Alijah Martin Scouting Deepdive
Florida's Alijah Martin showcased elite flashes on college basketball's biggest stage, now he's one of the biggest risers of the 2025 NBA Draft class.
Some prospects are simply so productive that they defy traditional belief of what it takes to get drafted into the NBA. This is the case for Florida’s Alijah Martin, who despite often playing the role of a 6’2” wing for the Gators this year, has proven himself worthy of a next level opportunity. The hyper-athletic all-around contributor played just about every role for the Gators this season, cementing himself as a versatile option for any professional organization looking for immediate impact. However, his name wasn’t circulating around most NBA Draft circles until he showcased elite flashes throughout the SEC and NCAA tournaments, flashes that suggest the 23-year-old may still have some development left in the tank.
Player Profile:
Alijah Martin is a 6’2” and 210lb combo guard from Summit, Mississippi who attended North Pike High School for his prep career. He was unranked out of high school but actually achieved three-star status for football. Instead of pursuing a football career he decided to take his basketball talents to FAU, where he played sparingly as a freshman. He took a major leap during his sophomore campaign with the Owls, starting in all 33 of the team’s games and improving in nearly every metric.
The 2022-23 season is when Martin first truly emerged on the scene, as he helped lead FAU on a Cinderella run to the Final Four. That season he posted averages of 13.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1 steal, and .3 blocks per game on shooting splits of 43.8% from the field, 37.2% from beyond the arc, and 78.8% from the free-throw line. Following that historic run, he, in addition to most other pivotal contributors, decided to return to FAU in hopes of extending their success. However, despite another solid statistical season for Martin, the Owls would fall in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Northwestern. This disappointing end to his senior year would lead Martin to enter the transfer portal as a graduate student, which would see him end up committing to the Florida Gators and head coach Todd Golden.
It soon became clear that Martin’s move to Florida was one of the best decisions of the college offseason, as he quickly emerged as one of the best players on one of the best teams in the nation. Throughout his lone year with the Gators, he averaged 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and .2 blocks per game on splits of 45.2% from the field, 35% from the three-point line, and 76.1% from the charity stripe. He would help lead the Gators to a 36-4 record, an SEC championship, and eventually a national championship. Now, he enters his name into the NBA Draft as one of the bigger postseason risers with hopes to continue his career at the next level.
Interior Scoring:
While Martin does possess a three-level scoring arsenal, I’d argue he’s at his best when attacking the rim. This is the case mostly because of his athletic prowess, as his interior scoring is predicated on his ability to soar above and jump through opponents. He plays far bigger than 6’2” when operating under-, around-, and above-the-rim, primarily because of his pro-ready physique and strength. In addition to his standout athletic and physical profiles (besides his height, which is admittedly below average for his role) he possesses the finishing feel necessary to convert on tough looks from any angle. So, we know why he’s such a skilled interior scorer once he reaches the hoop, but how exactly does he generate these attempts in the first place?
While he wasn’t the first on-ball scoring option for Florida this year, we still saw a ton of self-creation flashes from him reminiscent of his time at FAU. If he didn’t share the court with a player like Walter Clayton Jr, he probably would have shouldered more creation responsibilities, but I actually found that his role this year was more conducive to not only his personal success but also that of his team. That said, when he was asked to create his own offense on the drive, he was more than willing to do so. Martin has a tight handle with a surprisingly deep bag of dribble moves. He possesses impressive first-step acceleration and he’s able to maintain this speed all the way to the hoop. Finally, to create a little extra space and to slow down his defender, he will throw a heavy shoulder into the chest of his opponent on the drive. These skills create an intriguing dribble-drive arsenal and allowed Martin to find a ton of success on these possessions throughout the year.
