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Indiana Pacers: Complete 2017 offseason grades

By Adrian Lawhorn

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 07: President of basketball operations, Kevin Pritchard and Head Coach, Nate McMillan of the Indiana Pacers introduce Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Darren Collison during a press conference at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on July 7, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 07: President of basketball operations, Kevin Pritchard and Head Coach, Nate McMillan of the Indiana Pacers introduce Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Darren Collison during a press conference at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on July 7, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images /

Ike Anigbogu, C

Acquired: Via 2017 NBA Draft, No. 47 overall

Ike Anigbogu was the second of two UCLA freshmen chosen by the Pacers in the 2017 NBA Draft. Anigbogu was projected to go much higher, but fell to the second round due to a lingering knee injury.

Anigbogu was so highly thought of going into the draft that there was talk of Indiana considering him in the first round (No. 18 overall), so the team was very happy to land him with the 47th overall selection.

Anigbogu’s value at this stage is in his future potential; he is only 18 years old, but possesses some intriguing physical gifts. He has an NBA-ready body (6’10”, 250 pounds) in addition to an elite wingspan of 7’6″.

Ike Anigbogu projects to be a defensive force, as he is very mobile and can effectively guard the pick-and-roll. He is also a good shot-blocker, and in time, could be dominant in that area.

Anigbogu has a non-stop motor, and he is particularly strong on the offensive glass. However, his overall offensive game is very raw, so he may never be much of a scorer at the next level.

The Pacers hit a home run with this pick in terms of value — they obtained a consensus first round talent with a late second round choice.

Indiana can allow Ike Anigbogu to get healthy and come along slowly as an NBA player. Even in the worst-case scenario of Anigbogu never amounting to much, the Pacers’ risk level is nearly zero, which makes Anigbogu an outstanding draft pick at No. 47.

Grade: A

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