// OFFENSIVE_EVALUATION
To put it simply, Brayden Burries is an awesome offensive player. He can score at all three levels, but seems most comfortable going to the rim and finishing there (65% RIM% and 6.7/100). When looking at Burries' film I noticed how comfortable he is with a variety of different finishing techniques, such as same hand same foot, low gathers, reverses, etc. His footwork is advanced, and has fairly good verticality off 1 and 2 feet when loading up for dunks. Burries is comfortable shooting off the dribble, whether it be the mid range (45% on 5.2/100) or three point range (39.1% on 8.6/100). I like his release point on his shot, which will help him execute over taller defenders. Playmaking wise, Burries is far from an elite playmaker but is good enough to make an impact at the next level. His 1.7 AST/TO ratio falls in the 84th percentile which is encouraging. Burries loves to penetrate in the paint and kick out which is a major plus, as we've seen elite NBA offenses like the Thunder and Knicks executing that throughout the playoffs. He tries to no look pass at times which is flashy but dangerous, and utilizes bounce passes very well whether it be in transition or in the pocket to rolling bigs. Burries is a phenomenal transition player, pushing the pace off rebounds, always keeping his head up, and having a downhill attack mindset. Where Burries can improve offensively is becoming more confident and consistent from beyond the arc. Throughout his year at Arizona he fell into some shooting lulls from beyond the arc, especially earlier in the year. Burries also lacks elite processing speed that some of the best guards in the NBA have, so he'll have to use his poise and ability to position himself in advantageous spots to create for others and keep his TO numbers down. His lack of explosiveness and top-tier athleticism hinders him at times as well, although I don't believe that'll hurt him too much at the next level.
Percentiles are positional, measured against NBA players' last season in college.
// DEFENSIVE_EVALUATION
Burries will be a positive defender at the next level. What I saw on his film was a guy that isn't special on the ball, but his off-ball activity is where he'll hang his hat. Posting an extremely impressive 4.9 DBPM his impact was clearly felt, and it's easy to see why. Burries has awesome instincts and is aggressive in passing lanes, jumping cross-court or lazy passes the offense throws. He loves to dig and show himself as well, attempting to speed up the processing of offenses and force them into a chaotic turnover or even strip the ball from them. This is where I see the most value in him defensively, a guy who will more-than-likely be in the right spot at the right time and force offensive miscues. A 2.8% STL% is very impressive, and NBA decision makers will value that activity. My favorite part of Burries game has to be his rebounding. After watching multiple games of his, it's obvious he's a physical, tough, and willing rebounder. In an NBA ecosystem where possessions are critical, this is a trait that'll keep Burries on the floor and help him flourish. Even though his counting stats aren't elite on the boards, you could see he gave effort and attention to the glass which I love. Going back to his measurables and athleticism, Burries sometimes struggles to flip his hips and change direction on defense which can lead to falling just a step behind. His mere +2 wingspan is a bit worrisome as well, but I believe his aggression and instincts make up for that deficiency. He's not a special on-ball defender, but I think his defensive IQ and physical mindset will allow him to thrive in NBA defensive systems.
// PROJECTION
I project Brayden Burries to be best suited in an off-ball guard role to start. I think he'd be phenomenal paired with an elite-processing PG that helps facilitate the offense, while Burries can ease into the NBA with less usage and focus on attacking the rim and building his outside efficiency. Burries' off-ball cutting and ability to shape into space should make him valuable in the NBA. If he does play on-ball though I believe he absolutely has the capacity to do so, I just trust his ability to attack closeouts and get to the rim a little bit more working off-ball. Burries will flourish in transition so I'd love to see him go to a team that preaches a faster pace and filling the lanes on the break. Burries should be able to walk into the league and guard 1s and 2s, maybe 3s at times. His aggression and instincts will make him a valuable and disruptive asset on defense that NBA coaches would love to deploy. I see him being an All-Rookie First Team candidate in the right situation, and I'd love him fitting on a squad that maximizes his strengths and versatility, while enabling reasonable usage so he can impact the game just as much defensively as well.
