2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 22: College basketball is over

Twice in the last four years, the San Antonio Spurs have used their late first round draft pick on an international player that they could develop overseas before bringing him over to the United States. A similar route might be in play for Gran Canaria’s Anzejs Pasecniks, a 7-foot-2 center from Latvia. Pasecniks obviously has the length that teams are looking for in a center prospects, but he needs to put on some strength to handle battles against NBA opponents. That’s what makes him a good option for additional development.

The 21-year old is playing 15.6 minutes per game across all competition for his team while averaging 7.0 points and 3.1 rebounds. His offense comes almost entirely in the arc where his size allows him to score easily around the rim. Pasecniks is shooting 64.2 percent from the floor this season and has even stepped out beyond the 3-point arc for 17 attempts. His mobility and quickness makes him a wonderful pick-and-roll threat, which would fit in well in the modern NBA.

Defensively, that length and quickness also shines because of his ability to protect the rim and defend opposing pick-and-rolls. Pasecniks has a respectable 4.5 percent block rate. His athletic ability also gives a coach some options for defending pick-and-rolls as he’s capable of staying with smaller players for short periods of time.

Learn more about Anzejs Pasecniks at The Step Back.