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

Creighton’s Justin Patton is the largest mover in the draft this week as he makes a jump from the mid-20s into the back end of the lottery. There was no single performance from the redshirt freshman that propelled him up the board rather it was a slow, creeping realization that there are few big men in this draft class with the potential to be NBA starters. Patton is arguably one of the few because of the way that he can fit in in the modern NBA.

On offense, the 19-year old has been highly efficient, posting the nation’s third best effective field goal percentage (74.1). He is effective as a roll man in the pick-and-roll as he’s capable of playing above the rim and operating in space. Patton has a developing face up game that involves mid-range jumpers and driving to the basket where he has shown he can either score or pass on the move. He has also knocked down five of his 10 3-point attempts this season, which is by no means a reliable sample, but is something to watch out for as he develops.

Defensively, Patton is averaging 2.6 blocks per 40 minutes. How well that will translate at the next level will likely be dependent on his wingspan measurements as they were reportedly rather average coming out of high school. Patton is also posting 1.8 steals per 40 minutes, an excellent mark for a big man. His biggest deficiency comes on the defensive glass where a lack of strength allows him to be bullied by some of college basketball’s stronger big men.

Learn more about Justin Patton at The Step Back.