2017 NBA Mock Draft: The 76ers lock up a point guard

The Portland Trail Blazers have three first round picks and while they have a number of big men on the roster, finding one who can actually be productive on the floor behind Jusuf Nurkic seems like a priority. UCLA’s Ike Anigbogu may eventually develop into that player, but he’ll be a project in his first few seasons, perhaps during his entire rookie deal. That’s the danger in taking Anigbogu. He may not fully satisfy Portland’s needs for a backup center in the short-term, which might make someone like Jarrett Allen a better option. That said, the Trail Blazers may view the raw prospect as a better long-term option.

The 18-year old has plenty of potential as a defender because of his 7-foot-6 wingspan. In limited minutes, Anigbogu was a terrific shot blocker who averaged 3.7 rejections per 40 minutes. However, he still needs to make improvements in terms of his feels for the game and on court instincts. Anigbogu regularly fouled too often to actually play a full minutes load even if he had been asked to do so.

Offensively, though, Anigbogu has even further to go. Right now, he’s going to only be able to score around the basket. He’ll function best as a pick-and-roll dive man and offensive rebounder.