Deschon Winston Scouting Report

2017 Cal commit Deschon Winston fills a dire need for the Golden Bears at the point guard position after the departure of Charlie Moore. Winston will have the chance to compete for immediate playing time at the point when he gets to Berkeley.

What initially stands out with Winston is the quick release on his shot. Defenders have to stay right up on him and not give him space. What makes him a difficult player to guard is his quickness and crossover dribble, which can get him the separation he needs from defenders to get off a shot.

Winston can score at all levels of the floor. Due to his quickness and tight dribble, he can get in lanes and get to the rim for the easy lay up. He’s crafty with his finishes, scoring in a variety of ways around the basket, using floaters and reverse layups. He finishes through contact and can be difficult to stop when he gets out in the open floor. He is comfortable shooting the midrange jumper and can also score well beyond the three-point line. During his 43 point game that brought him to Cal's attention, he started 7-7, making shots from every level of the floor.

Winston can run an offense in addition to his scoring, something he'll be called upon to do early in his Cal career. In addition to his quickness and dribbling, he sees the floor well, making quick decisions on whether to pass or shoot.

Defensively, Winston has a ton of energy and a willingness to hustle. While being undersized for even the point guard position (6’2”, 170), his motor and effort should serve him well when he’s playing defense. It might take him a bit to figure out how to guard Pac-12 level point guards, but he appears to have the quickness and the willingness to defend at a high level, which is a good sign.

Winston could be a diamond in the rough find for Wyking Jones and Cal. They were in need of a pass-first point guard who could also score and he fits the bill. The only concern is he is a bit undersized, but given his IQ, quickness, and skills, he has the ability to overcome this obstacle and grow into being an effective point guard at the Pac-12 level.