2018 NBA Draft: 5 under-the-radar prospects at center

2. Chimezie Metu, USC

Metu’s stock skyrocketed towards the back end of last season, as offensive improvements sent him into the first round conversation on some draft boards. While he eventually decided to return for his junior season, there’s a real chance that Metu continues that upwards trend next season — and could end up in the lottery discussion if things go his way.

At 6’9” with a 6’11” wingspan, length is one of the things Metu lacks most. He’s an excellent athlete who’s mobile enough to switch onto the perimeter and defend in space, but his ability to sustain defensive success against bigger bodies underneath could be limited. It also affects him on the boards, where rebounding has been a constant point of critique.

Those are concerns he can mitigate, though, as his defensive versatility and toughness is something NBA teams will appreciate. His athleticism leaves plenty of upside once his fundamentals improve as well, meaning a good developmental staff could be all it takes to make Metu an above-average defender for the foreseeable future.

Offensively, Metu showed improvement across the board in March. He added to his soft touch around the rim with a nice bundle of moves on the low block, while his mid-range jumper seemed to become a legitimate weapon. If he’s able to continue improving on his jump shot, that should be enough to give scouts confidence in his offensive utility long-term.

There are rough spots Metu needs to work out, but he has a lot of upside that may or may not be realized by 2018.