Finley Bizjack Scouting Report
Toughness, grit, and lots of defensive potential are how I would describe the Butler standout. But what else does he have to offer to NBA teams? What's his long-term potential? Find out below.
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Introduction
The Texas-born was a McDonald’s All-American nominee after a stellar high school career in which he has over 100 wins while owning the Byron Nelson High School record for points, assists, rebounds, and three-pointers made. He also led his AAU team, Southern Assault, to a third-place finish at the 3SSB Open Championships.
Hereafter, Bizjack committed to Coach Matta and the Butler Bulldogs program. As a freshman, he solely played the role of a connecting guard while averaging about fifteen minutes per game. He has had three games with double-digit scoring outings, with his 11-point performance in a road win against Creighton being the most notable.
Bizjack is a classical case of seeing beyond the numbers to discover his untapped potential. His value as a team defender, connecting passer, and three-point shooter is fueled by his development in making the right decisions. That is the emphasis of this scouting report.
Physical Profile
At 6-foot-5, Bizjack is an ideal size for playing as a two at the next level. He has fluid hips and has gotten much stronger compared to his high school days, as he’s listed at 195 pounds—a 25-pound bump compared to his high school profile. He’s continuing to fill out his frame while having broad shoulders that will allow him to improve his core strength in the next few years.
Bizjack is a good functional athlete. His game is not built around verticality but mostly stands out with his toughness and craft. He’s playing and defending hard consistently, not shying away from any contact. He has good footwork, especially on the defensive end. That helps him to maintain his balance more often than not. He has a below-average first step, but good acceleration that gets more functional with Bizjack’s good last step while maintaining his balance.
Offense
Passing and playmaking for others
At 29 assists to 17 turnovers, the numbers confirm Bizjack’s potential as a connective passer and a playmaker for others. What immediately stood out was his court vision and trusting his instincts to make the right decisions. He isn’t afraid to make mistakes as he’s willing to take more risks. And that’s where decent passers become good passers. For the NBA is leaning toward a four, or even five-out style of offense, multiple ball handlers and decision-makers are what the game will turn into. That puts more weight on less ball-dominant guards to be effective with scarce ball touches.
And that’s Bizjack’s value. The offense dries up in the first play, and that’s where Bizjack goes to work in the post-up, forcing help defenders to react. When that didn’t happen, Bizjack used motion to his advantage, creating a driving lane on the weak side for the scorer to use and get two feet inside the paint.
In the second possession, the opponent kept his team outside of the paint, whereafter we saw decisive passing that led to the corner three. Despite the easy execution, the vital part here is to recognize the catch-and-drive not being a favorable move as the defense purely focused on giving away threes rather than twos. When the driving gap is good enough, Bizjack shows that he’s aggressive in creating space for others. In the third play, Bizjack does well to fake a catch-and-shoot, to ensure the closeout defender fully commits to getting to the perimeter. Hereafter, he drives to the strong side, using his craft to lure in help defense to create a gap for the impressive drop-off pass after getting two feet inside the paint.
At the NBA level, offensive creativity is always needed to create advantages when the play-calling doesn’t work. In the fourth play, Bizjack shows his smooth hesitant move to find the driving lane. He accelerates quickly and kicks the ball out once the help defense is forced to rotate. The most vital value for NBA decision-makers is Bizjack’s recognition of passing up good looks for great looks. After the defense went over the screen, Bizjack knew it was the right moment to attack the rim. Despite the driving lane being there, the kick-out pass for an open three was a more favorable shot than a contested layup at the rim. And the execution on Bizjack’s side was good.
Catch-and-drives
Bizjack’s toughness is put on display when he’s making plays out of closeouts. He’s an aggressive downhill driver who’s looking to absorb contact before he finishes. The volume is where things stay under the radar. Despite averaging one free-throw attempt per game, this number will likely increase to three or four during his sophomore season. His game against Marquette is an example where he played more freely and put up a 19-point scoring outburst while having eight attempts for the charity stripe.
