With a number of top tier players like Jared Sullinger, Perry Jones, and Harrison Barnes pledging to return to school for their sophomore seasons, the 2011 NBA Draft has decidedly gotten weaker. This year’s field may be one of the least potent in recent memory, going back to the rather forgettable 2000 Draft which featured Kenyon Martin, Stromile Swift, and Darius Miles as the Top 3 selections.
While the latter parts of the 1st Round and into the 2nd Round may not feature a plethora of game-changing players, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t some potential All Star caliber ballers in waiting. One area that is lacking in the modern NBA is a true Center. This year teams are in luck as the college and international ranks are loaded with players measuring 6’10 and taller, making them prime candidates for the Center position. First up was the PG’s, followed by the top SG’s, then the SF’s, followed by the PF’s, and now lastly the Center prospects:
Top 10 Center Prospects
1) Enes Kantner, Kentucky
6‘11 260lbs Freshman
34Pts – 13 Rebounds(2010 Nike Hoop Summit)
Projection – Top 5 Picks
Enes has impressed scouts just by simply being at the NBA Draft Combine. With little upside to attending, Enes has actually increased his stock by out-measuring and out-performing almost everyone in his group. He measured at an impressive 6’11 and 260 pounds, with an incredibly solid 5.9% body fat, numbers that indicate he has adequate size to play Center at the next level. He has showed better than expected athleticism and actually tested out better that last year’s top bigs DeMarcus Cousins and Greg Monroe in agility and strength tests. He posted an ideal 14 reps on the bench and his 11.3 lane agility score shows he has above average mobility to defend the post. Enes is a Top 5 lock and is even getting some consideration at pick #2 if Derrick Williams somehow gets taken at #1.
Comparison: Mehmet Okur
2) Jonas Valanciunas, Lithuania
6‘11 240lbs International
7.6 ppg, 5.4 reb, 0.6 blk, .700 FG%, .917 FT%(EuroLeague)
Projection – Top 10 Picks
At only 18 years of age, Jonas was the perfect compliment to Donatas Motiejunas on the Lithuanian National Team this past Summer. Although still considered a raw talent, he has an incredible wingspan(7’6) that makes him very difficult to defend on the offensive end. Right now he is clearly a low block player with range on his jumper extending only to about 10-12 feet, but is reportedly a tireless competitor who ranks among the most improved players in all of Europe over the past 2 seasons. Jonas has a motor that doesn’t quit, runs the floor like a gazelle, and is an outstanding offensive rebounder. He still needs to improve strength and conditioning to compete against NBA bigs but has unlimited potential.
Comparison: Andris Biedrins
3) Bismack Biyombo, Congo
6‘9 245lbs International
6.4 ppg, 5.1 reb, 2.3 blk, .561 FG%, .553 FT%
Projection – Top 15 Picks
Prior to this year’s Nike Hoop Summit, not many fans outside of the Spanish Leagues in Europe had heard of the 18 year old native of the Congo. But after blocking 10 shots and registering the Hoop Summit’s first ever triple-double, against USA’s best HS Players I might add, NBA GM’s are slobbering over his amazing talent and athleticism. He already has an NBA sized body and may already be as fast as anyone running the floor at his position. Despite being a dominating and intimidating force on defense, his offensive game is very raw. There are also questions about his actual age as some insist he has the body of a grown man rather than that of a teenager.
Comparison: Serge Ibaka/Sam Dalembert
4) Nicola Vucevic, USC
7’0 260lbs Junior
17.1 ppg, 10.3 reb, 1.4 blk, 1.6 ast, .505 FG%, .349 3PT%, .755 FT%
Projection – Late 1st Round
While not many fans on the East Coast have seen him in action during the season, the promising big man has an impressive inside out game and a surprising mobility that bodes well in the pick-and-roll heavy NBA. After measuring out a legit 6’11 and 3/4 in shoes, with a 7’4 wingspan, and the tallest standing reach(9’4) out of his group, Vucevic seems poised to burst into the late 1st Round after not getting much love immediately after the season. NBA GM’s are enamored with great shooting big men and Vucevic is actually more of a safe pick than some of the other European bigs who didn’t have the exposure of playing against top competition in college. After possibly not being selected entirely, Vucevic is now looked at as a late 1st Round selection.
Comparison: Brad Miller
5) Jeremy Tyler, Tokyo Apache
6‘11 260lbs International
Japanese Leagues
Projection – Late 1st Round
Although his skipping some time in HS to play overseas experiment has to be considered a disaster, he did get some valuable time against legit pro players in Europe and Japan. The former #1 rated HS player is still a project at this point but measuring out at nearly 7 feet, and possessing an amazing 7’5 wingspan, tops among all players, all in a surprisingly mobile body is a rare combination that some GM’s will clamor for. Despite having only a decent 33 inch vertical, he ranked among the Top 3 in maximum jump(12‘0) and benched 185lbs an above average 10 times. To this point he’s primarily a low block player but shows promise on an improving midrange jumper and could develop into a dominating PF/C for years to come. According to most mocks, Tyler is a legit late 1st Round pick, considering his immense size and potential, and that he is still just 19 years of age.
