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| (Photo Credit: KC Cruz) |
Basic Information
Name: John Lloyd Clemente
Age: 18
School/Team: NU Bullpups
Years of eligibility left: 0 (Graduating)
Committed to: NU Bulldogs
Height: 6'3"
Position: Small Forward
Projected Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward
Quick Hits
Strengths:
- Capable shooter from outside
- Great at moving without the ball
- Great size for a collegiate wing
- Perfect example of a team player
- High basketball IQ
Weaknesses:
- One on one defense needs work
- Isn't able to completely use his athleticism
- Needs to work on dribbling
It's easy to brand a player as college-ready. It can be because he's physically superior compared to his peers. It can also mean that he was able to put up statistics which are incredibly impressive for someone his age. Or, it can be as simple as receiving a number of accolades.
John Lloyd Clemente doesn't exactly fit the bill as any of those.
He isn't physically superior by any means. He's 6'3", decent enough size for any college player. But to call him superior would be a stretch.
His statistics were good during his High School career, but they won't blow you away. They weren't mighty impressive by any means.
He was able to garner two straight Mythical Five awards in his High School career, but never one MVP. That isn't exactly what you would categorize as eye-catching.
So what makes John Lloyd Clemente the most college-ready player in High School Basketball? To answer that, we'll be analyzing four key components of a player's game: Offense, Defense, Physical Tools and Basketball IQ/Intangibles.
Offense
For so long now, analysts/writers have branded John Lloyd as a wing player who plays best off the ball. He moves around, knocking down threes from left to right when he's able to get himself free off multiple screens.
It's correct to brand JLC as someone who plays best when off the ball. He's used best moving around the court, kind of like how Klay Thompson is with the Golden State Warriors. He'll score off the catch, and he'll even play as a cutter off particular plays. But to brand him as someone who "knocks down threes from left to right" isn't that fair just yet.
It's admirable how well JLC is able to move around to score off the catch. To be able to possess that skill of setting oneself up courtesy of moving around screens is already an impressive trait to have for any player, much more someone who's just about to enter college. But the issue with John Lloyd is with his shot.
In his final year with the Bullpups, JLC just shot 23% of his three point attempts, which isn't a good look by any means. It's easy to attribute this to defenses clamping down on him since he was NU's main guy during the season. But there's much more to that glaring point of John Lloyd's game.
He has a good stroke and he has a decent form. The issue with his jumper is how he releases the ball. JLC is very good when it comes to bringing the ball up from his shooting pocket up to his release point. It's one quick motion. The issue lies with how he releases the ball. He has a good stroke, but it takes him too long to release the ball. Take a look at the GIF above. Notice how he pulls the ball a bit before releasing it. It's that little detail which allows defenses to have enough time to close out when he's able to shoot, which then leads to more misses for John Lloyd. Fixing that detail could very well turn John Lloyd from a good shooter to a great one.
As a slasher, JLC is improving, but it clearly isn't his strongest point. He doesn't have much creativity with his handle, which makes it difficult for him to create space for himself from mid-range or for penetration to the rim. Working on this part of his game will make John Lloyd into an even better scorer, but it clearly isn't his main weapon of attack.
Defense
In High School, JLC played in an NU Bullpups system which had one of the best defenses in the country. However, he wasn't the primary reason why NU had such a diffuclt defense to get past by. You have Justine Baltazar, Winderlich Coyoca and Niel Tolentino to thank for that.
That doesn't mean that John Lloyd is a bad defender by any means. He's not bad, but he isn't that good either. One on one, his body is strong enough to take hits down low, but in the perimeter, he lacks the foot speed and lateral speed to be able to shut down guards.
If anything, right now, JLC is better fit as a help defender rather than as a one on one defender. Clemente doesn't attack passing lanes as viciously as say a Gian Mamuyac would, but he's decent enough to help in your team's defense. You wouldn't make JLC defend the best player on the opposing team, but he'd be a solid part of a great team defense.
Physical Tools
When you first look at John Lloyd Clemente without any prior knowledge to how he plays, you'd think that he was a combo forward with the physical tools which he has. Standing at 6'3", with arms that have respectable length and a frame that is well-chiseled enough. There's nothing particular eye-popping with the tools which he has.
What's eye-popping with his physical tools is when you find out that JLC has skills built for a combo guard. Pair his skillset along with the physical tools which he has and you get a player that has the potential to be a special player in Philippine hoops.
JLC also uses these tools well. His height over opposing guards makes him easy for him to pull-up for jumpers, and his frame is strong enough for him to create down low.
However, what limits Clemente is his inability to show his athleticism. He's made some dunks during warm-ups, but in games, he's not able to show this same explosiveness off drives and even when grabbing rebounds. He looks very athletic during warm-ups, but in games, it isn't exactly the same.
Intangibles/Basketball IQ
JLC's game isn't exactly fit for someone who you would run a franchise around. There's nothing particularly wrong with that. Clemente is an incredibly good second option for a title contending team. The same can be said when it comes to his atttitude.
He's a quiet person, careful with what he answers every time media members approach him for questions. Rarely will you hear any petty comments from him, always choosing to maintain a low profile. As a leader, he's the same. He isn't a vocal leader or someone who likes to show a ton of emotion.
Despite that, it's undeniable that John Lloyd has high Basketball IQ. As mentioned, he knows how to get himself open by moving without the ball, knowing when to cut or when to curl. His percentages may say that he's chucker, but the reality of it is that he isn't. Pair him with a dominant big man or playmaker, and you get a player who makes good decisions with the basketball no matter what situation he is in.
Overall
There really isn't any player in High School basketball right now who has shown to be as college-ready as John Lloyd Clemente. JLC being tagged as the most college-ready player in High School basketball is certanly valid.
Despite that, Clemente can still get better. He still hasn't maximized his physical tools, and that small hitch on his jumper is what's stopping him for becoming a GREAT shooter. He's good right now, but not great.
If Clemente gets to fix these issues as soon as possible, then it won't be too crazy to tag JLC as the most pro-ready prospect in collegiate basketball. With his rare blend of skill, size and intelligence, it's definitely possible.
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