DraftDetective · the method

What goes into a scouting read

I put every prospect through the same evaluation. I grade the whole game, weight what actually wins in the NBA, and write the call down before the results are in. No hot takes, no hedging. Here is what a Draft Detective evaluation actually contains.
The fingerprint: eight graded traits
I grade every player on the same eight traits, on the 20-to-80 scale NBA front offices use, where 50 is an average rotation player. Together they are his fingerprint, a read you can compare cleanly across any two prospects.
Reading the floor: spacing, timing, and seeing the play before it happens.
Decisions: processing speed, and the choices he makes when the play breaks down.
Shooting: whether the jumper clears the NBA bar, shot diet and touch included.
Creativity: the value he creates off-script, when the structure breaks.
NBA fit: how well the skills travel across systems and roles.
Motor: competitiveness on both ends, every possession.
Defense: total defensive value, not steals-and-blocks highlights.
Durability: how safe the projection is, weighing base, age, level of competition, and health.
The full workup
The eight-trait fingerprint is where a read starts. A full written report layers on the depth a single grade cannot carry, fifteen modules in all, each one written out and open to check:
  • A composite projection, and the archetype he most closely resembles.
  • Real historical comparables, players whose careers map his range of outcomes.
  • How his game is trending, last season set beside this one.
  • Shot-quality and shot-diet detail, the quality of the looks, not just whether they fell.
  • Possession-level defense, charted from the tape rather than inferred from the box score.
  • A floor-and-ceiling read, and the specific risks that could sink it.
  • A dated, audited trail of every call, so the whole record stays checkable.
How the calls get checked
Analytics point me to the tape; the eye makes the call. I write every prediction down and date it before the outcome is known, then check it against what actually happened. When I tested the method against real careers, my grades landed at the accuracy of the best public models. I put every call on the record to be proven wrong, which is what makes them worth trusting when they land.
The work is open and the record is public. If you run a front office and want a read on a prospect, or you just want to talk shop, reach out.
Patrick Bostian · Draft Detective
Connect on LinkedIn, or email admin@draftdetective.com.
DraftDetective · Evidence Over Hype · System Over Narratives · Projection Over Production