2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 12: The Lakers keep their pick

After suffering a mysterious, but season-ending knee injury, the draft prospects of Indiana’s OG Anunoby are up in the air. For now, I’ve got the sophomore pegged where I had him prior to the injury based on the presumption that he’ll make a full recovery as noted by the Hoosiers’ team statement. That, of course, could change with more information.

The biggest concerns related to Anunoby’s injury are two fold. First, knee injuries always have the potential to sap a player’s athleticism. For Anunoby, that could make him a less valuable defender, in particular, which is the most important piece of his profile. Second, it halts his offensive development. At this point, Anunoby basically offers nothing offensively outside of the occasional slash to the basket or offensive rebound. That won’t change with less time on the court to improve his game.

At his best, though, Anunoby is an ideal fit in an NBA that increasingly de-emphasizes traditional positions. His ability to guard multiple positions on defense is prized among teams. Anunoby’s ability to create defensive events (2.1 steals and 2.1 blocks per 40 minutes) is an excellent example of just how much he can impact a defense.

Learn more about OG Anunoby at The Step Back.