2019 NBA Mock Draft: Getting familiar with the top of the 2019 class
. F. Limoges. Sekou Doumbouya. 8. player. 125
Originally from Guinea by way of France, Doumbouya is now playing for Limoges in the Eurocup, scoring about 7 points per game to go with 3 rebounds and 4-of-16 shooting from deep. He’s raw, but there’s a tall, playmaking shooter beneath his inconsistencies.
The bigger story, for now, is Doumbouya’s injuries. The point forward — who just turned 18 a week ago — is out five to seven weeks after surgery to repair a ligament in his right thumb. This all after averaging 12 points per game over three days of the tournament:
Terrific 3 game, 8 day stretch for Sekou Doumbouya with 36 points on just 17 field goal attempts in 58 minutes (all wins). Just turned 18 years old this week and playing the best basketball of the season. Unfortunately tore a ligament in his thumb and will miss the next 5-7 weeks
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) December 27, 2018
Yet he remains a perfect fit for Atlanta to fill out their Warriors-lite core and along their future timeline. The Hawks have made no secret they seek to capture some of the same magic that catapulted general manager Travis Schlenk’s former team, the Warriors, into champions. Those Golden State squads built through the draft and coveted versatility on both ends. Doumbouya is unique but resembles some of the offensive gifts of Draymond Green by bringing playmaking and shooting at the forward position.
Because of that size, Doumbouya is also an ideal prospect long-term next to Trae Young and John Collins, two players who are limited and undersized defensively, without sacrificing the shooting Schlenk clearly sees as a necessity at every position.