Arizona freshman combo guard Allonzo Trier has been one of the fastest rising prospects in America throughout nonconference play thanks to his combination of athleticism, handle and overall intensity. Trier made his debut at 17th overall on my latest Big Board after a recent stretch over his last eight games of 23.7 points per 40 minutes, while shooting 11-for-25 (44%) from three and 57% from two. Trier hopes to make it a third straight year of an Arizona freshman leaving early, joining Stanley Johnson and Aaron Gordon before him.
As you can see, Trier shares some similarities to both Johnson and Gordon in his aggressiveness and ability to attack the rim, and that’s what should make him successful at the NBA level as well. At 6-5 and 205 pounds with a 6-6 wingspan, Trier has adequate size for an NBA shooting guard but more than makes up for it with explosive athleticism and quickness in both the halfcourt and open court.
Allonzo Trier with the dunk! #LBSUvsAZ #APlayersProgram https://t.co/y6IsXaSZZ8
— Arizona Athletics (@AZATHLETICS) December 23, 2015
Trier is a throwback-type guard, with an elite mid-range game utilizing his step-back jump shot to create separation for a smooth release. Trier has hit on a remarkable 47.1 percent with his two-point jump shots per hoop-math.com, but his range suffers a bit from beyond that range. Trier combines an uncanny knack of hitting difficult shots, while being a relentless finisher near the rim for a guard, finishing on 80.6 percent of his opportunities per hoop-math.com.
But Trier’s biggest need for improvement is extending his range, as he’s making just 34.1 percent of his three-point shots overall. Even a bigger issue is that he’s struggled from the left corner at just 25 percent (per shotanalytics.com), a shot that he’ll need to hit at the next level. Trier’s lack of length also leaves a lot to be desired with his defense — evidence of just six steals in 14 games this season.
WATCH | Arizona Combo Guard Allonzo Trier ( @ISOzo_LOE ) Drop 27 Points On Fresno State ? https://t.co/L3Wssa999G pic.twitter.com/V5yqwkbob9
— ReBORN HD Highlights (@ReBornHDTV) December 15, 2015
But when Trier’s at his best, his three-point shot is on, and he’s able to create separation with a lethal handle and get all the way to the rim. There’s no reason to believe he can’t be an adequate defender in time with his athleticism and quickness, as his physical attributes might be elite for his position. Trier still needs to improve at creating for his teammates off the ball, as he can get tunnel-vision when looking for his own shot at all times — Trier has just 15 assists and 25 turnovers on the season.
When projecting to the NBA level, Trier looks like a potential sixth man candidate and potential starter down the line with his scoring and slashing ability. He’ll need to work on distributing more and improving shot selection to round out his offensive game and become less predictable. Trier plays a bit like Dion Waiters, who fills a similar role for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Luckily for Trier, he projects in the middle of round one for now and should go to a team in need of a scoring punch off the bench, unlike Waiters, who was taken fourth overall by the Cavaliers next to another ball-dominant player in Kyrie Irving.
Overall, Trier has been a pleasant surprise so far for Arizona, who really needed him to step up on the wing with departures from Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and to a lesser extent T.J. McConnell. With the loss of four-star swingman Ray Smith in October due to an ACL, it was even more evident Trier would need to be ready for extended playing time early. His readiness has surely been a pleasant surprise thus far for coach Sean Miller, and it’s benefitted his NBA prospects as well.