San Antonio Spurs: 5 options for pick No. 29 in 2017 NBA Draft
By Simon Shortt
2. Ike Anigbogu, PF/C, UCLA
Ike Anigbogu is similar to Justin Patton in a lot of ways. He possesses great length at 6’10” with a 7’6″ wingspan and a 9’2″ standing reach, and he flew under the radar at the beginning of the year.
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As UCLA’s backup center and third best freshman behind Lonzo Ball and T.J. Leaf, you did not hear Anigbogu’s name too often. But when you did, it was often tied to a huge rejection or monstrous slam dunk. With his size (252 pounds) and athleticism (29.5″standing vertical/32.5″ max vertical), Anigbogu could be a force in the post right off the bat.
Anigbogu used his physical tools to average 1.4 offensive rebounds per game last year. Despite only hitting 48 percent of his put-back opportunities, according to Synergy Sports, this will be an important trait for him and developing an offensive game will take some time.
Along with his touch around the basket, Anigbogu will need to work on defending without fouling. He averaged 2.5 fouls per game at UCLA, despite playing just 13 minutes a night. It’ll be hard for him to play big minutes at the next level if he is constantly in foul trouble.
Anigbogu has as much to work on as any center in the draft. But as one of this year’s youngest prospects (he turns 19 in October) there is plenty of time for him to develop.