Heading into a pivotal sophomore season with the Washington State Cougars, sophomore wing CJ Elleby had a lot to prove. Elleby went into the G-League Elite Camp during the offseason, but nothing really came of it. He wound up jumping back to the collegiate ranks and could have a big second season with Wazzu.
The freshman season didn’t give Elleby much of a shot at making an immediate impact. At 6-foot-6 and 185 pounds, he’s now just starting to put on enough weight to have a legitimate shot at looking like a potential NBA Draft standout prospect.
What should draw plenty of attention to Elleby through his draft scouting process is his ability to fit the role of a modern three-and-D wing. He shoots around 42 percent from three-point range for his college career and he posted 1.2 defensive win shares last season. It’s too early to tell what type of impact he’ll make on the defensive end of the floor in his sophomore season.
Elleby did get off to a hot start this season as he posted 27 points, seven rebounds, and two steals in his season debut.
A deeper set of competition in the PAC-12 combined with another season to mature and round out his skill set should be exactly what Elleby needs to prove his worth as an NBA Draft prospect. If the Chicago Bulls manage to drop further down in the first round or Elleby slides to the second round, he should be a prospect to watch in the Windy City.