With that said, Martin was probably more successful as an off-ball at-the-rim scorer this season, which just so happened to be the role he played most often. The bridge between his on- and off-ball games is his ability to drive off the catch, a scaled down version of his dribble-drive game. In these situations, he often finds himself receiving a pass against a weakened defense, as his ability to knock down the outside shot forces defenders to aggressively closeout on him. It’s far easier for him to penetrate the paint in these scenarios than when he must beat a defender off the dribble, making him far more efficient on these attempts.
When he operates as an off-ball agent, cutting and slashing to the rim without the ball, Martin puts his elite athleticism to good use. One could argue that this is where he’s at his absolute best, as he’s able to scale his game down to only the most effective elements. Points on the board are almost guaranteed once he beats his man in these situations, as he rarely fails to convert at the rim against the subsequently weakened defense. He will likely be primarily utilized as an off-ball slasher when he reaches the professional level, offering a relief option alongside a more talented playmaker in the backcourt.
As I’m sure you could have guessed, he’s utterly unstoppable in the open court. This is where he best showcases his otherworldly athleticism. He doesn’t see a ton of these opportunities, but they happen often enough to be a legitimate element of his game. These scenarios often served as major momentum shifts for Florida; a team that maintained the up-tempo pace necessary to generate these types of plays. Martin could play a major role for a professional organization who wants to run the ball, finish above the rim, and shoot a ton of threes.
Mid-Range Scoring:
It’s true that most of Martin’s scoring output comes from around-the-rim and beyond the arc offense. That said, I was pleasantly surprised throughout my film deepdive by just how effective he is from the mid-range. Not only does he have a strong traditional jump shot from this range, but he also possesses diverse soft touch shot making abilities. All in all, he does just enough from this range to maintain offensive unpredictability while never attempting to operate beyond his means.
Most of his mid-range jump shots are turnaround jumpers, usually occurring after he’s already driven far enough into the paint that his defender simply assumes he’ll attack the rim. Instead, he’s able to pivot, build a strong base on either one or both feet, and go up for a somewhat uncontested look with smooth mechanics. He also regularly attempts pull-up and step-back jumpers. His shooting skills from this range will almost certainly translate to the next level to some extent but will probably only truly shine if he plays an on-ball role. More than likely, that’s not the role he will play, so this aspect of his game may eventually become an afterthought relative to the rest of his abilities.
The part of his in-between game that will most likely translate to higher levels of the sport is his soft touch shot making. Martin possesses a wide array of floaters, push shots, and baby hooks that I believe will fare better within a potential off-ball role. The possessions that result in these attempts resemble the ones that result in efficient at-the-rim offense for him, the usual difference being a competent defensive effort from an opponent. He has very strong feel on these shots, feel that I think will not only carry him from this range but also in his development as an outside shooter in the future. In short, Martin’s mid-range game perfectly complements all other elements of his offensive arsenal without ever being a burden to him or his team.
Outside Shooting:
Martin isn’t an elite outside shooter, but he’s a very capable one who attempts a myriad of different shots from beyond the arc. His shot volume from long range has remained relatively consistent throughout his entire career (around 6 threes per game). However, this year in a Florida offensive scheme that heavily relies on the outside shot, Martin found himself taking more difficult shots at times simply because the offense called for more threes overall. In addition to that, for the first time in his career, he was matching up against SEC defenders rather than AAC defenders. So, while his 35% from beyond the arc isn’t incredibly enticing, his shot diet and level of difficulty this season was far different than in past years.
His outside shooting game becomes intriguing when you actually watch him play and stop relying so heavily on the stat sheet. This season, he made major developments as an on-ball outside shot creator simply because the offense called for it. This is probably where I appreciate his on-ball juice the most, because he’s able to create these shots without having the ball in his hands for long periods of time. So, while I don’t consider Martin to be an elite outside shooting prospect, I do think his percentage from this range is slightly negatively skewed and that his ceiling in this department is probably higher than you’d expect it to be.
