Friday, March 6th, 2009 at 11:20 am  |  25 responses

Top Center Draft Prospects

Volume 2.

by Jeff Fox

Someone looking for insight into what kind of draft is shaping up need to look no further than the center prospect list—it’s a perfect mirror of the draft as a whole. You’ve got a couple of solid prospects at the top of the board, but after that it is extremely weak. In fact, only three or four names on this list will probably hear their name called this June.

1. (2) Hasheem Thabeet – Connecticut – JR
Despite being eaten alive by DeJuan Blair recently, Hasheem Thabeet is still the best center prospect out there. He’s probably going to struggle offensively in the pros, at least in the early going, but his defence is NBA-ready. Even if offensively he turns out to be capable of nothing more than putting the oop in alley-oop, he will still have a long NBA career.

2. (1) B.J. Mullens – Ohio State – FR
B.J. Mullens is not ready for the NBA. Despite this fact, don’t be surprised to see his name entered in this year’s early entry candidates. Considering there is a good chance he’ll end up being a lottery pick, why wouldn’t he flee Jerome JordanColumbus once his freshman year is over? Still, he could be a risky pick, not having dominated in college as expected.

3. (4) Jerome Jordan – Tulsa – JR
Here’s a potential sleeper. If the Golden Hurricane’s Jerome Jordan goes late first round/early second round as projected, he could turn out to be a steal. He also could turn out to be another Patrick O’Bryant. J.J. is a long, athletic seven-footer able to run the floor and block some shots. It’s also encouraging that he has shown steady improvement throughout his collegiate career.

4. (NR) Vitor Faverani – Spain – 1988
This is where the drop-off in talent occurs. Brazil’s Vitor Faverani isn’t even a sure shot to get picked in the draft. He hasn’t played big minutes this season in the Euroleague for Spain’s Unicaja Malaga, but he could be peaking at the right time—he dropped 16 points on Brandon Jennings’ Lottomatica Roma squad this week, including a couple of power dunks that made the rim scream for mercy.

5. (6) Slava Kravtsov – Ukraine – 1987
Slava Kravtsov is a big, strong tough center currently competing in his native Ukraine. He is not playing very many minutes for BC Kyiv and is probably not a lock at being drafted this year. However, he is capable of monster plays, such as this.

Next in line:
Connor Atchley, Texas; Luke Nevill, Utah; John Bryant, Santa Clara; Russell Hicks, Florida International; Gasper Vidmar, Turkey.

Not expected to enter:
Cole Aldrich, Kansas.

Jeff Fox also writes about college hoops and the NBA draft at College Hoops Net.

  • Add a Comment
  • Share
  • RSS

Tags: , , , , ,

  • Pingback: SLAM ONLINE |

  • B*tch

    Thabeet should stay for another year… just to keep improving before going to the nba. Although it will be hard to ignore the call of the league…

    nobody else is nba ready, they should not enter, although they possibly will

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    BJ Mullens was not ready for college.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    I’m anxiously awaiting that UConn/Pitt rematch on Saturday. I hope Blair karate-flips Thabeet again.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com Izzo

    TAD:If Fields isn’t playing it may not be worth watching.
    BJ Mullens is still a prospect,but may have made the wrong decision going to Ohio St.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    Fields is hurt??

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com Izzo

    Questionable for Saturday,Tad.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    As for Mullens: not sure what going to Ohio State has to do with it. I just don’t think Mullens is very good. For whatever reason, people seem to love making excuses for his poor play. Maybe, just maybe, he was overhyped.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com Izzo

    Much like his entire HS class,TAD.But the few times I’ve seen Ohio St.,he saw very sporadic minutes and in those he did pretty well but then not play the rest of the game.He needs to be given some opportunity to prove himself.Plus he’ll be drafted on athleticism alone.He isn’t DeAndre Jordan 2.0,IMO.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    Fair enough. I just don’t understand how a coaching staff could give Oden so much face time, but ignore someone who is supposed to be just as talented?

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com Izzo

    Well,Mullens is no Oden.I don’t think anyone inferred that.Though a lot of scouting sites are laughably bad so I wouldn’t be surprised.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    I’m not saying you did Izzo, but some sites did mention that his talent rivaled Oden’s when he was a freshman.

  • http://dillanleuyahoo.com Holy Baller

    Wow thanks for the link on Slava, that block is absolutely BEASTLY!!!

  • Dubya

    For some reason if Aldrich does enter I could see him in Miami. Dwayne and Chalmers would be fine giving him the ball and Jermaine O’Neal will be out for 50 games next season anyways.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Cub Buenning

    Mullens has not gotten the PT that the earlier centers (Koufas/Oden) were given. I don’t think he has played poorly and/or is overhyped, (he has dominated at times) but Thad Matta has just restriced his time on the court.

    Jeff, the Patrick O’Bryant comparison to Jerome Jordan is on point. I have seen Jordan about 15-20 times in his college career and never really ever came away impressed with his ability to play basketball. In big match-ups (ie v. my boy, Blake)he disappears, a bit. To be honest, I am a bigger of Ben Uzoh (Tulsa’s guard)than of Mr. Jordan

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Maybe, just maybe, BJ is not getting a ton of burn because he didn’t earn it. There were no questions that Oden and Koufas belonged on the court at all times when they were at Ohio St. The same can not be said for BJ. I can’t even say that he’s going to be a bust in the league because he didn’t do sh– in college. The expectations are non existent. Thabeet is the only center worth mentioning. (I won’t comment on the Euro prospects though, I haven’t seen any)

  • Sebastian B. O. Bunionstow, esq.

    I’m surprised Aldrich is not coming out. He would be a lottery pick if he did. He is better than any of the other centers on the board. Great upside.

  • http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=243084247 Witness

    Thabeet: Not in my house!

  • m dub

    AJ Ogilvy? anyone?

  • m dub

    AJ Ogilvy? anyone?

  • http://www.collegehoops.net Jeff Fox

    I forgot to inlcude Ogilvy on the Not Expected to Enter list.

  • http://www.mapacha.com mapacha

    STOP HATING Thabeet is great

  • J.B

    wow, thats a pretty weak C’s class.

  • lilblue4rmthaO

    @ Slav block – beast mode

  • http://nbacheapseats.blogspot.com Chendaddy

    Thabeet should definitely come out. He’s guaranteed to be a Top 3 pick this year. Still, he’s a stiff. He talks a lot of smack but can barely handle undersized but athletic college big men like 6’8″ DeJuan Blair. He doesn’t stand a chance against Yao, Al Jefferson, Dwight, Shaq, Boozer, and every other post scorer until somewhere after Paul Millsap. His ceiling is Tyson Chandler except gambling more on blocked shots and with even worse offense.

Advertisement