Houston Rockets: 5 options for pick No. 46 in 2018 NBA Draft

1. Brandon McCoy, C — UNLV

The Rockets could fill their potential need for frontcourt insurance by selecting UNLV’s Brandon McCoy, who lived up to all the hype that came with his five-star rating out of high school. Although the Rebels missed out on the NCAA Tournament, McCoy led the team in points, rebounds and blocks during his freshman campaign.

There is no denying that at 6’11” and 250 pounds with a 7’2″ wingspan, McCoy has the build to be a contributor to any team at the NBA level. It was a little puzzling he chose UNLV on signing day over the likes of Arizona and Michigan State because the level of big man play he faced in the Mountain West was nowhere near representative of what he’ll see at the next level.

Regardless of the level of competition, it is impressive for any freshman to average 16.9 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. McCoy has a soft touch around the rim and his athleticism should allow him to fit nicely into Mike D’Antoni’s system. He’ll need to work on his left hand if he wants to become a complete big man in the NBA.

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Overall, Brandon McCoy has lived up to the hype at the college level, but UNLV’s lack of national exposure could cause the Runnin’ Rebels’ star player to fall to the middle of the second round. Given the opportunity, Houston could take a chance on the young center and hope he turns out to be the steal of the draft.