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Strengths

• Has excellent size for a hybrid wing. Listed at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds with a wingspan that reaches 7 feet. Fluid athlete who plays at different speeds, handles the ball well, and plays a highly physical style. Can easily shoot over smaller guards and is strong enough to absorb contact from bigger defenders in the paint.

• Outstanding physical tools defensively that allow him to cover guards, wings, and bigs. Has excellent timing, feel, and intensity. Likes to crash the glass aggressively and immediately ignite the fast break on his own. Competitive and deeply attentive off the ball.

• Highly polished three-level scorer who confidently knocks down pull-up jumpers from midrange and beyond the arc. Possesses an elite work ethic with his coaches added.

Improvement areas

• Lacks experience against NBA-level physicality and speed. Will need to prove his overseas dominance can translate immediately against grown men in the league.

• Can sometimes over-rely on his raw athleticism to bail him out of broken plays rather than resetting the offense.

• Mentality needs to be evaluated at NBA level atmosphere, can his dominance translate to winning?

Projected role: Elite Two-Way Franchise Cornerstone

--Jonathan Givony

Post-Draft Analysis

Tension between the front office and ownership regarding LeBron James’s closing championship window was eased significantly in landing the No. 1 pick, but may still bubble up down the road if the team doesn’t show immediate progress. The Lakers were said to be exploring several potential blockbuster trade scenarios in recent weeks to acquire a veteran star, but ultimately decided to stand pat and committed to Y/N Choi on draft night.

Choi is an absolutely ideal fit on paper for a battered Los Angeles roster desperately in need of youth, spacing, and perimeter defense. He is widely viewed as the best overall prospect in the draft and brings the type of shot-making, defensive versatility, and feel that will allow him to play in many different lineup configurations—anywhere from point guard to power forward. He emerged as one of the most clutch players overseas, taking over games with several memorable second-half performances that cemented his standing as the type of big, versatile, multi-positional playmaker that every NBA team covets in the modern game.

 -- Jonathan Givony

Replies:

Lakers Empire @LakersEmpire • 5m

LeGM strikes again! LETS GO LAKERS 🟣🟡

Hater @hoops_burner23 • 6m

Bro’s gonna be a bum lmao, bet you 10 dollars 1st game he’ll get posterized

K-Pop & Hoops @jennifer_k01 • 7m

Please take good care of our Y/N, LeBron!! The whole country is cheering for you both! ✨💜💛 #KoreasPride #Lakers

Luckyvicky @V1ckyyy • 1m

Congratulations.

Trending in South Korea:

1. #YN_Lakers

2. #NBA_Draft2021

3. 자랑스러운_최YN (Proud of Choi Y/N)

[HOT] LAKERS NO. 1 PICK Y/N CHOI ESPN INTERVIEW REACTION Views: 850,214 | Comments: 4,102

Anonymous 1: I’m actually crying watching that interview. He spoke Korean directly to the camera on global television! Our boy made it to the top! 😭😭🇰🇷

Anonymous 2: He is so fine though?? That comma hair and the purple hat suit him so perfectly.

Anonymous 3: Did anyone else notice he completely abandoned his mom at the table to do the ESPN interview? LOL he had to sprint back downstairs to hug her! 😂

Anonymous 4: He said he wants to win a ring with LeBron... the confidence is insane. Looks like I’ll be waking up at 4 AM every day to watch his games this season.