In our final article in a five part series on underrated NBA Draft prospects at each position, we wrap up with an interesting group of power forwards.
As the college season approaches, we’re looking to break down all the players NBA fans should have their eyes on this year, from the stars like Michael Porter Jr. to more under-the-radar prospects like Rawle Alkins at Arizona.
In our final under-the-radar positional piece, we look at power forwards. Obviously this is an interesting position because many power forwards are small forwards bumped up a position. In addition, many traditional power forwards are now only considered centers, or at least that’s the position that will suit them best for an NBA career.
When it comes to the top of the talent in this group, there are some bonafide lottery picks: Miles Bridges, Robert Williams, Jaren Jackson Jr., and possibly even Michael Porter Jr., depending on where you see him being best on the court.
While that’s quite a group of four, there are some extremely intriguing options that many casual fans may not necessarily know about. There’s a plenitude in the SEC and that’s not solely because of Kentucky. Here are five underrated prospects at power forward worth keeping an eye on.
5. Yante Maten — Georgia
Yante Maten is a senior worth keeping tabs on. The leader for the University of Georgia has grown throughout his three years in the SEC and might be the best player in this year’s conference. Maten went from averaging just five points per game and not attempting a 3 as a freshman to 18.2 points and shooting 48.8 percent from 3 as a junior.
The 3-point shot is what’s really intriguing about Maten. It opens up his offensive game and will be pretty crucial for his chances to make the NBA. He’s a bit on the shorter side at 6’8″, but makes up for it with a strong build. A good sign for his shooting is that over 445 free throw attempts in college he’s hit 73 percent of them.
Whether he can make more strides as a passer, rebounder and defender remain to be seen. Defense is probably the most critical of the three. Still, averaging just 6.8 rebounds a night won’t cut it, though he averaged eight as a sophomore. Maten is going to score a lot, but how well-rounded he can make his game is worth keeping more tabs on.
4. P.J. Washington — Kentucky
P.J. Washington leads one of the most interesting yet under-the-radar Kentucky classes in recent memory. There’s no top recruit this year, no Karl-Anthony Towns, no John Wall. But don’t fear, John Calipari has a slew of athletes he’ll trot out. Power forward is an interesting position for the Wildcats because many of their guys are probably best off at that position. However, that means many minutes will be needed at other positions.
Between Washington and other forwards, some are going to have to spend time at small forward and maybe even center. For his NBA potential though, Washington will likely need to be a 4. Washington is 6’8″ like Manten and built nearly as strongly, despite being several years younger. What Washington does have is an astounding 7’3″ wingspan, which could help him one day maybe even play some small-ball 5.
Only time will tell how good Washington is right now. He was a poor 3-point shooter, but a strong rebounder in the games in Draft Express‘ data base. In 23 games they have, Washington averaged 17 points and nearly 11 rebounds, but shot only 30.4 percent from 3 and less than 60 percent from the line. His scoring, shot-making and passing will all be under the microscope, as well as his defense. He has the frame, but is he willing to defend well?
3. Jarred Vanderbilt — Kentucky
Jarred Vanderbilt is another one of those athletic Kentucky forwards who may play in a few different spots this year. Measuring at 6’9″ with a 7’1″ wingspan at the Hoop Summit, according to Draft Express, he has the tools to get away with playing power forward. It’s unclear if he has the mobility to guard the best 3s, though he may get the chance this year at Kentucky.
Where Vanderbilt is going to make a name for himself is with his passing and on the boards. This guy devours rebounds on both ends and even has some point-forward potential on the break. He can’t run your offense, but he can make plays. What’s encouraging about this profile of him is it resembles a guy who can stuff box scores and impact games no matter whether he’s scoring or not.
Unlike Maten, and even Washington as well, Vanderbilt simply can’t shoot. If he were more elite defensively he could get away with it more. Likely this means he has to be paired with a shooting center. That’s doable in the ever-changing NBA, but it could make who drafts him a bit trickier and narrower. Vanderbilt is an exciting prospect to say the least.
2. Bennie Boatwright — USC
With the two aforementioned Kentucky freshmen, they’re intriguing in many ways because we’re not sure what they can be. They have the physical tools and whether or not he lacks it on the developmental side of the game, John Calipari gets his guys to the NBA. Bennie Boatwright, on the other hand, is a known commodity. The 6’10” co-captain of USC, one of the most watchable teams in college hoops, is a pure stretch-4.
Players like Boatwright, who mostly live off scoring and aren’t extremely athletic, seem to be huge question marks for the NBA. However, in three NCAA tournament games filled with NBA-level athletes, Boatwright carried USC by scoring 54 points. Though he’ll likely never be a great rebounder nor a great defender, there’s immense value in a forward you can trust to stretch the floor.
During his junior season, expectations are high for both player and team. We’ll see if he’s added anything to his offensive game and if he can make improvements in his defense and passing. Even still, he would be a liability against elite NBA opposition, but look at the kind of asset someone like Ryan Anderson still is. Don’t sleep on Boatwright.
1. Killian Tillie — Gonzaga
As we’ve taken a look at two freshmen, a senior and a junior, we turn to a sophomore who might be the most underrated forward in the nation. Tillie shined in a small role, like Zach Collins a year ago. Unlike Collins, Tillie is staying at Gonzaga and is poised for more minutes and a breakout year. Tillie may have been born in Paris, France, but he’ll have many more Americans and draft enthusiasts knowing his name soon enough.
Like Collins, Tillie played in limited minutes, which makes his per-40 numbers pretty crazy. Per-40, Tillie averaged 13.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.4 steals. In addition, and this really unlocks a lot of the intrigue into his game, he shot 48 percent from 3. It was a small sample size (only 23 attempts), but he also shot almost 78 percent from the free throw line.
Next: 2018 NBA Draft - 5 under-the-radar PG prospects
We’ll see if those were flukes this year in a bigger role, but oh man, if they’re for real? Tillie has great size at 6’10” and could turn into a two-way force. If you’re looking for a breakout candidate who can not only take over his team and conference, but also possibly shoot onto draft radars, Tillie is your guy.