Date | League | Transaction |
---|---|---|
27th July, 2015 | Germany | Signed a one year contract with Gladiators Trier. |
13th July, 2016 | Germany | Signed a one year contract with Hamburg Towers. |
12th July, 2017 | Germany | Signed another one year contract with Hamburg Towers. |
2006 - 2010 | Urspringschule (Germany, Regionalliga/ProB) |
2010 - 2012 | San Francisco (NCAA) |
2012 - 2015 | Florida Atlantic (NCAA) |
July 2015 - June 2016 | Gladiators Trier (Germany, ProA) |
July 2016 - present | Hamburg Towers (Germany, ProA) |
June 18, 2015
Justin Raffington
Transferring from San Francisco, where he was little used, Raffington spent two years at Florida Atlantic to give himself an opportunity to play. And play he did, averaging as near as is 30 minutes a game as an upper classman.
In that time, Raffington showed some clear strengths and weaknesses. His biggest problem is one of size, for the 6'9" 255lb Raffington has chosen the only job in which he can ever be considered small. Decently athletic, though not the hugest leaper or laterally fast, Raffington has a power forward's size in a hybrid's game, one he is trying to take to the perimeter but which he has yet to do so. Raffington often employs a jumpshot with a very slow release (and with a tendency to needlessly fall away on), which he has long since utilised from the mid-range area but which he is trying to expand to three point range. His 21.7% three point shooting as a senior is a testament to the fact that there's a way to go in this department.
Also getting his fair share of post touches, Raffington had some success at this level, able to get position and finish with a righty hook shot against those of the same size as he. He struggles when challenged by shot blocking length or true size, though, and doesn't have the core strength to finish through contact, nor get position all that easily in the first place. Not showing much by way of a left hand at all, Raffington has some finesse to his game, utilising reverses, drop steps and spin moves, but can be a bit predictable in the post and rather predetermines his moves.
Raffington's passing game is a mixed bag - willing to pass, and capable at times of both kicking out of the basket area and hitting those cutting into it, Raffington also throws more than his fair share of lazy, pickoffable passes, and struggles with double teams down low to the tune of 2.3 turnovers per game. He does not play with enough urgency of the offensive end at times, and can find trouble by not reading defensive rotations. Raffington runs the court fairly well, but handles the ball little, something he will ideally have to develop if he is to continue adjusting his game to becoming that of a perimeter player. When he does put the ball down in the post, he is all too easily stripped. Stopping shooting on the way down would also help.
Defensively, Raffington's lack of core strength is again a problem, as is his lateral foot speed. Struggling in switches or when defending perimeter bigs . Where he does better is around the basket, where his decent wingspan, leaping ability and recovery speed make him a bit of a shot blocking presence around the rim. Just as speed, strength and length frustrate him on the offensive end, so do they on the defensive end, but this shot blocking along with a decent work rate on the defensive glass and a desire to box out to make at least some impact on that end.
Presumably, Raffington will be headed back to his native Germany to play a pro career. That's where he was before college, that's where his brother Jermain just retired from a multi-year career, and that's where his passport comes in especially handy. He is capable of a multi-year German career. But like Jermain, it might be on the fringes of the Bundesliga, more likely ProA.