Raptors NBA Draft option at 39th overall: Ryan Nembhard

The following is part of Raptors Republic’s series of pieces previewing the 2025 NBA draft. You can find all the pieces in the series here.

Ryan Nembhard – 5’11 Point Guard – Gonzaga University – Age: 22

The Offence

Leading the NCAA in assists (that 4.0 AST/TO ratio is outrageous), there are little concerns about the Gonzaga senior’s playmaking ability. He controls the tempo of the offence with his split-second decision making and smart passes. Dominant in the PNR, Nembhard makes a lot of sense for NBA teams looking for a backup floor general. Nembhard is arguably the best pure point guard in the class, and can make every pass you can think off.

Nembhard has progressed as a shooter, though there’s a bit of a concern on whether or not his most recent season at Gonzaga was an outlier. In his first two years at Creighton and his junior season at Gonzaga, Nembhard averaged 33% from deep on only 3.7 attempts per game. The low volume of 2.7 attempts per game in his final season does not do a lot to dissuade the concerns of it being an outlier, but he’s at least shown the ability to hit some threes.

Nembhard is a solid finisher at the rim, and his ballhandling can allow him to get to the rim while not being the biggest or strongest player. His handle is slick, reactive, almost second nature, and he’s incredibly crafty. He graded out in the 99th percentile of PNR ball handling.

Great burst off the dribble and touch off the glass by Ryan Nembhard. His size puts up some limitations, but it also allows for great shin angles and agility on the move. pic.twitter.com/JahUHq2iRk

— Stone Hansen (@report_court) June 17, 2025

That said, he isn’t much of a scorer in general. He’s best used as a table-setter and as a result most of his scoring is low volume. It’s difficult to see a pathway for Nembhard as someone who puts the ball in the hoop, especially against NBA length and athleticism.

The Defence

His size is what it is, and unfortunately he’ll be targeted at the next level due to being a shorter guard. He plays with effort and has quick, active hands defensively, but that can only get him so far against opposing NBA offences. He competes, and that will get him on a roster, but will it be enough to keep him there?

Nembhard has made a point of trying to show NBA teams that he can still be a good defender in spite of his stature – his 1.7 steals per game during his senior year will show that he can interrupt passing lanes and break up plays quite well, though he will nonetheless find himself being used extremely situationally on the defensive end in the NBA. That’s fine, other small point guards have made it work in the past, but their successes have usually been accompanied by some sort of standout skill on the offensive end to keep them on the floor.

The Fit

Nembhard has worked out for the Raptors, so we know there’s some cursory interest. I think as third string point guard options go, there aren’t going to be many better options than Nembhard. Shead very clearly has the backup role locked up for the foreseeable future, but Nembhard would be a good insurance plan or emergency option as a playmaking savant – capable of controlling the tempo when the team really needs it.

Nembhard thrived when he was able to set up his teammates, especially when he was able to take advantage of their athleticism. Nembhard would have a few very capable options on the Raptors in that respect.

Expected Pick Range: 45-Undrafted. Nembhard has his fans, but he’s an older, shorter point guard who has mostly had buzz in the mid to late second round. If it’s looking like he’ll fall too far, he’ll likely tell teams to not draft him so he could choose his own destination as an undrafted free agent.

Brendan’s Big Board: It’s looking like I won’t have a numbered second round on my big board this year, as the talent gets incredibly flat near the end of the first round and the hits become more reliant on fitting in good situations. I think I would grade Nembhard out as a guy in the mid to late 30’s, but that doesn’t mean I would take him there. I like Nembhard as a point guard option in the second round, I just think there’s going to be better value players on the board at 39. I wouldn’t be opposed to buying another pick and taking him, but in a range that makes sense (starting in the mid 40’s). Despite the size concerns, he makes winning plays, is clearly a dominant playmaker, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he sticks around in the NBA.

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