2016 NBA Draft: Stephen Zimmerman Smart to Go Pro
Stephen Zimmerman has declared for the 2016 NBA Draft. He has star potential, but how realistic is it to believe that he’ll live up to it?
The 2016 NBA Draft is shaping up to be one of the most influential in recent history. Two players are in stiff competition for the No. 1 overall selection, and a seemingly endless cast of others are vying for their place as lottery picks this coming June.
While most have him slotted on the lower end of the Top 30, UNLV center Stephen Zimmerman is one of the select few with attainable star potential.
Zimmerman finished his freshman season at UNLV with averages of 10.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.2 offensive boards, and 2.0 blocks in 26.2 minutes of action per game. That translates to per 40 numbers of 16.0 points, 13.4 rebounds, 3.3 offensive boards, and 3.0 blocks.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Zimmerman’s freshman season will be his only one at UNLV.
"Seven-foot UNLV freshman Stephen Zimmerman plans to enter the 2016 NBA draft, league sources told The Vertical.Zimmerman, 19, plans to sign with an agent and eliminate the opportunity to withdraw and return to college basketball before the NCAA’s May 25 deadline, sources said."
Zimmerman’s been on the NBA Draft radar for quite some time, which makes this decision one of little surprise.
Zimmerman is generally rated in the 20-to-30 range, but much could change between now and June 23. He has the body and upside of a potential lottery pick, and some believe that’s where he could end up.
Per Wojnarowski, Zimmerman has an opportunity to move into the top half of the first round if he fares well in pre-draft workouts and interviews.
"NBA executives told The Vertical that Zimmerman, mobile, skilled and a good shot-blocker, has the potential to move into the top half of the draft with some strong performances in predraft workouts."
It’s hardly surprising to hear that executives are high on Zimmerman as a prospect.
The question is, how good could Zimmerman actually become? There’s obvious appeal considering he’s all but unanimously listed as a first-round prospect, but that doesn’t guarantee stardom at the next level.
It’s far from a guarantee, but if developed properly, stardom is exactly what Zimmerman could achieve.
Physical Tools
The foundation of Stephen Zimmerman’s upside can be found in his elite physical gifts. The 19-year-old stands at 7’0″ and 235 pounds with a massive 7’3″ wingspan, and possesses the mobility to both run the floor and operate as the dive man in the pick-and-roll.
Coupled with his 9’1″ standing reach, Zimmerman has the body to take over games at any level he plays.
Zimmerman is closer to 6’11” without shoes, but he’s a true 7’0″ big man when he steps onto the court. That, as well as his length and reach, have enabled him to establish his defensive upside as early as his freshman season at UNLV.
Zimmerman’s average of 3.0 blocks per 40 minutes is evidence enough of how effectively Zimmerman has altered shots with his size and length.
Zimmerman does a good job of using his body to rebound, and he’s learning to embrace the physicality of the game. He’s already a solid force on the offensive glass, averaging 3.3 per 40 minutes, and can be genuinely unstoppable when he throws his weight around.
Zimmerman has a troubling tendency to lose control in traffic, but the physical tools enable him to do anything he wants along both the offensive and defensive interiors.
Offensive Versatility
Painting with broad strokes, big men in the modern NBA aren’t cut from same cloth as the interior forces of yesteryear. That doesn’t necessarily mean that dominance is impossible to achieve at the power forward and center positions, but instead an acknowledgement that times have changed.
Stephen Zimmerman is a shining example of what a modern NBA big man is expected to provide offensively.
Zimmerman has soft hands, which will help him make plays early in his NBA career. He moves well in transition, cuts hard off of high screens, and the stroke to be an asset in the pick-and-pop game.
As those abilities display, the key to Zimmerman’s offensive game is his unique combination of interior prowess, transition capability, and midrange proficiency.
Zimmerman’s 3-point shot is still developing, but the southpaw has LaMarcus Aldridge upside from midrange. He’s better off the catch than he is at creating space, but his form is smooth and his range is expanding.
With the size and length to put up jumpers that can’t be blocked, and the potential to be a consistent low-post scoring option, Zimmerman is on the verge of becoming a late lottery pick.
The Red Flags
Stephen Zimmeran has immense upside, a style of play that fits the standards of the modern era, and physical gifts that rate amongst the best in the 2016 NBA Draft. Thus, it stands to reason that the 19-year-old should be a virtual lock to be a lottery pick.
Thus, the question beckons: why isn’t he?
Zimmeran’s lack of elite athleticism isn’t a death sentence, but it hurt him severely during the 2015-16 season. He committed an average of X.X fouls per game, which translates to X.X per 40 minutes, and that’s a very accurate representation of his current issues.
Zimmerman is an excellent shot-blocker, but he must widen his base and improve his footwork in order to defend the pick-and-roll without routinely fouling out of NBA games.
Offensively, Zimmerman hasn’t yet found a way to consistently create his own offense. He’s a valuable team player on that end, but lacks the creativity in his ball-handling, and the diversity in his post game to consistently get his shot off in isolation.
All of the tools are there, but Zimmerman hasn’t yet put it all together.
It takes a special type of player to remain patient with the slowly paced process of turning abilities into skills. Zimmerman may or may not have that in him, and that’s a gamble that every interested team must weigh the pros and cons of.
Whether probable or otherwise, it simply cannot be denied that Zimmerman has a ceiling that fits the mold of NBA stardom—a ceiling that can be reached through the proper coaching and development at the next level.