Fuquan Edwin Seton Hall

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: Seton Hall vs. Wake Forest

Seton Hall wins 71-67

Box Score

Fuquan Edwin (G/F, 6’6”, JR)

Stats
39 min, 8-16 FG, 1-4 3pt FG, 7-9 FT, 7 rebounds, 4 TO, 2 steals, 24 TP

Strengths
Long and athletic frame- passes the look test. Edwin hit a three on Seton Hall’s first possession- less then 30 seconds into game. After coming out with a bang, Edwin struggled offensively most of the first half, but he got it going in the second half and finished with 24, 6 points higher then his average. He attacked the basket and got himself to the FT line in the second half, where he cashed in on 7 of his 9 attempts. He made 2 big FT’s with 7 seconds left this game to put his team up 3. Edwin is shooting just a shade under 60% from the line this year so far, but made them count this game. Offensively, Edwin gets the majority of his points from being active- he runs the floor hard in transition and attacks the rim. He has a quick first step and has the ability to make difficult shots. He is shooting over 54% from beyond the arc this season, even though he was 1 for 4 from 3 point land this game. His shooting form is unconventional, but he has a very quick release and doesn’t have a problem getting his shot off. Versatile and smooth player who is a solid all-around athlete.

What really impressed me about Edwin this game was his activity on the defensive side of the ball. He is an active defender and looks to make plays on defensive side of floor. He is averaging just about 3 steals a game, and he does a tremendous job poking the ball away from players with quick hands. He also uses his length to punch the ball loose from behind when he is beat- he did this several times this game. He hustles and gets back defensively- even when he turns it over- he doesn’t complain but gets back down the court and defends. He is versatile and showed the ability to defend multiple positions and was able to stay in front of Wake’s guards. He moves his feet well and has good lateral quickness. Rebounding is one of his strong points and he boxes out most possessions. His off the ball defense isn’t bad either as he does a good job of jumping to the ball as the help defender. Defensively he should be fine at the next level with a combination of quickness and length. Edwin played a team high 39 minutes this game and shows great endurance on the court, averaging close to 30 minutes a game so far this season. He didn’t show any frustration, even when team was down double digits in the second half. Is a solid teammate and is one of the leaders of the team- pulled players together on dead balls.

Weaknesses
Although Edwin is long, but he needs to put on some more weight and get stronger (barely over 200 lbs). This manifested itself several times in this game as he had the ball taken right out of his hands a couple of times and he struggled to finish at the rim with contact. Hitting the weight room hard this summer to beef up his frame will help tremendously in these areas.

Offensively, Edwin struggled in the first half, forcing shots and turning the ball over. To his credit, he looked like a totally different player in the second half and played much better. In the first half, he didn’t show the ability or speed to get around any of Wake’s defenders and he struggled to create his own offense (did attack rim in second half), didn’t create his own shot until 15 minutes remaining in second half. I would like to see more consistency in his play on the offensive end through out the entire game. Really struggled to find the feel for the ball early on- doesn’t have great hands. Must improve ball handling skills and get a tighter handle. He struggles to go left or finish going left.

As I alluded to previously, his form on his jump shot is awkward. His release is behind his head and his elbow sticks out to a degree, which leads to inconsistency when shooting. His feet are together and not square to rim and there is not much rotation on the ball when he shoots. He does get good elevation on his shot- but is very inconsistent from the perimeter.

Edwin is not nearly as explosive as he looks and is not an over-the-top or over-the-rim athlete, but is a solid athlete none the less. He is turnover prone with the ball, but does get back defensively after turnovers. He didn’t have any assists this game and didn’t create shots or offense for his teammates. He has 18 assist and 19 turnovers through 9 games so far this season, which are not good numbers.

Overview
Edwin enters this game as the Pirates leading scorer (18.4 ppg) and second in rebounds (6.5 rpg). As I have said several times, he was a much better player in second half then first half and finished with a quite 24 points.

Edwin is considered a tweener at this point, playing both the SG and SF positions. Talking to Edwin after the game, he said he sees himself playing the SG at the next level. He is not quite big enough or strong enough to play the 3 at the next level and doesn’t have the shooting or ball handling ability to play the 2 at next level. I agree with Edwin though, and I see him having his best shot at playing in the NBA if he markets himself as a 2. He wouldn’t have a problem defending an off guard at the next level. I see him being drafted late in the second round next season, after playing his senior year. 6’6” scoring guards are not difficult to find and pro teams will be monitor his progress with his shot and handle. He would be a good D-League prospect if he is drafted late in the draft next season, as it would give him a chance to prove he could play at that level and be consistent night in and night out.