Rayan Rupert, a French prospect, can easily play the guard position or the wing position. He has a remarkable wingspan of seven feet and three inches and a height of six foot seven.
Rupert was born with a basketball gene. His dad played inside the EuroLeague and served as captain of the French National team. His sister, Iliana Rupert, got selected with the No. 12 overall choice in the 2021 WNBA Draft as well.
He is also among the younger talents in this forthcoming class because his 19th birthday won’t come until just before the NBA Draft in 2023.
Rupert’s shooting technique is still being refined, like so many young players’ shots. He makes good on his free throws, which is a promising indication, but his shooting from outside the arc does not really fall frequently enough to be effective.
Although Rupert’s shot is fluid and has a high release point, the ball lowers slightly too much and he takes way too long to deliver the shot.
While averaging close to seven points a game, his rhythm shooting continues to improve over time and Rupert’s general shot selection can still be subpar at times.
The French star is a cunning driver with the capacity to make a strong finish with both hands. In light of this, he does have a hard time making physical touches in the paint. For now, focusing on gaining weight and being stronger going forward is key. He doesn’t possess many advanced dribble techniques or has the fastest initial step, yet he still manages to reach the basket.
Rupert has actually become better at the pick-and-roll over the past year, which is one area where that has been noticeable. He is undoubtedly not a significant offensive creator, but he has improved greatly as the handler in those
circumstances. Rupert isn’t particularly a good facilitator, but he has demonstrated glimpses of developmental growth and produces respectable assist stats.
Even without the ball, Rupert moves effectively, which helps him provide good optics for the crowd.
One of Rupert’s weaknesses is that he needs to increase his rebounding effectiveness. Rupert should really be bringing down more rebounds considering his height and size.
Nevertheless, the French prodigy appears to have a bright future as a defender. He has the potential to impede shots and is currently obstructive in passing lanes. Considering his enormous wingspan and excellent feel on that end of the court, he produces a ton of steals.
Rupert has been on the NBA’s radar for a while now and formerly attended the famous INSEP Academy in France. At least seven NBA clubs observed him during the NBL Blitz event held in September.