Florida’s offense heavily relied on off-ball movement and handoffs from big men to guards around the perimeter, allowing them to switch onto slower footed defenders. Because of this scheme, Martin attempted a ton of threes off handoffs, a skill that he became more and more proficient in as the season went along. He’s also solid as a catch-and-shoot agent in both standstill and movement situations. He’s very good at squaring his feet up to the rim while maintaining his rhythm and he tends to maintain consistent mechanics. Overall, I’m more confident with his off-ball translation to the next level than his on-ball translation, which seems to be a running theme.
Passing & Playmaking:
Perhaps the most underrated element of Martin’s game is his passing and ability to play make for others. This is where I believe he contributes the most as an on-ball operative, and while I don’t think he has legitimate point guard chops, I see a very strong secondary playmaking role in his future. His ability to drive into the paint, slither into strong court position, collapse defenses, and find open shooters along the perimeter is very enticing. When he operated beyond the arc this season, he found success delivering entry passes to members of Florida’s talented frontcourt rotation. His newfound role on the Gators saw him make a small jump in assist output while remaining stagnant from a turnover perspective.
Martin is an incredibly composed passer, seemingly always making the correct play and rarely attempting a risky pass. On his drives, instead of throwing high-speed one-handed passes on the move, he sets up a strong base that he can pivot on before throwing a two-handed chest pass into his teammate’s shooting pocket. His passing game lacks any real flashy elements, and while that may cause his playmaking to fly under the radar, I doubt teams are upset about a guy who prefers to make safe plays. This element of his game was incredibly useful in Florida’s potent inside-out offense, a system that directly mimics NBA-style offenses. Because of this, I expect these skills to immediately translate to the next level barring him landing on a team that doesn’t use a modern offense.
Everything that makes Martin a great passer out of the post also applies to his ability to find teammates in the interior. He maintains a strong base and delivers passes right where they need to be. I would argue that he is slightly more unpredictable in this department, as he’s more likely to pass to a moving teammate rather than one standing still beyond the arc. As I mentioned, the Florida frontcourt rotation is very talented, and Martin playing alongside those guys is going to directly translate to playing with elite professional big men in the future. If I had to pick an area where Martin could make a major leap at some point in his career, it would be his passing and overall playmaking. If he were to make this leap, I am confident enough in his handle to project him developing into a real point guard. Like I said, I don’t think he has elite floor general chops, but his scoring is so real that I think he could become a legitimate score-first lead guard.
Defense:
Here is where things start to get strange for Martin. You would expect a player with his athletic profile, strong frame, experience, and overall feel for the game to be a very good defender, but I wasn’t wildly impressed with what I saw from him on my deepdive. Sure, he generates a solid number of steals, and when he does so he usually immediately turns them into high flying dunks on the other end, but he has a ton of flaws on this side of the court. The good news? I found that every negative thing I was seeing seemed to be the result of a lack of effort or a lack of attention. When he was fully locked in on not only what was going on in front of him, but also all around him, I thought he looked solid. This is why he made a defensive leap in the postseason. Let’s look at what he does well, and I will continue to build on what he needs to do to improve going forward.
Most of Martin’s steals are generated away from the ball, but I actually think he’s a better overall defender when he’s on the ball. Why? Because he’s forced to remain attentive and actively give effort. When he’s truly locked in, he’s incredibly difficult to beat off the dribble. He’s a good lateral mover, but it's his wide frame and active hands that make him a nightmare in these situations. I really do believe that he has elite defensive potential if he can fix his effort and attention issues, and I believe this to be most evident in on-ball situations.
As I mentioned, most of his steals are generated when he’s working away from the ball. In these situations, all he has to do is maintain active hands and find strong court position. He doesn’t have to be the defensive stopper that he’s asked to be when he’s working as a primary defender. However, this is also where he fails the most as a defender, regularly losing track of his man and allowing opponents easy offense on cuts and wide open outside shots. When considering this season alone, I’m not convinced that the good he did as a passing lane agent made up for the amount of easy offense he allowed. That said, effort and attention issues are easy to fix, and if he wants to succeed as a professional defender, he will have to fix them quickly.
