Kyle NelsonReggie Bullock has been talked about in recruiting circles from a very young age, and made his first appearance on DraftExpress as a sophomore in 2007 en route to a five-star ranking and the McDonald's All-American game. Since arriving at North Carolina, however, Bullock's progress has been slower than expected. After an injury-plagued freshman season, Bullock moved into the starting lineup, replacing an injured
Dexter Strickland, and provided the Tar Heels with perimeter scoring and defense, while contributing in a major way during their run to the Elite Eight. With
Harrison Barnes now in the NBA, North Carolina will look to Bullock to pick up the slack as a primary scoring option on the wing.
Standing 6'7 with a solid 207-pound frame, Bullock possesses ideal size for a NBA wing player. He is a smooth athlete, as well, quick in the open floor even if he just has average explosiveness around the basket. His role as a spot up shooter afforded him few opportunities to use his size and athleticism to his advantage, making it largely unknown just how good of a ball-handler he is in transition and attacking the basket in the half court.
On offense, Bullock was largely relegated to the role of a 3-point shooter, where he saw nearly two-thirds of his overall field goal attempts last season. He increased his shooting efficiency across the board, making 51% of his 2-pointers, 38% of his 3s, and 73% of his free throws. That being said, his 12.6 points per 40 minutes pace adjusted ranked him as one of the least prolific scorers in our top-100, showing just how limited his role was last year.
It's not surprising, then, that Bullock's best attribute on offense is his silky smooth shooting stroke. While he was a prolific shooter as a freshman, he took a giant step forward as a sophomore. He is primarily a spot-up shooter, thriving alongside point guard
Kendall Marshall, running off screens, and knocking down open looks with his feet set. His size and excellent mechanics, particularly his quick release, position him well as a shooter in the NCAA and should benefit him at the next level as well. With North Carolina's entire starting lineup besides him off to the NBA now, it will be interesting to see how his shooting evolves this season, particularly without the assistance of the best passing point guard in college basketball.
While he is not the most versatile offensive player, Bullock showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and create opportunities from mid-range in very small doses. Possessing below average ball-handling skills, and not much of a left hand, Bullock occasionally used his size and strength to bully his way to the basket where he was a solid finisher. That being said, he attempted just 3.9 2-point attempts and 0.8 free throws attempts per 40 minutes pace adjusted, which are both the fewest of any prospect in our pre-season Top-100, showing just how reliant he was on his outside shot last year. As he prepares for his junior season, Bullock will surely be asked to be more aggressive looking to create his own shot more frequently, focusing on attacking his basket, drawing fouls and finding opportunities inside of the arc.
On the other end of the floor, Bullock was an excellent defensive presence as a sophomore, showing the ability to lock down some of the nation's most potent perimeter scorers. He is very quick laterally, capable of guarding all three perimeter positions, and does not give up on plays after he is beaten. While he does not possess a huge wingspan, he is nonetheless able to do an excellent job crashing the glass, particularly on the offensive end where he truly excelled.
Reggie Bullock was not an immediate impact player in Chapel Hill, which is understandable when considering the amount of talent that was around him his first two seasons. According to reports, he evidently worked on his conditioning and offensive game over the summer and scouts will be watching to see if his improvement translates into increased production in one of the nation's highest-octane offenses. North Carolina will be looking for someone to replace
Harrison Barnes's production and Bullock will have every opportunity to step into the role. There is clearly a demand in today's NBA for strong, athletic wing players who can shoot and defend at an elite level. Everything is in place for a breakout season. Now it's time to see if he's capable of capitalizing.
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