2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 21: Malik Monk to the Sixers
By Chris Stone
Bam Adebayo
C, Kentucky
It probably won’t come as a surprise that Timofey Mozgov is not the Lakers’ center of the future despite signing a four-year, $64 million contract last summer. That would suggest that investing a draft pick in finding a young talent with the potential to develop into that piece would be a good idea for the new front office combination of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka.
Kentucky’s Edrice ‘Bam’ Adebayo averaged 17.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per 40 minutes as a freshman. At 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, he has good, but not great size to play the center position in the NBA, but he does possess above average athleticism that extends his range in terms of rim protection. That’s something that will be key for Adebayo at the next level as he projects as a player who teams will want to block shots and dive off of the pick-and-roll on offense. He will also need to improve as a rebounder. His 17.2 percent defensive rebound rate is on the low side for a player with the physical tools that he possesses.