We’ve already broken down the five best prospects at the center position in the 2018 NBA Draft. Here are the guys flying under the radar.
The center position is in an interesting spot. While a strong interior presence is still leaned on heavily at the college level, the NBA is trending away from that. Centers are branching out to the perimeter, and with that comes an increased emphasis on versatility.
As the position changes, so do the ideal traits for prospects. Mobility is valued over interior scoring, and a strong defender typically holds the edge over those who are geared towards offense. It boils down to the fact that teams need players who can both evolve offensively and keep up on the other end.
That shift in ideals is what makes the 2018 NBA Draft class especially intriguing. With Marvin Bagley III, DeAndre Ayton and Mo Bamba among the headliners, this is the most frontcourt-heavy group we’ve seen since the Warriors sent the league into pace-and-space overdrive.
When weighing the importance of raw talent against current utility, however, it’s the centers who fall outside of the lottery conversation who make the debate more difficult. Centers who have significant flaws yet show out at a high level collegiately (or internationally) always fluctuate on draft boards, and this year’s class has no shortage of names who will be flying under the national radar.
Here are some worth watching.
5. Tryggvi Hlinason, Valencia
As somebody who has quietly worked his way onto the scene in Iceland, Hlinason recently latched on with Valencia in Spain. Standing at 7’1” with clear NBA size and strength, his combination of physical tools and a budding skill-set could end up making him just the second Icelandic player ever to reach the league.
While he’s not overly quick or an impressive athlete, Hlinason has the intangibles down pat. He’s a smart passer around the painted area, and has shown impressive instincts on both the offensive and defensive glass overseas. He does a nice job fighting for positioning underneath as well, and those are traits that will translate immediately at the next level.
Offensively, Hlinason’s repertoire is confined mostly to the painted area. He’s a skilled finisher in the pick-and-roll, showing nice touch around the rim with a handful of moves he can break out on the low block, but he lacks the perimeter threat that most high-end prospects have nowadays.
He doesn’t project as much more than a role player, but he’s someone whose production overseas is continuing to increase his stock nonetheless. Chances are we hear Hlinason’s name a bit more once the draft gets closer.
4. Moritz Wagner, Michigan
Wagner was paired alongside D.J. Wilson is one of the NCAA Tournament’s most entertaining frontcourts in March, leading the Wolverines to an unexpected Sweet 16 run. The German 5-man was thrown around moderately in the draft conversation last season, but the likelihood of him committing always felt slim. This year — with Wilson out of the picture — we’ll get a good sense of where he stands as a prospect.
There are some obvious flaws in Wagner’s game, which start on the defensive end. He’s light on his feet, but lacks strength and doesn’t do the greatest job protecting the rim. He’ll get beaten on that side of the ball at the next level, and that could cap his upside despite a well-rounded offensive attack.
With that being said, floor-spacing has immense value at the 5-spot, and Wagner showed he was more than capable of providing that. He shot 39.5 percent from deep in three attempts per contest last season, functioning nicely in pick-and-pop actions while boasting the awareness needed to attack closeouts off the bounce when applicable.
He combines that with a silky post game, from spin moves to gorgeous hook shots around the interior. On top of that, he’s one of the most energetic individuals you’ll find, hyping up teammates and quickly becoming a fan favorite during Michigan’s tourney run.
If he has a strong showing this year, he could very well force his way into the first round conversation.
3. Nick Richards, Kentucky
Richards, if nothing else, is an NBA athlete. As a true seven-footer with a 7’4” wingspan, the 19-year-old will enter one of the most successful factories for NBA talent in Kentucky. He’ll also join a long line of high-end frontcourt prospects under John Calipari, with names like Bam Adebayo, Nerlens Noel, Karl-Anthony Towns, and several more preceding him.
With that being said, there are parts of Richards’ game that still need a lot of work. He has the length and mobility needed to be one of the best rim protectors in this year’s class, yet questions about his motor and poor instincts will limit his effectiveness in the early going. On a Kentucky team loaded with athletes, he’ll need to show out as somebody capable of setting the tone on that side of the ball.
Richards is a niche player offensively, which is to be expected with players projected in the late first round. He hasn’t shown much outside of finishing at the rim, but provides value nonetheless as somebody who’s willing to run the floor and can finish off plays around the basket.
Richards was actually on the floor during the famous LeBron James/Kevin Durant/Carmelo Anthony scrimmage this summer. That doesn’t mean anything significant, but it’s nice to see that he’s out there putting in work with some of the best in the game. Even Durant had nice things to say about him and teammate Hamidou Diallo afterwards.
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.
1. Mitchell Robinson, N/A
Robinson was always going to fly under the radar, as a commitment to Western Kentucky set him up for limited exposure on a national scale. His decision to leave school and take a year off for draft preparation, however, could make him one of the bigger question marks come 2018.
Physically, Robinson has all the tools you’d want in a modern center. He’s mobile, springy and stands around 7’1” with a 7’4” wingspan, which in and of itself is enough to give him a high defensive ceiling. He’s also a historically great rebounder at the high school level, which gives him a decent two-way floor to build off of moving forward.
Aside from his defensive potential, however, Robinson has a lot left to prove. He never really found himself offensively, and won’t have the opportunity to do so at the collegiate level. A full year of working on his game gives him some time to muster a workable jumper and better his touch around the rim, but a good chunk of his draft stock will boil down to how well he performs in individual and team-based workouts next summer.
Robinson has shown flashes of a mid-range jumper in the past, but it’s still a ways away from becoming a reliable part of his game. He still has value as an easy lob target and bouncy finisher at the rim, but his potential is capped if he doesn’t expand his game any further.
Next: 5 best center prospects in the 2018 NBA Draft
Being somebody who has the basic tool kit needed to find NBA success, there’s a lot to like about Robinson moving forward — enough to make him a top-five prospect at his position. His name won’t be mentioned nearly as much as others once the season gets underway, though, which makes monitoring his progress all the more important.