Comparison: Andrew Bynum
6) Jordan Williams, Maryland
6‘9 250lbs Sophomore
16.9 ppg, 11.8 reb, 1.4 blk, .538 FG%, ..575 FT%
Projection – Late 1st Round to Early 2nd Round
In his two seasons under coach Williams, Jordan has developed into a beast down low as he led the ACC in rebounding(12 rebs) to go along with nearly 17 ppg. His stock is skyrocketing after averaging 14.5 rebounds in the ACC Tournament and may be a sure fire 1st Round lock by the time the actual draft comes in June. Because of his powerful, low block skills, and elite rebounding prowess, Williams may be a key piece in filling a NBA club’s void up front. He has a unique skill set in that he has tremendous power in the paint yet has a soft feathery touch out to 15-18 feet. Another year in college could have made him a Lottery pick.
Comparison: DeJuan Blair
7) Keith Benson, Oakland
6‘11 220lbs Senior
17.9 ppg, 10.1 reb, 3.6 blk, 1.1 ast, .547 FG%, .643 FT%
Projection – Mid 2nd Round
Despite playing for a small school Benson has prototypical size, including some gigantic hands and a huge wingspan(7‘4), to be a very productive NBA player. With that being said he is a rarity in that he is still very raw in his overall development despite already being 22 years old with 5 years of NCAA experience. At this point he’s more of a finesse player than low post banger because of weighing barely 220lbs. He has nice touch on his jumper which projects well as a pick and pop player. Benson still uses his outstanding athleticism rather than technique to be an above average rebounder and proved to be a prolific shot-blocker at Oakland. With an additional 20 lbs of added weight, Benson could be a sleeper because of his tremendous athletic ability.
Comparison: Marcus Camby
8) Lucas Noguiera, Brazil
7‘0 225lbs International
18 Years Old
Projection – Late 2nd Round to Undrafted
As a long lengthy 7 footer with potential, Noguiera has been a bit of a mystery after shining in the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit but struggling against American competition in this year’s event. He has a tremendous upside as an already legit 7 footer with an outstanding motor and athletic ability. At this point he is a better athlete than ball player. He is an outstanding shot blocker and offensive rebounder but needs to add strength to compete against NBA bigs. He has excellent footwork and technique but still gets pushed around by smaller frontcourt players. Especially since not much is known by scouts Noguiera may be selected as a project player to be stashed overseas until he adds weight and further develops.
Update: Noguiera has decided to withdraw from the NBA Draft
Comparison: Nene
9) Michael Dunigan, Estonia
6‘10 240lbs International
9 ppg, 4.9 reb, 1.3 blk, .554 FG%(‘09-’10 at Oregon)
Projection – Late 2nd Round to Undrafted
After being an overweight disappointing prospect in his 2 season playing at the University of Oregon, Dunigan has worked hard to make himself into a legitimate NBA prospect. Standing 6-10, with a massive frame, long arms, and decent athleticism, Dunigan passes the look test on first glance and then some. He’s a somewhat plodding, below the rim big man who is relatively mobile for his frame, but isn’t going to blow anyone away with his highlight reel tape. He has tremendous strength and is almost exclusively a low block player with average rebounding ability. He is an above average passer for the position and very quick feet but struggles defensively and has very little offensive focus besides jump hooks and tip-ins. Some GM’s may see Dunigan as a project big man in a half-court oriented offense because most of his issues are correctable. Remember, you can’t teach size.
Comparison: Aaron Gray
10) Greg Smith, Fresno State
6‘10 250lbs Sophomore
11.7 ppg, 8.1 reb, 1.1 blk, 1.7 ast, 1.1 stl, .577 FG%, .544 FT%
Projection – Late 2nd round to Undrafted
Possessing amazing size and the biggest hands of any player in this year’s Draft, Greg has a great future ahead of him. Using his immense size, he is an efficient post player but has alot of work to do on his jump-shot. Unfortunately, his motor still runs hot and cold, which leads to periods of ineffectiveness and invisibility on the offensive end. The same goes for his defensive presence as he has all the tools to be a big time pro player but tends to dissappear during games. Far too often, his man beats him with a simple fake or countermove and Smith is forced to foul to compensate for his poor effort. He has noticeably improved on the rebounding front but should be an even better board man considering his physical attributes. Think Randy Moss of hoops. Project player with intriguing upside as D-League player initially.
Comparison: Greg Monroe
Other Notables:
Josh Harrellson, Kentucky(6‘10, 280lbs,Senior) – Hard working big man who overcame lack of athleticism at NCAA’s highest level. Good rebounder and defender but struggles offensively. Excellent energetic back-up center prospect and fan favorite.
Gary McGhee, Pittsburgh(6’10, 260lbs, Senior) – Imposing physique, 7‘2 wingspan, hard working big man from top tier NCAA team. Very mobile, excellent rebounder, solid defender, very limited offensively. Excellent setting screens as energy guy off the bench.
Giorgi Shermadini, International(7‘1, 250lbs, International) – 21 year old raw player from Georgia, with above average offensive abilities ranging out to 3 point arc. Struggles with athleticism and rebounding but blocks average number of shots. NBA prospect with added weight.
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
