13. Minnesota Timberwolves: Precious Achiuwa, F, Memphis
A sleeper for a lottery selection on some boards, Precious Achiuwa’s two-way intrigue is hard to ignore this early on in the season.
He’ll have plenty of opportunities to contribute as a scorer and key defender early on for an inexperienced yet talented Memphis team.
Where he lacks in polish, Achiuwa makes up for in raw ability. A physical finisher with the size and power to act as a mismatch forward in smaller lineups, he’s still best around the basket but has put in work to extend his range and eventually distinguish himself as a deep threat.
More than capable of grabbing a rebound and pushing the ball down the court in transition, Achiuwa has the makings of a decent offensive package to complement what he can bring to the table defensively from a competitive standpoint. He’s tough and doesn’t back down from any assignment.
There are certainly times watching film where Achiuwa looks a little out of place and uncomfortable trying to get buckets in isolation situations where he has to create everything. That’s OK for a player his age, as long as he can figure out ways to be productive off the ball in the meantime.
With an athletic package that screams pro basketball player, look for Achiuwa to do everything he can on offense to show why he deserves a lottery selection in 2020.