2019 NBA Mock Draft: Tankers beware
26. player. 20. . G/F. Michigan. Charles Matthews
After a disappointing freshman season at Kentucky, Matthews, a Chicago native, transferred to Michigan and helped lead the Wolverines to the Final Four. The Lakers could add a second consecutive Michigan alum in the 20s by picking Matthews to pair with Moe Wagner, their 2018 first-round pick.
Matthews’ regular season numbers are really nothing special — 13 points and six rebounds on .495/.318/.558 shooting — but he certainly looks like a prototypical modern wing and played well when the stakes were highest.
Michigan brought a strength in numbers approach to March that suited their talent well, but Matthews in particular elevated his game to another level. He scored 14.8 points per game on 51 percent shooting in six tournament games, including 20 points against Montana and 18 against Texas A&M. Even then, Matthews still struggled from behind the arc and turned the ball over consistently.
The reason for optimism in 2018-19: Michigan will be without Wagner, Duncan Robinson and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, pushing Matthews into the center of the offense. If he and freshman Jordan Poole can build on impressive their dazzling March performances, Michigan will be solid once more heading into the 2019 tournament.