Get to Know Mike Foster Jr.
Get to Know Mike Foster Jr.
Prospect Overview
Aggressive scoring forward who made strides with his conditioning and as a rebounder in the G League Ignite program.
About Michael Foster Jr.
Michael Foster Jr. is a strong forward who flashed the ability to score from all three levels and showed improvement as a rebounder and defender in the G League. Emerging as a highly regarded prospect early in his high school career, the Milwaukee native finished his senior year at Hillcrest Prep (AZ) ranked among the consensus top-25 prospects in the class of 2021. Opting to join the G League Ignite program and play under Head Coach Jason Hart, the 19-year-old averaged 15.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2 blocks over 30.5 minutes per game.
• Measured standing 6’9.25 in shoes with a trimmed-down 237-pound frame and a 7’0.25 wingspan, Foster has solid size a forward, can power up and play above the rim on the move, and competed with more consistent energy this season than he had in the past.
• Looking to score aggressively from the inside and out, Foster got touches in the post, as a roll man, popping to the perimeter, crashing the glass, and running rim-to-rim this season. Showing some instincts but also forcing the issue at times hunting shots, he showed the ability to earn some easy lobs by staying active, used his frame well around the rim, made some turnaround jumpers and pull-ups in the midrange, and even knocked down several three-point attempts over the course of the year. He has room to improve his jump shot and pick and choose his spots more effectively, but had several very productive games when defenses prioritized stopping the Ignite’s guards.
• Making a much steadier effort to compete on the glass and challenge shots as a rim protector than he did at the prep level, Foster took a leap defensively this year. He is not overly long to erase mistakes inside or mobile to thrive switching on the perimeter, but was more active throwing his weight around and using his physicality to his advantage.
Advanced Stats
• Scoring prolifically in spurts this season, Foster’s combination of energy, instincts, and aggressiveness paid dividends at times when he could find opportunities consistently around the rim. He remains a bit ambitious with his jumper when looking to create in the mid-post as his floor game remains a work in progress and limits his efficiency at times.
• Scoring 1.25 points per finishing opportunity [78th percentile], Foster showed the ability to play above the rim with room to gather, a desire to run the floor to earn easy looks in transition, good timing pursuing put backs, and some ability to use his frame to play through contact. Finding mixed results finishing in traffic, he still has room to slow down and draw fouls more effectively in spots, but more than held his own inside in his first season at the professional level.
• With jumpers accounting for nearly a third of his shot attempts, he averaged 0.71 points per jump shot in the half court [14th percentile]. Showing nice touch on his turnaround jumper in the post and looking confident stepping into open pick and pop threes, his assertiveness from the midrange played against him some nights. He is pretty comfortable putting the ball on the floor, but was more effective using that to his advantage in transition than in the half court as he had a hard time getting pull-up jumpers to fall.
• Struggling with turnovers but also flashing some ability as a passer on occasion, Foster has room to improve as a decision-maker and shooter, but made some encouraging strides this season even if he had his share of ups and downs.
Defensive Analysis
• Looking like a different player than he had at points early in his career on the defensive end, Foster found a sense of urgency he lacked prior to this year. Able to block some shots with good timing and rebound his area effectively as a result, he held his own for long stretches on the defensive end. He may not have elite length or mobility, but exceeded expectations this season.
• Allowing 0.67 points per one-on-one possession [70th percentile], Foster managed many matchups well but gave up size in some when playing center and could not always keep opposing guards out of the lane.
— Profile by Synergy Sports