While I am aware that Martin is only 6’2” and that we shouldn’t expect him to come up with a ton of blocks, I just can’t shake the idea that we should have seen more help side contests from him this season. He’s simply too athletic to only come up with a block every few games. I don’t expect him to be an otherworldly shot blocker by any means, but if there were any 6’2” player who were going to block a ton of shots it should be Martin. I attribute this lack of consistent at-the-rim help defense once again to his lack of attentiveness and effort. On most plays, he would rather stay put on the perimeter rather than drifting to help inside. Like I said, if he wants to be a difference maker on the defensive end in the future, he’s going to have to give it his all at all times. As of today, I can’t confidently say that I expect him to do that.
Summary:
Before I summarize Martin’s game, I want to list out any and all of his weaknesses and flaws. I include this disclaimer in every scouting deepdive I write, but it’s important to note that every player has a long list of weaknesses. There’s nothing wrong with having flaws as long as you constantly work to improve them. This is a philosophy that the best players in the world subscribe to, and if more players did the same, we would see a higher success rate at every level.
Physically, Martin is on the shorter side for his role, standing at 6’2”. For large portions of the season, he played more like a wing than a guard, which is simply not going to work for him at the professional level.
While his handle is snappy and I do think it will work at the next level, he does struggle with dribbling in place and not achieving anything pretty regularly. He needs to learn to be more intentional with his handle.
For someone who is so strong, athletic, and a good around-the-rim finisher, he does avoid a lot of contact on his interior attempts. He only shoots 3.1 free-throws per game, a number that doesn’t jump off the stat sheet as a contact magnet.
Going forward, he should probably rely less on turnaround and step-back mid-range jump shots and more on traditional pull-ups and floaters. This would lead to a more efficient product and would better tie his all-around offensive game together.
His outside shooting still needs quite a bit of work before he’s ready to convert long range attempts at an above-average clip at the professional level. He needs to build some fluidity into his mechanics. That said, I think a consistent shooting role will work wonders for him.
I’d like to see him focus on developing as a passer and all-around playmaker for others to slowly turn into a point guard. This would make his height less of a concern. This may mean less scoring and greater attention to passing, but that’s probably a worthwhile tradeoff.
Defensively, almost all of his issues are the result of a lack of effort, attention, an awareness. He regularly spaces out and allows his opponents to cut behind him for easy points at the rim or across the court for open threes. This is, obviously, an easy mental fix.
If you’ve read any of my deepdives before, you will probably notice that Martin has a remarkably short list of weaknesses. This fact directly correlates with just how pro-ready I believe Alijah Martin is. He’s a 6’2” combo guard who prefers to play like a wing but can also moonlight as a point guard. This versatility is supported by his elite athleticism and incredible strength, despite him being on the shorter side. He proved this to be the case this season, as his jump from AAC contending FAU to national championship winning Florida didn’t limit his output but actually improved it. This proves that his game is strengthened when surrounded by better players, both on his own team and his opponent’s. I expect this growth to continue once he makes the jump to the professional level.
He will be one of the older players in the 2025 NBA Draft class, sitting at 23 on draft night and turning 24 during the season. He’s not a guy that an organization should expect to turn into an all-star talent, as most of his development has already occurred at the collegiate level. That said, guys as athletic, strong, and talented as Martin tend to stick around in the league as productive role players. Any team that is on the verge of competing for a championship and would like to add an immediate contributing guard out of this year’s draft should seriously consider selecting Martin. Or perhaps a team is incredibly young and wants to add a player who will immediately raise their floor on a cheaper contract; they should look Martin’s way. I’m just not sure you can go wrong with this guy, especially if your development staff is able to polish his outside shooting, passing, and defense. All in all, I expect him to be selected in the second-round this summer, and this time next year we’ll be asking ourselves why he wasn’t selected earlier.