A player finally knows he’s of elite status when he gets compared to his All Star and POY predecessors, which is precisely the case of incoming Baylor Bears freshman center Isaiah Austin, who has not only a similar physique but a similar game to that of future #1 overall NBA Draft pick Anthony Davis.
While #1 ranked high school recruit Nerlens Noel will undoubtedly protect the rim and dominate defensively at Kentucky in Anthony Davis’s place next season, Isaiah Austin has the total package on both sides of the ball.
At first glance, Austin has the same wiry thin, shot blocking frame as Davis but wears Ama’re Stoudemire type safety glasses because he needs corrective lenses. Austin is a legit 7 feet tall, with a 7’4 wingspan, and an incredible 9’3 inch standing reach. While he’s still weighs a rather light 200 lbs for his immense size, he may not be finished growing since he’s only 18 years old.
Offensively, he is almost a mirror image of departing Baylor player Perry Jones III as he can effectively post up, handle the rock, and can knock down perimeter jumpers out to about 18 feet. He shows excellent fundamentals and footwork that has NBA GM’s drooling, as Austin immediately projects as a one-and-done player and probably Lottery pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.
As a 7 footer, Austin can take over a game with his defensive presence alone, as he has that innate ability to not leave the floor on shot blocks until after his opponent is already in the air. His combination of length, athleticism, and mobility make him a game-changing force as a freshman next season.
Isaiah is the nephew of former NBA veteran Isaac “Ike” Austin, so elite level basketball skills are in his blood. Right now the only negatives concerning Austin seem to be his slight build and a perceived laid back mentality. Haven’t we seen this before with Perry Jones III? Waht is it with Baylor big men…….
Check out Isaiah Austin in AAU Action:
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 has also provided content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, Cleveland.com, CSN Philly.com, Buckets Magazine, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
