Brice Sensabaugh Prospect Watch: A Polarizing Pick

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Brice Sensabaugh is a first-round talent for the 2023 NBA Draft, but where he lands is up in the air.
(Credit: Ohio State University Basketball)

We are getting ever closer to the NBA Draft Lottery and so we must take a look at more prospects. That includes surprising Ohio State one-and-done Brice Sensabaugh. A guy who wasn’t on anyone’s radar as a potential one-and-done star, his play this past season was undeniable. It’s earned him the opportunity to become a solidified first-rounder. The only problem is no one really knows where in the first round he might get selected.

The 6-foot-6, 235-pound swing man is a bit of a tweener, which is why there is no clear consensus on him. However, even as a freshman, he was a powerhouse. He had the fifth-best player efficiency rating in the Big Ten and that was despite the highest usage rate in the conference and fourth-highest in the country.

Brice Sensabaugh Strengths and Weaknesses

Sensabaugh didn’t begin the season as a starter, but wouldn’t be denied with the production he had on the court. He had an absurd 34% usage rate and was still able to shoot the ball well and be fairly efficient on offense. A clear three-level scorer, he is good from deep on a fair volume so that should translate pretty well. His size and strength helped him drastically at Ohio State, and his body is already NBA-ready. He shouldn’t need to put on any weight or go through a major metamorphosis.

What Sensabaugh can do on offense is certainly going to excite some teams. On the defensive end, however, is where there are some question marks. He’s a good rebounder at his position, but he can get beat off the dribble at times. Sensabaugh tends to recover well, but the effort also needs to be better. Assuming he is used less on offense heading to the NBA, he should be able to focus on his defense and shore up that part of his game. The former Buckeye has the strength to make life difficult for guards and most wings, but will need the foot speed to match.

Brice Sensabaugh 2022-2023 Averages
  • 16.3 PPG, 0.5 SPG, 1.2 APG, 5.4 RPG, 2.0 TOPG
  • 48.0 FG%, 40.5 3P%, 83.0 FT%
  • 26.4 PER, 113.8 ORtg, 103.9 DRtg

While the shooting is enticing, Sensabaugh does have a few things to clean up on offense. He has to be more selfless and be able to create for his teammates. That might have been tough at Ohio State as he was the focal point of the offense often. However, when his usage rate drops dramatically in the NBA, he’s going to be have to find other ways to stay on the floor and contribute other than just to knock down some shots. That’s some of why he’s projected as high as late lottery in some cases, and as low as end of the first round in others.

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