In the first play below, we see Bizjack making a quick decision to drive after the catch. In an era where the offensive rating is everything, small details such as these are margin-improvers that NBA teams look for. His toughness to fully attack the rim protector and draw the foul is what teams look for, especially with the opposing five picking it up. The area of development for the future is when Bizjack gets stronger, he’ll have a better shot at increasing the and-one possibility while not hitting the deck.
In the second possession, Bizjack shows he’s a willing shooter, But he needs to be cautious that he doesn’t get too much in love with the three-ball. In the second play, the lane was open to attack the rim. However, with an open look, it’s understandable why he went for the shot. The positive is that Bizjack is very quick at setting his feet, giving him more flexibility to be creative with pump-fakes like he did in the second possession. We see a similar outcome in the fourth play below.
His creativity overall is what will lead to more attempts in year two. In the third play, Bizjack did very well by faking the hand-off to immediately attack the lane via the elbow. The up-and-under finish speaks to his touch around the rim and the craft and creativity he shows in the process prior. The area of development is to not force shots. In the fifth play below, Bizjack does well to shake his opponent out of balance, but can't place his pivot foot well in the last step, leading to an unbalanced runner.
Catch-and-shoot
Due to his limited role, the numbers have little value. It’s more about the process and how it’s feasible to be an above-average shooter in the NBA. Bizjack shot 27.0% on 74 three-point attempts in his freshman season. Looking at his mechanics, Bizjack is ready to increase his volume. What immediately stood out was how quickly he set his feet.
That’s the base to become a volume shooter in the NBA, which is the trajectory he’s moving toward. Secondly, he’s bringing the ball toward his middle, maintaining stability between the direction his feet are set, and his ball placement before powering up for the shot. He has good form, with a decent high release point. When looking at his attempts, his shooting motion is consistent, thus helping him to be more comfortable in the long run.
In the first play below, Bizjack does well to actively ask for the ball, while actively moving. That’s essential to have in a motion-based NBA-styled offense. In the second possession, we see another important detail. After the miss, you see Bizjack already moving back to secure the first line of defense in a potential transition opportunity for his opponents. But Butler secured the offensive rebound and Bizjack needed some extra time to correct the bad side pass. What caught my attention is that he slightly pivoted before bringing the ball back up, leading to not fully establishing balance before the shot. That’s something to work on in the next few years.
In the third play, Bizjack has another low pass to catch, but this time he’s much more stable setting his feet but stretches his arms too far out leading to an uncomfortable shot. Regardless of how quickly an opponent closes out, Bizjack has to stay consistent with his shooting motion and keep repeating it. When it comes to his shooting gravity working in his favor, Bizjack’s strong frame will lead to NBA teams using him as a secondary screener, just like was used in the fourth play below. Popping out to the perimeter while quickly setting his feet and executing is what the recipe for success is to add more offensive versatility to the two-spot that Bizjack will play.
Pick-and-roll ball handler
To ensure longevity in his NBA career, Bizjack has to show that he can be a self-creating scorer once he earns more ball touches. His aggressiveness to attack closeouts and get two feet inside the paint led to a 62.9% finishing rate on 35 rim attempts during his freshman season. That’s the value leading to more offensive responsibilities. And that’s where Bizjack has shown many flashes throughout his freshman campaign.
In the first play below, we see Bizjack decelerating after utilizing the ball screen to throw in the hesitation move and attack the big man struggling to keep his balance. The touch near the rim is at a good level and compensates for the struggles to maintain balance against stronger opponents. When we factor in that Bizjack will continue to fill his frame, the long-term potential on that end looks promising, and feasible for success in a lower-usage role in the NBA.
