Kendall Marshal is indeed a great passer but after that his skill set is worthless when transferred to the NBA.

But first let’s explore why we need to end the comparisons to Andre Miller.

The similarity between KM and AM is that both are a similar height and are hod carriers at the 3-point line. They build chimneys with brick after brick from the 3pt stripe but after that there is not much of a comparison.

Kendall is a better passer than Andre but the rest Andre does much better. Andre is a MUCH more dynamic player all around and is light years ahead of KM in ability and aggressiveness to score, defend, and rebound. Miller almost doubled KM’s scoring, and did double his rebounding, blocks, and steals average in college. Their college stats prove below.

Andre Miller 98-99 final year at Utah on top
Kendall Marshall 11-12 final year at UNC on bottom
GP MPG PPG FG% 3FG% FT% APG RPG BPG SPG
33 33.1 15.8 49.1 26.5 69.0 5.6 5.4 0.5 2.5
36 33.0 8.1 46.7 35.4 69.6 9.8 2.6 0.2 1.2

Miller 2pt attempts: 190/387
Marshall 2pt attempts: 105/225

Miller 3pt attempts: 22/83
Marshall 3pt attempts: 28/79

Andre is a PG who scored 50 pts in a NBA game. His scoring ability has always been a strength because he can score when he chooses in a myriad of ways. He has a good mid-range shot, he’s always been a great penetrator and slasher, and he’s got unbelievable post-up game.

On the other hand Kendall’s scoring ability is a weakness because he doesn’t have the skill set to create his own shot nor the ability to regularly knock down the NBA 3pt basket. That’s why the comparison between the two is bad.

Now onto Kendall’s skill set that won’t transfer to the NBA.

I want you to imagine that Lamarcus Aldridge is posted up on the block and Marshall drops an effortless post entry feed to him. As Lamarcus dribbles one time into the paint Kendall’s defender squeezes down with a double team on LA forcing him to kick the ball back out to Marshall who drifted to the corner. When KM’s defender closes out he knows that KM is a terrible shooter so he stops short and denies the re-entry post feed to Aldridge while forcing Kendall to either shoot the ball or swing it to someone who is not in a position to score.

The benefit of having a post who can score on the block is that he will get double teamed and can spray out for catch and shoot 3pt shots which are some of the highest percentage shots in the NBA. Not only will he KM not take that shot but he will provide an extra burden onto his teammates by forcing them to shoot with the 24 second clock winding down. With LA dominating the block he needs shooters around him to make the defense pay. Kendall Marshall simply doesn’t have that ability.

Kendall’s shooting mechanics are poor and the NBA 3pt line is farther back. KM has a decent 3pt% in college but that is because he only shot two 3’s a game. He shot when he was wide open and in rhythm or when the shot clock was running down. His 3pt% will definitely go down on the next level. He barely ever shot the ball in general averaging a mere 8ppg.

Since when is being a poor scorer a good thing in the NBA? Kendall’s mid-range, and penetration game is well below average for an NBA starting PG. This kid simply can’t score and does not look to score. He only had 225 attempts in 33 games last season so he is not going to help a NBA team out by getting buckets in any real capacity.

Kendall does not make up his lack or scoring with defense, hustle, rebounding, steals, blocks, etc... like an Eric Snow. He is simply a passing machine with a great feel for the game. Kendall Marshall is a great college player but will not a good NBA starter. His passing is great and that part of his game will transfer to the NBA but his lack of everything else makes him a project and a career back-up.

Read this and remember about Kendall Marshall:
HE CANNOT SHOOT NBA 3’s. (that’s before having an elbow injury)
HE IS A BELOW AVERAGE NBA ATHLETE
HE IS A TERRIBLE NBA SCORER
HE HAS NO PASSION TO BE A SCORER
HE IS A BELOW AVERAGE NBA DEFENDER

I challenge you to name a good PG in the history of the NBA who is a terrible shooter, below average athlete, and below average defender? I just don’t see him being top 20 material let alone 1st round.