Jordan Longino: Finding His Role
Longino slowly progressed into a starter during his four years at Villanova, but didn't put up crazy numbers. Will his steady play be enough to get him drafted?
In an era where players hit the transfer portal at the first sign of trouble, Jordan Longino stayed. He stayed through a series of knee injuries in his freshman season, and he stayed despite coming off the bench most games as a sophomore and junior. He got hurt every time he broke into the starting lineup, but he kept pushing because he wanted more. Finally, when his senior season rolled around, he got his chance. He started all 36 games this season and averaged double-digit points for the first time in his college career. Let’s take a look at what caused his breakout season.
Basic Stats (2024-2025): 33.5 MPG, 11.1 PPG, 2.4 APG, 2.4 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 1.2 T/O, 43.9% FG%
Pros:
Has a consistent and smooth jumper from 3 and off the dribble
Jumper looks great off the catch and shoot looks (44% on open catch and shoot 3s)
His high and quick release prevent his shot from being blocked often and will translate well to the next level (0.03 shots blocked per FG, 77th percentile)
I would like to see him take a lot more 3s (42.1% 3 point attempt rate, 40th percentile)
Very fluid mover off the dribble and gets to his spots with ease
Great rise on his midrange jumper and shoots it with the same elite mechanics as his 3 pointer
He’s insanely efficient off the dribble and his off the dribble jumper is rated excellent by synergy sports (50% on 138 attempts)
Has NBA ready muscle and physicality
His solid strength allows him to muscle defenders while driving and helps him create space
Solid attacker downhill as a result and puts pressure on the defense (2.5 Fouls drawn per game, 75th percentile)
He needs to trust his size and physicality more when finishing at the rim
Makes good effort on the offensive boards using his physical strength (1.6 2nd chance PPG, 85th percentile)
Above Average Passer
Good feel on inbounds and post entry passes, especially good with bounce passes
Takes care of the ball well and finds the open man consistently(2.05 AST/TO Ratio, 87th percentile)
Cons:
Can be very passive at times
Didn’t get used much in the Villanova offense despite his skillset and efficiency (18.3% usage, 43rd percentile)
Doesn’t always take the first open shot he gets despite his good catch and shoot numbers
Goes long stretches without looking engaged on either end of the floor
Weak defensive rebounder
Has the body to be an elite defensive rebounding guard but doesn’t crash the glass much or look engaged on that end of the floor
His 5.6% defensive rebounding percentage is in the 4th percentile, which is egregious for someone who has that frame
Lack of rebounding results in him not pushing in transition as well (4.5% of pts on fastbreaks, 5th percentile)
Poor on ball defender
Doesn’t have the lateral quickness to keep up with other guards
Often fouls when beaten instead of moving his feet (2.1 fouls per game, 26th percentile)
Late on a lot of contests because he gets caught off balance a ton
Opponents shoot much better when guarded by Longino(0.18 points per possession above expect)
Final Take: Longino has an NBA ready size and frame but doesn’t defend the way he should. Despite not getting a ton of usage he proved that he’s a very talented and efficient offensive player. He will be a solid off-ball contributor at the next level should he play defense well. However, if he can’t adjust to the quickness of NBA guards, he will not find time on the court
Draft Projection: Undrafted
Player Comp: Wesley Matthews/Courtney Lee