// NBA_TEAM_FITS
Clippers --- perfect fit next to Garland. DG x Burries x Kawhi would be so fun to watch Mavericks --- complementary piece next to Kyrie and Flagg, real threat in the West Warriors --- can play next to Steph in the present and develop into a lead guard role for the future
// OFFENSIVE_EVALUATION
To put it simply, Brayden Burries is an awesome offensive player. He can score at all three levels, but seems most comfortable going to the rim and finishing there (65% RIM% and 6.7/100). When looking at Burries' film I noticed how comfortable he is with a variety of different finishing techniques, such as same hand same foot, low gathers, reverses, etc. His footwork is advanced, and has fairly good verticality off 1 and 2 feet when loading up for dunks. Burries is comfortable shooting off the dribble, whether it be the mid range (45% on 5.2/100) or three point range (39.1% on 8.6/100). I like his release point on his shot, which will help him execute over taller defenders. Playmaking wise, Burries is far from an elite playmaker but is good enough to make an impact at the next level. His 1.7 AST/TO ratio falls in the 84th percentile which is encouraging. Burries loves to penetrate in the paint and kick out which is a major plus, as we've seen elite NBA offenses like the Thunder and Knicks executing that throughout the playoffs. He tries to no look pass at times which is flashy but dangerous, and utilizes bounce passes very well whether it be in transition or in the pocket to rolling bigs. Burries is a phenomenal transition player, pushing the pace off rebounds, always keeping his head up, and having a downhill attack mindset. Where Burries can improve offensively is becoming more confident and consistent from beyond the arc. Throughout his year at Arizona he fell into some shooting lulls from beyond the arc, especially earlier in the year. Burries also lacks elite processing speed that some of the best guards in the NBA have, so he'll have to use his poise and ability to position himself in advantageous spots to create for others and keep his TO numbers down. His lack of explosiveness and top-tier athleticism hinders him at times as well, although I don't believe that'll hurt him too much at the next level.
// DEFENSIVE_EVALUATION
Burries will be a positive defender at the next level. What I saw on his film was a guy that isn't special on the ball, but his off-ball activity is where he'll hang his hat. Posting an extremely impressive 4.9 DBPM his impact was clearly felt, and it's easy to see why. Burries has awesome instincts and is aggressive in passing lanes, jumping cross-court or lazy passes the offense throws. He loves to dig and show himself as well, attempting to speed up the processing of offenses and force them into a chaotic turnover or even strip the ball from them. This is where I see the most value in him defensively, a guy who will more-than-likely be in the right spot at the right time and force offensive miscues. A 2.8% STL% is very impressive, and NBA decision makers will value that activity. My favorite part of Burries game has to be his rebounding. After watching multiple games of his, it's obvious he's a physical, tough, and willing rebounder. In an NBA ecosystem where possessions are critical, this is a trait that'll keep Burries on the floor and help him flourish. Even though his counting stats aren't elite on the boards, you could see he gave effort and attention to the glass which I love. Going back to his measurables and athleticism, Burries sometimes struggles to flip his hips and change direction on defense which can lead to falling just a step behind. His mere +2 wingspan is a bit worrisome as well, but I believe his aggression and instincts make up for that deficiency. He's not a special on-ball defender, but I think his defensive IQ and physical mindset will allow him to thrive in NBA defensive systems.
// PROJECTION
I project Brayden Burries to be best suited in an off-ball guard role to start. I think he'd be phenomenal paired with an elite-processing PG that helps facilitate the offense, while Burries can ease into the NBA with less usage and focus on attacking the rim and building his outside efficiency. Burries' off-ball cutting and ability to shape into space should make him valuable in the NBA. If he does play on-ball though I believe he absolutely has the capacity to do so, I just trust his ability to attack closeouts and get to the rim a little bit more working off-ball. Burries will flourish in transition so I'd love to see him go to a team that preaches a faster pace and filling the lanes on the break. Burries should be able to walk into the league and guard 1s and 2s, maybe 3s at times. His aggression and instincts will make him a valuable and disruptive asset on defense that NBA coaches would love to deploy. I see him being an All-Rookie First Team candidate in the right situation, and I'd love him fitting on a squad that maximizes his strengths and versatility, while enabling reasonable usage so he can impact the game just as much defensively as well.
// NBA_TEAM_FITS
Clippers --- perfect fit next to Garland. DG x Burries x Kawhi would be so fun to watch Mavericks --- complementary piece next to Kyrie and Flagg, real threat in the West Warriors --- can play next to Steph in the present and develop into a lead guard role for the future
Percentiles are positional, measured against NBA players' last season in college.