Houston Rockets: 5 options for pick No. 46 in 2018 NBA Draft
By Jason Elbaum
5. Chimezie Metu, PF/C — USC
One option that Houston could consider is this 6’11” defensive juggernaut out of USC. Chimezie Metu was a key piece of Andy Enfield’s Trojan teams for two consecutive years and emerged as a legitimate NBA prospect during his junior year.
Metu averaged 15.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game his junior year to go along with 1.7 blocks per game. His incredible length should remind Rockets fans of Clint Capela and could result in a deadly frontcourt combination if Cactpela ends up re-signing with Houston.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of Metu’s game is his ability to knock down free throws consistently. He shot 74.1 percent and 73.0 percent from the line in his sophomore and junior seasons, respectively, which is incredibly impressive for a big who is fouled quite often. It’s also worth noting that he shot 51.3 percent his freshman year, so it shows his commitment to improving his stroke.
The USC product might not stick around until the 46th pick for Houston to pounce on him, but Metu is a great option for fulfilling a major need. His size and length make him a project worth working on with an incredibly high ceiling.