Aaron Nkrumah is a right-handed shooting guard whose defense is the calling card. Nkrumah averaged 17.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.8 steals per game at Tennessee State. His 2.8 steals per game ranked second in the entire NCAA, and he was named the 2025-26 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year. At 6'5" with a 6'10.25" wingspan and 189 pounds, Nkrumah has excellent length for a shooting guard. His length is close enough that he can probably play some small forward if he adds weight, but the better way to gain an advantage is using him as a long two. He led the OVC in box score plus/minus and posted a plus 4.5 DDiff, which is a great number for a guard. Nkrumah made 35.1% from three-point range and 78.6% from the free throw line. He draws fouls often, though he had trouble finishing at the rim against a lower level of NCAA competition. Tennessee State played the 312th-ranked schedule by KenPom.com, so the level of competition has to be part of the evaluation. His 1.28-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio was positive, but not a major selling point. The athletic testing supports the defensive profile. Nkrumah posted a lightning-fast 2.48 second shuttle run, the fastest time at the NBA Draft Combine by a wide margin. He jumped a 35" max vertical. The quickness, length, steal production, and defensive impact are real. We love Nkrumah’s defensive ability and impact. We think he will be drafted late in round two. Ultimately, we view Nkrumah as a potential deep-bench shooting guard in the NBA.