When looking at the second possession below, that’s where the risk is in Bizjack’s profile. At times, he’s too focused on finishing the play himself. It’s a combination of tunnel vision, but also the drive to prove himself when he has the ball in his hands. The possession took too long, as Bizjack needed the ball screen for the switch. The process of getting to the driving lane was good but after that, Bizjack had to use his fluid hips to find the shooter in the upper corner or above the break, especially since he drove into a lane that was crowded by multiple defenders who could have seen a layup finish coming from miles away.
Just like many gifted scorers in the NBA, Bizjack is very good at anticipating his next decisions based on his ability to get defenders out of balance. In the third play below, he moved toward the center of the perimeter, just to lure his opponent into pivoting with his left so Bizley could go right and explode to the rim. Advantage-creation where he banks on an opponent’s footwork mistake is how the European scorers-mentality is developed. And despite being born in Texas, Bizjack has many of the same level of European-styled fundamentals. In the last play below, we see Bizjack showing his two-handed finishing at the rim while giving another example of his hip fluidity and creativity as a scorer.
Defense
Pick-and-roll
Bizjack will earn a reputation as a feared pick-and-roll defender. He’s excellent and quickly sliding his feet, as his overall footwork is beyond his years. He’s tough as nails and shows it by fearlessly bumping his chest into scorers. Because he’s not stronger than most of his opponents, he can afford to play much harder and with intensity without committing fouls. He had a total of 14 fouls in 33 games this past season. And that’s a valuable number as his aggressiveness is not leading to his team going into foul trouble by the slightest.
In the first play below, the ball handler rejects the screen, mainly with Bizjack’s tagging and trying to slide between both the screener and the ball handler getting in his way. On top of that, he stays in front of his assignment by throwing his chest in every time the scorer tries to get separated before forcing the turnover near the baseline. This continues in the second possession, Bizjack shows his screen navigation by anticipating the incoming screener by placing one stop forward before diving between the screener and the ball handler. Despite the ball handler getting separated, Bizjack does well to follow his assignment to establish a paint presence.
The third play is where the strength-advantage is needed. The opposing big man doesn’t allow Bizjack to get to the line, using his arms in the process. The size difference is significant, but that doesn’t take away Bizjack wasn’t backing down from contact, and after struggling he still managed to get his hand up. The area of improvement in Bizjack’s screen navigation is to be a tad quicker here and potentially force the big man to a moving screen call. However, based on his toughness, recognition of the screen, and tagging, it’s feasible that further improvements will occur in his sophomore year.
Catch-and-drive
When evaluating Bizjack’s closeouts, it’s essential to keep in mind how well he’s moving off the ball. That’s the base of him keeping track of his assignment. In the first play below, we see that his footwork is the base for his last step. He’s aggressively pivoting his right before adjusting to his left, eventually decently contesting the midrange jumper. But more importantly, his avoidance of the pindown before the closeout is the level of focus that will make it easier for Bizjack to close out to the right assignments in the NBA.
The second play is another example. After a wide-open lane in the middle, Bizjack did well to offer timely help to close the lane. That forced the ball handler with the side pass to the elbow, whereafter Bizjack was a tad too late to cover his assignment, but yet again showed his gritty nature. The last step was a bit too far out, losing his balance before the ball handler eventually benefitted from the strong side.
The third possession shows a similar outing. The potential for the NBA is Bizjack’s split-second check on where he might need to help on the defensive end, before returning to focus on his assignment. This helps him to stay flexible and aware of his surroundings. In a faster-paced NBA game, defensive ratings are often been put under pressure by younger players that lack this understanding. Valuable intangibles as these make Bizjack potentially an above-average team defender in the future. The execution at the end by putting a hand in the shooter’s face while keeping track of his assignment is the reward for his hard work.
At the end of the day, Bizjack’s ability to get stops by not allowing ball handlers to get past him is what you look for with closeout defenders. On top of that, the last step is good for his age, making it more feasible that this will translate to the next level. The fourth and fifth plays summarize his toughness and ability to use his footwork, toughness, and grit to get stops by defending against closeout attackers.
