2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 25: Lakers at No. 1, Knicks at No. 2
By Chris Stone
Jarrett Allen
C, Texas
The Portland Trail Blazers struggled this season once Jusuf Nurkic was injured, so finding a quality backup center who could eventually be groomed for the future seems like a reasonable plan for their first of three first round picks. Texas’ Jarrett Allen struggled to find his way early on this season, but managed to average 18.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per 40 minutes during Big 12 play to close out his lone college campaign.
Allen needs to make significant strides to be a productive player at the NBA level, but the potential is there. He was out of place in Austin playing alongside another big, but could see more offensive success as the lone frontcourt piece. Allen projects best as a pick-and-roll option who can occasionally take a jump shot once he develops a more consistent one.
Defensively, there’s a ton of potential for Allen. At 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan, he has the potential to be an elite rim protector, something he didn’t show much of at Texas in part because he was playing in that two big frontcourt. Allen has also shown some ability to slide with guards on the perimeter for small stretches, which will be valuable in pick-and-roll coverage.