Hollinger: Scrubb-to-Blazers Rumor Intensifies

The Trail Blazers’ rumored interest in JUCO star Jay Scrubb gained additional steam on Sunday. The Athletic’s John Hollinger revisited the idea that the Blazers are enamored with Scrubb’s upside and that the former John A. Logan College star could be the selection at No. 16.

Hollinger’s original comments on Scrubb were featured in a mock draft that had the Blazers selecting RJ Hampton. In that post, he explained that Portland had clear interest in Scrubb.

Back to crazy town for a minute: One name I’ve heard here is prep-to-pro Jay Scrubb, who is on the same path Simmons took. But surely the Blazers would be targeting him at 46, not at 16 …. right?

On Saturday, Steve Dewald highlighted Scrubb’s strengths in our comprehensive draft profile.

Don’t let Jay Scrubb’s small-school billing fool you, he possesses a top-level blend of athleticism, size and skill. That trio of gifts are on full display when Scrubb is slicing through defenses on the way to the rim. The Kentucky native’s downhill attack starts with his explosive first step. Once Scrubb blows past the first defender, he is a threat to launch into a monster dunk off either leg. When he isn’t gliding to the rim, his fully developed pull-up game allows him to score from all three levels. Off the ball, Scrubb is an active and instinctual cutter. He utilizes off-ball screens effectively and has the innate ability to catch his defender sleeping during backdoor cuts. In transition, Scrubb is a flashy above-the-rim finisher.

In his second year at John A. Logan College, Scrubb earned the NJCAA Player of the Year award after averaging 21.9 points per game.