Draft profile: Louisville’s Jordan Nwora

By Kevin McCormick, Sports Talk Philly Editor

Next up in my draft profile series is Louisville forward Jordan Nwora. He is an athletic wing player who is coming off a season where he averaged 18.0 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.3 APG. He took the road less traveled staying multiple years in college, but it was the right decision. 

Nwora’s game has grown greatly since his freshman year of college where he only averaged just under six points per game. In his time at Louisville, he was also named All-ACC on two separate occasions and was named the ACC Most Improved Player in his sophomore season. 

There is a lot about Nwora that makes him an interesting prospect. For starters, standing at 6’7 225 pounds his body is ready for the NBA. He also moves well for his size which gives him the potential to become a solid player who can play on both ends of the ball. 

In terms of the Sixers, Nwora would be a great fit on the roster. Most importantly because he is the perfect kind of shooter for this team. 

In his final season at Louisville, he shot 40.2% from deep on 6.1 attempts a game. His shot is best in catch and shoot and spot-up situations, making him the perfect fit alongside the Sixers’ two stars. 

Nwora could be a guy that Joel Embiid could swing the ball to out of a double team, and could also be a got to spot up and shoot when Ben Simmons is attacking the rim. Three-point shooting is a key point that the Sixers need to address, so adding a guy like Nwora in the draft would be a good get. 

On top of being a good shooter from deep, Nwora is also a super-athletic forward. He showed in his time in college that he is just as comfortable playing above the rim as he is letting it fly from deep. 

These days players who stick around for multiple years in college are looked down on, but it could be looked at as a positive for the Sixers. 

We saw last year how well Matisse Thybulle played for the Sixers after being a four-year guy in college. Nwora will be 22 by the time the 2020-2021 season starts, putting him in the same age window as the team’s key pieces.

Drafting an older player will also help with the maturity aspect of the team. The Sixers feel that their window to win a title is now, so targeting players who have matured physically and mentally is something the team should focus on as they look to contend. 

Nwora checks a lot of boxes for the Sixers and should be one of the names they look to target come draft night. He fits the mold of building a big lineup, is a knockdown shooter, and can run the floor and get up. 

Between Furkan Korkmaz, Matisse Thybulle, Mariol Shayok in small samples, and possibly Jordan Nwora the Sixers could have a bench full of length and shooting to help space the floor for their two superstars. 

If Nwora is still on the board when it comes time for the Sixers to make their pick, they should seriously consider drafting him.