RealGM Analysis
For even the most dedicated NBA Draft fans, Phil Greene IV is probably not a well-known prospect. The St. John’s guard did not receive invites to the Portsmouth Invitational or NBA Draft Combine, but has been rising onto NBA radars nonetheless after competing at various workouts.
Greene IV has already worked out for the 76ers, Clippers, Jazz, Nets, and Suns with the Lakers remaining on his growing schedule. After his workout in Brooklyn, director of player personnel Gregg Polinsky left with a positive impression.
“We saw what you pretty much saw over the course of his career at St. John’s,” Polinsky said in an article by Al Iannazzone of Newsday. “A guy that’s really quick with the basketball, can create his own shot, can get space for his shot, competes. I think Phil had a good career. I think he’s going to have a shot.”
The 6-foot-2 guard was a four-year starter at St. John’s and was the Big East’s leading three-point shooter in conference play as a senior, shooting 45.8% from deep. He shot 39.4% from three-point range in his final two collegiate seasons after spending his first two years at the point guard position. While he moved off the ball later in his career, his head coach while at St. John’s, Steve Lavin, believes he can play the point guard position at the next level.
“He can play point guard,” Lavin told RealGM. “He has the ability to also be a scoring point guard. His ability to handle the ball, create off the bounce, get to the mid-range, as well as to the rim, are areas he excels at.”
Greene IV averaged 13.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game as a senior on 42.6% shooting. He had the ability to heat up against quality opponents, as he scored a game-high 20 points against Gonzaga at Madison Square Garden and led an impressive comeback at Syracuse. St. John’s trailed the Orange 54-52 with less than six minutes remaining, but Greene IV scored 11 straight points to take a 63-57 advantage into the final minute. The Red Storm eventually left with a 69-57 victory.
“I think Phil has a knack for scoring, but he takes care of the basketball and understands the value of a possession,” said Lavin. “You look at the data, the metrics, the analytics throughout his career, what stood out was his ability to take care of the basketball. His assist-to-turnover ratio was impressive and he would go long stretches in the season without a single turnover so that speaks to his intelligence and his purposeful play on the offensive end of the court.”
The key for Greene IV will be proving he can consistently become a legitimate threat from deep. He was a sub-30% three-point shooter in his first two seasons before making drastic improvements. If NBA teams feel confident he can consistently stretch the floor – which he seems to be doing in workouts – Greene IV will see his stock jump.
Another reason for his improvements could be his health, as he battled a wrist injury as a freshman and a hip injury in his sophomore year. He had surgery on his hip prior to his junior season, but wasn’t 100% during his immediate return.
Lavin added, “He played with a great degree of pain for his sophomore and junior year and finally in his senior year was able to play at full strength – and put up his best numbers as a result.”
While at St. John’s, Greene IV excelled defensively and typically spent time defending the opposing team’s best perimeter option. With his quickness and lengthy 6-foot-7 wingspan, he should be able to make the transition to defending NBA-caliber point guards. He possesses good feet and moves well laterally.
What really stands out about Greene IV was the praise he received for his off-the-court habits. Lavin referred to Greene IV as “one of the more enjoyable players to coach in my career” and “as good a listener that I’ve coached in my career.” While researching character concerns are a crucial piece to the puzzle in scouting future NBA players, Greene IV has received nothing but praise for his attitude and work ethic.
“He conducts himself in a first-class manner,” said Lavin. “He has a tremendous competitive spirit, is a great teammate, and just represents himself in a first-class manner.”
Lavin added that the two greatest listeners he’s ever coached were Greene IV and Earl Watson. Watson, who played for Lavin at UCLA, was a second round pick in 2001 and carved out a 13-year NBA career. He recently accepted a role as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns.
“I would sometimes call Phil, ‘Earl,’” Lavin added. “And he understood that was a compliment.”
While Greene IV is still far from a lock to be drafted, he’s done enough to spark some late NBA interest. If he doesn’t sneak into the second round, look for Greene IV to fight for a roster spot in the NBA Summer League. He has the intangibles and work ethic to become a true sleeper in the upcoming draft.
