Top NBA Draft Prospect Darius Garland Taking Cues From Damian Lillard

Top NBA Draft prospect Darius Garland is studying the game of Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard. In particular, he’s adopting Lillard’s side step pull-up, he told Sam Vecenie of The Athletic (subscription required):

Garland: “His side step is crazy. He gets so much space on it.”

Vecenie then goes on to explain the clear similarities between the two point guards:

Lillard’s style of play is what I’m most reminded of when I watch Garland, so I was unsurprised when he mentioned the Portland point guard as someone that he watches a ton of tape on. The way that Garland gets downhill going to the basket, but also keeps a live dribble when stationary and keeps his defender on a string is pretty remarkable. But as he mentioned above, the side-step pull-up is the skill he’s trying to get down. It’s a lethal part of Lillard’s repertoire, something that makes him nearly unguardable on shots off the bounce.

Garland, a freshman at Vanderbilt, is largely regarded as the best point guard prospect in the upcoming draft class. You can read more from Vecenie (subscription required) here.