Denver Nuggets: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, the sturdy choice

If the Denver Nuggets draft Jeremiah Robinson-Earl with their first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, they might lock themselves into a future role player, but for their pick range, grabbing any form of consistency is a win.

In his sophomore season with Villanova, Robinson-Earl put up a solid 15.7 points and 8.5 rebounds a night while shooting just a hair under 50 percent from the floor. He led Nova to an 18-7 record, first in the Big East, and lost to eventual champions Baylor in March Madness.

Standing at 6-foot-7 and 242, Jeremiah’s role in the modern NBA is a bit questionable which can be a blessing and a curse. He’s likely strictly a power forward in the league and doesn’t bring much on the interior defense side of things. That could open up opportunities for teams wanting to play a switching scheme.

Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer says that Robinson-Earl’s athleticism hurts him inside and he can sometimes be too active on the perimeter, leading to opponents blowing past him. There are definitely poor perimeter-defending bigs in today’s NBA but without the rim protection, is he a man without a country?

I started off with the negative because it’s key to mention that while he has issues, he’s a very interesting prospect. He has an incredible feel for the game and makes smart cuts, finds himself in the right positions most of the time, and plays a mature brand of basketball.

Zach Harper, The Athletic, in his first mock draft, says he can see the Nova forward jumping in the draft as we get closer:

"“I could see Robinson-Earl climbing up draft boards and mock drafts up the next couple weeks. He’s a very smart role player who can do just about everything. The one thing he struggles to do is shoot the ball from distance, but his shooting stroke looks workable… He’ll be a fan favorite on both ends of the floor.”"

When we think about fan favorite, we often think about the kind of stuff Bobby Portis was doing in Game 5 against the Atlanta Hawks. Not only might Jeremiah be getting the smart, scrappy balls like Portis, but he could be head coach Michael Malone’s favorite if he makes perfect cuts around Nikola Jokic.

With his skill around the rim and finishing in the paint, he’d learn a ton from backing up Aaron Gordon. Hell, if he just copies everything AG has been doing in Denver then Robinson-Earl has a role on this team for years.

His assist average of 2.2 with a 24.3 usage percentage is rather pedestrian, but there are some moments when watching his tape where he makes the right pass, the hockey assist, or even just a nice play but doesn’t end up with a counting stat.

I believe he’d fit right in with Denver tomorrow morning with the infectious passing Jokic has fostered. As a skilled finisher, he’d be the beneficiary of many a Jokic dime.

Something he’ll have to do when making the league is work on his 3-point shot. With Villanova last season, he shot 28 percent from deep on 3.3 attempts per game. That’s not very encouraging at all, especially with the closer line.

I guess there’s a reason he’d be available for the Denver Nuggets all the way down at 26 and you’re not picking any perfect player with this low of a pick.

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl might just be one of my favorite prospects so far. You’re always asking questions of players in this range but the questions you’re asking for this player are more exciting than worrying.

He’s not going to be asked to shoot the ball from behind the arc much when he gets to the NBA and his fit on defense is intriguing. No, Jokic isn’t going to make up for his interior defense, but as a switching option, what if Robinson-Earl unlocks something for Denver. He’d be another perimeter option for the team and you’re more than happy switching him in pick-and-rolls, just like AG.

And on the other end, the ball won’t be in his hands for very long but he’ll make smart decisions.