Raptors Reportedly Worked out Former Top Prospect Out of Washington

It wasn’t all that long ago that Keion Brooks Jr. was tabbed to be the next star forward from Kentucky.

At the time, Brooks was a five-star prospect set to join a Wildcats class headlined by future NBA All-Star Tyrese Maxey in the collegiate class of 2019. The expectation was Brooks would have a brief tenure at Kentucky before a long and successful NBA career.

But Brooks’ journey didn’t quite work out as expected.

After three seasons at Kentucky, the 6-foot-8.5 wing transferred to Washington where he’s spent the past two years trying to prove to NBA scouts that he’s still the prospect people once thought he was. It wasn’t quite enough to land him a spot at the NBA draft combine, but the former No. 14 high school recruit in the country has reportedly landed a workout with the Toronto Raptors, according to The Rookie Wire.

The 23-year-old Brooks had a breakout season with the Huskies this past year, averaging 21.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 38% from behind the arc. It was a monumental jump for Brooks who’d been a 26.5% three-point shooter through the first four years of his collegiate career.

If the growth in Brooks’ three-point shooting is real, so is he as a prospect. He’s long and athletic with the physical tools to be a good wing defender and if he can space the floor he’ll have the potential to be a 3-and-D forward at the next level.

The rest of Brooks’ game still needs development though. He’s not a very good playmaker with a negative assist-to-turnover ratio and he lacks the explosiveness to be an impact shot creator. Defensively his size should allow him to be a versatile defender, but he’ll need some time in the G League to make the most of his potential.

It’s unlikely Brooks’ hears his name called when the NBA draft rolls around later this month, but players with his pedigree and size don’t normally last long after the draft. Considering Toronto’s need for more wing depth, it wouldn’t be hard to see the Raptors going after Brooks with a two-way deal for next season.