Defending away from the ball
When it comes to defending against cutters, the aforementioned awareness makes it easier for Bizjack to focus on his assignment and how a play evolves. On top of that, Bizjack doesn’t just blindly rotate for the sake of it. Despite the outcome not being positive, he shows a strong understanding of the game by not taking over someone’s assignment without the need for it. The first play below is an example. Bizjack offers help after the entry pass gets to the big man, but knows he’s not in a good position if he fully takes over the assignment. Instead, his presence as a help defender puts pressure on the scorer to immediately make a decision, and that in itself is valuable as well.
The second play below leads to a backdoor cut with Bizjack being forced to cover the space on the weak side. Responding to his opponent’s motion forced him to forget about the ball handler for a second, but the disadvantage here is that it’s tougher for Bizjack to see when the pass will occur. This led to Bizjack correcting his backdoor cutter getting free as good as he could, by throwing in doubles underneath the basket. He will get backdoored in the NBA. That happens to everyone. But it’s all about how you respond. The best possible thing is to double hard or to rotate correctly and trust the team's defense to pick up for the mistakes.
Another good habit is Bizjack not being too responsive. In a faster NBA game, it’s more likely we’ll see transition offense compared to a more half-court-focused collegiate basketball game. In the third play below, Bizjack does well to meet the ball handler on the perimeter, rather than responsively keep moving back in the interior until he finds himself near the basket. He has an approach to letting his opponents always beat him off the dribble. And that’s giving Bizjack the comfort of leaning on his top-notch understanding of the game, quick decision-making, and a clear good feel for the game.
Catch-and-shoot
To follow up on Bizjack’s defense away from the ball and to close out against catch-and-drive opponents, his ability to guard against spot-up shooters is yet again way above average for his age. His good understanding of timely helping other teammates translates to his defense against spot-up shooters. In the first play below, Bizjack keeps the corner shooter on enough distance where he can timely close out before helping to bother the forward that’s preparing for the entry pass to post up. With the ball handler moving to the interior himself, Bizjack is successfully covering the strong side. That makes his transition to respond to the kick-out pass much easier. The first two plays are examples.
However, with too much motion around him, Bizjack looked confused in the second play below, as his instincts told him to move together with the relocating opponent near the low-post area. The easiest way to maintain composure in situations like these is to stick to his area and trust opponents with the help defense they’ll provide. Regardless, it was good to see Bizjack not needing much time to recognize his assignment again, with him trying to close out on an open three that was perhaps too open for the shooter after the airball, as shown in the third play below.
In the last play below, Bizjack was caught sleeping, with his opponent relocating to the corner in the baseline out-of-bounds play. But that happens from time to time. These plays are essential to remind us that improvement starts in the NBA, and teams will never draft a ready product that will always offer the same things at the next level. Considering the total impact of his defense in terms of habits, toughness, and decision-making based on his feel for the game, mistakes like these are acceptable.
NBA Draft Projection
Based on the strengths and areas of development mentioned in this scouting report, I project Finley Bizjack to be a potential first-rounder in the 2026 NBA Draft, with the addition of him testing the waters before the 2025 NBA Draft.
His limited role at Butler makes him an under-discussed prospect. Regardless, seeing past the numbers and limited minutes while focusing on the flashes gives us a legitimate complementary guard that can be in the NBA for many years to come.
His toughness, feel for the game, footwork, and overall defensive potential are fueled by Bizjack getting stronger as a freshman while continuing to fill his frame. His craft, change of pace, and touch around the rim make him a sufficient self-creating scorer who will have to earn more ball touches by being a consistent shooter and scorer out of closeouts.
The untapped potential is there as a passer, playmaker, and pick-and-roll defender. If the scouting report mentioned, that areas of development improve as a sophomore, Bizjack will have more and more fans in NBA front offices.
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