Center play in the NBA now is at its lowest point in the last 30 years. Teams are in desperate need for Centers and because of that this group will be overvalued on Draft night. There are players with potential on this list, but most of them are projects who may take years to develop, if it all. You won’t see comparisons to Dwight Howard or Yao on this list. Most of these guys have an upside of serviceable Center. There are 1 or 2 jewels in the bunch though. Caveat emptor.
1. Donatas Motiejunas (Int’l) 7’0 225 NBA Comparison: Andrea Bargnani
Motiejunas is a highly skilled big man capable of doing many things. He shoots well from 12 feet out to 3 point land. He has a nice sweeping hook across the lane that would make George Mikan proud. He has great hands, good court vision and the ability to put the ball on the floor. he’s probably the best of the bunch at this position. He is a finesse center and not really a banger.
1. Jonas Valanciunas (Int’l) 6’11 240 NBA Comparison: Andris Biedrins
Valanciunas, like Motiejunas is from Lithuania. And that is where the similarities end between the two. Valanciunas is a solid big man. He runs the court well for his size, establishes defensive post position and clears out for rebounds. He’s also extremely long and a decent shot blocker. Offensively he has limited moves around the basket but his best move is the dunk. He plays under control and has decent agility. His size and length will make him a very valuable commodity in the draft. Perhaps a top 5 selection.
3. Lucas Riva Nogueira (Brazil) 7’0 225 NBA Comparison: JaVale McGee
Bebe as he is known (although he looks kinda like Ze Pequeno from City of God) is a raw talent. He is extraordinarily athletic for a 7-footer and runs the floor like a gazelle. He blocks shots easily and without body contact, due to his length. He’s a natural shot blocker. His offensive game is pretty limited, and you won’t see much more than dunks. Occaisionally he puts the ball on the floor and shows signs of ball handling. He’s a project who will need a few years to develop an all around game. His athleticism makes him a first round lock.
4. Nikola Vucevic (USC) 7’0 260 NBA Comparison: Mehmet Okur
*Sleeper Alert* Over the winter I was watching USC play UCLA so I could get a look at Tyler Honeycutt and Reeves Nelson. Instead, I was blown away by Vucevic. This kid has the goods. He has great size for a center at 260 lbs (only 6% body fat), an incredible 7’5 wingspan (2nd longest at the combine) and a standing 9’5 reach. On top of all of those numbers though, the kid has game. He has a bevy of offensive moves around the bucket, great feet, good hands and tremendous agility. He can handle the rock and has a solid face up game out to 3 point range (shot 35%). He’s a big time rebounder and a decent shot blocker. His stock is still rising and he could go late lottery.
5. Jon Leuer (Wisconsin) 6’11 225 NBA Comparison: Ryan Anderson
Leuer is a combo PF/C. He is highly skilled offensively and has a beautiful touch on his shot. He can take defenders away from the basket and shot over them, or use his crossover to get to the tin. He finishes extremely well and has nice ups and great agility. He shot 37% from deep last season for the Badgers and averaged 18 pts per game. If he can add 15-20 lbs to his frame, he can be a legit finesse big man in the league. Has a swagger about his game.
6. Keith Benson (Oakland) 6’11 215 NBA Comparison: Marcus Camby
*Sleeper Alert* This kid is no stiff. He put up ridiculous numbers over the past two years at Oakland. Last season he averaged 18 and 10 with 3.5 blocks per game. He is a game changer in the post defensively due to his length and timing as a shot blocker. Offensively, he is just as skilled. He has a great face up game and shot nearly 40% from deep last season. In the paint he is a high riser and can finish with the best of them. He is agile and has really good body control for a big man. He needs to add at least 20 lbs to play Center in the NBA but has the frame to do so easily. He should shoot up draft boards after individual workouts.
7. Jeremy Tyler (Int’l) 6’11 260 NBA Comparison: DeAndre Jordan
Remember Jeremy Tyler? He was supposed be the #1 high school player in the class of 2010. Then he skipped his senior season of high school to go pro. It all went downhill from there. Tyler may be the biggest of all projects in the Draft. He’s got incredible physical gifts including the longest wingspan at the combine. He’s an incredible leaper for his size and has good strength. The problem is none of that translates on the court. He looks lost at times, out of control at others (he loses his cool easily). It is clear he needs a lot of coaching, but the talent is there.
8. Greg Smith (Fresno St) 6’9 255 NBA Comparsion: Joey Dorsey
Smith is a physical specimen. He is chiseled and despite his weight of over 250 lbs, he carries less than 8% body fat. He has a long wingspan and is pretty athletic for a guy his size. Yet for all of that he didn’t dominate WAC competition. He average a mere 12 points and 8 boards. Smith lacks the height of a traditional center and may have to fight to become a rotation player in the NBA over the next few years.
9. Giorgi Shermadini (Int’l) 7’1 250 NBA Comparison: Hamed Haddadi
Giorgi has good size for an NBA big and has some skill. He has a soft touch on his outside shot and is not afraid to dunk over opponents. He displays solid offensive game in the post and displays soft hands and good athleticism. Defensively he lacks the lateral quickness to keep up when faced up. He blocks some shots but is not an enforcer in the middle by any stretch. He could develop into a serviceable backup center a la Zaza.
10. Rick Jackson (Syracuse) 6’9 240 NBA Comparison: D.J. White
Like Dexter Pittman from a year ago, Jackson improved his play over his career due to improved conditining. In his senior season at Syracuse, Jackson averaged 13, 10 and 2.5 blocks. Those are pretty good numbers in a power conference like the Big East. Jackson though is a 6’9 Center and lacks true athleticism (unlike Greg Smith). Still with his length and size, Jackson could intrigue teams in need of a big man in the 2nd round.
