Indiana Pacers: 5 options for pick No. 18 in 2017 NBA Draft

Bam Adebayo, PF/C, Kentucky

2016-17 Statistics: 13.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.5 BPG

Adebayo spent one year with the Kentucky Wildcats, and he showed enough promise during his freshman season to enter the 2017 NBA Draft as a likely mid-first round choice.

The 6’10” Adebayo is an exceptional athlete — big, strong and runs the court very well. He is an accomplished screen-setter, and he often comes off those screens to make plays off pick-and-roll action.

He doesn’t have a very polished offensive game, but he has a solid midrange jump shot, as well as the ability to score near the basket on lobs, layups or put-backs.

Bam Adebayo is raw as a basketball player, reportedly missing assignments on a fairly regular basis during his one college season in Lexington. He doesn’t possess low-post skills at this point, and his overall hoops IQ is considered below average.

Adebayo is an elite athlete who teams will try to develop in terms of his skill level, and because of this, his “bust potential” is pretty high — he’ll need to work hard on his game and receive a lot of coaching in order to maximize his talent.

Bam Adebayo is a long-term project, but one that could pay off for a team willing to work with him and be patient. If a team is looking for immediate help, it is doubtful they will get it from Adebayo.