Each day this week, NBA Draft expert Sam Vecenie will unveil his preseason positional rankings for the 2016 NBA Draft. Today, he will take a look at the top centers that could end up declaring for the draft. For these lists, collegiate freshmen are eligible if they are included in the top-50 overall prospect list, and all potentially eligible international players can be included, even if there is a small chance they declare.
The 2016 NBA Draft center crop has potential to either be very top-heavy or very weak, depending on your perspective and whether or not some players declare.
From the perspective standpoint, if you consider Skal Labissiere a center, this class is pretty strong throughout the first round. There would be five legitimate first-round prospects, all of whom have varying degrees of lottery potential with one who could be the No. 1 overall pick. On the other hand though, if you consider Labissiere a power forward, it's not hard to squint and see there only being two or three being picked in the first round if things go poorly this year.
If you consider Labissiere a center, that's fine and I won't begrudge you for it. Personally I consider Labissiere a power forward for reasons that I'll get into Tuesday when we preview the power forward crop, which means the center crop gets hit that way. However, I do think there are a couple of one-and-done guys in this class, plus a few others who could take a leap forward into the first round with some development. It's not the strongest position in this class, but it won't be a disaster either.
Here are my top-10 centers in the class.
1. Jakob Poeltl
Sophomore, Utah
Measurables: 7-1, 242 pounds, 7-1 wingspan
Poeltl, along with the next three guys, will vie for the title of best center in this class. I have Poeltl at No. 1 right now due to his frame and defensive potential. At 7-1, Poeltl was a pretty great rim protector this past season, as teams only shot 48 percent near the rim against the Utes. He's also pretty mobile on the perimeter for a big man, with fluid feet. The questions for him revolve around the offensive portion of the game, as it'll be interesting to see how he's affected by the departure of Delon Wright, who was responsible for getting Poeltl plenty of easy looks last season. Also, he'll likely play more minutes next season, as Dallin Bachynski has departed. If Poeltl can still do a good job of diving to the rim in pick-and-rolls as well as do a better job of creating a bit of offense in the post, that would prove quite a bit to NBA scouts.
2. Cheick Diallo
Freshman, Kansas
Measurables: 6'9, 220 pounds, 7-4 wingspan, 9-1 standing reach
Diallo is an extremely athletic big man that has a great motor, great size, but not the most advanced skill level. Let's start with the positives though. Unlike last season, this should not turn into a Bill Self-Cliff Alexander situation where he won't play his talented freshman. Diallo brings it every night, both on the offensive and defensive end. Offensively, he's one of those guys who you never really have to run a play for, but he'll still find ways to score. He's a great offensive rebounder, and is about as good at getting out into transition as any big man you'll see. Defensively, he knows how to use his wingspan well around the rim and block shots, and he's mobile on the perimeter. On the flip side of that, he's not much of a shooter and has very rudimentary post skill, which means he's not creating anything himself. His body also could stand to be further filled out, although that will come with time. Still though, this type of mobile, athletic big man who you don't have to run plays for and is versatile enough to play the 4 and the 5 is in vogue in the NBA right now (hello, Tristan Thompson), making Diallo a sought-after commodity.
3. Stephen Zimmerman
Freshman, UNLV
Measurables: 7-0, 235 pounds, 7-3 wingspan, 9-1 standing reach
Zimmerman chose to stay at home and go to UNLV over the likes of Kansas and Kentucky, and it'll be interesting to see how that decision plays out for him. Zimmerman should get plenty of chances to show off his skills, although he won't have the best guards to get him the ball in the best situations. The big man from Las Vegas has a pretty solid feel for the game, with really strong passing instincts and a jump shot out to about 15 feet. He also has strong potential to be a weapon in the pick-and-roll on offense. Defensively, he can move well on the perimeter and he also has strong shot-blocking instincts. It's also worth noting how terrific his frame already is, possessing legitimate NBA center size and length. His legs need to get a bit stronger if he's to hold his ground both in the post and on the boards, but the package is here for a potential lottery pick if he can continue to develop over the next one or two years.
4. Diamond Stone
Freshman, Maryland
Measurables: 7-0, 250 pounds, 7-3.5 wingspan, 9-1 standing reach
Stone could end up being tops on this list by the end of the year. However -- to put it simply -- the current NBA seems to be going away from traditional post players like him. That's where he excels as much as anywhere else, as he has pretty soft feet in the paint and also the length that you're looking for in a big man to be able to finish around the rim. It's also worth noting that he differentiates himself a bit from other post-up big men by having the ability to step away and knock down 18-footers with a soft touch. His problems though are what you'd expect regarding a big-bodied center. He struggles to defend away from the rim, and has pretty rough lateral quickness overall, even when discussing rotations in the paint. His overall explosiveness also isn't that great. His one skill in the post is more effective than any singular skill that a player above him has. It's just a question as to whether or not that will be valued as much as it has in the past.
5. Damian Jones
Junior, Vanderbilt
Measurables: 7-0, 245 pounds, 7-2 wingspan
Jones is a project, but he's one worth pursuing for NBA teams if he can start to come through on his tremendous potential this season for Vanderbilt. At a legit 7-foot in shoes with a solid 7-2 wingspan, Jones has the frame and athleticism that every team looks for in a big man prospect. He also has pretty good touch around the rim. Where he needs to improve is instinctually. The game still doesn't seem to come as naturally to him on the floor as it does to some, which means that he can sometimes be a step slow on rotations or seem less assertive than he might actually be. If the fluidness of his decision-making can improve this year, he really has a chance to go in the lottery. Given that he's considered a highly-intelligent kid from all sources that is majoring in engineering science, there's definitely a better chance that happens at some point.
6. Amida Brimah
Junior, Connecticut
Measurables: 7-0, 230 pounds
Brimah is purely a defensive prospect at this point. Let's start with the good. He was the AAC defensive player of the year last season, posting a 15 percent block rate that was good for second in the entire NCAA. His length is absolutely superb, and he has terrific timing when going up to contest shots. Offensively, he also doesn't try to do too much, as he's an efficient 67 percent shooter and has improved immensely as a foul shooter. However, he has some pretty distinct issues with his game, and they mostly revolve around his inability to rebound the basketball. His 10.9 percent defensive rebounding rate is abysmal for an NBA Draft center prospect. Also, his feel for the game isn't great on either end. He has very few instincts as it refers to passing the basketball, and defensively his footwork isn't great on the perimeter. He's a flawed prospect, but he's a guy that might be worth taking a flier on simply due to his elite ability to protect the rim.
7. Zhou Qi
Int'l 1996, Xinjiang (China)
Measurables: 7-2, 209 pounds, 7-6.5 wingspan, 9-6.5 standing reach
Zhou is maybe the hardest prospect to peg on the entire big board. At a legit 7-2 in shoes with an incredible wingspan and standing reach, it should come as no surprise that he led the CBA in block percentage during his rookie season in 2014-15. Even at Hoop Summit this year against elite American high school players, his overall length proved to be a legitimate impediment to people finishing within the paint. He also moves reasonably well, and has a solid jump shot out to about 18 feet, making him a pretty unique guy skill-wise. The problem is simply his body. At only 209 pounds, describing his frame as "frail" is an understatement. He's about as skinny a prospect as you'll ever see, and he's moved off the block with ease by nearly everyone. That really hurts him when it comes to rebounding his position and defending in the post. There's also the question of how developable his frame really is, as it doesn't look like one that will ever support a ton of weight. Still though, rim protection is as valued as ever in the NBA, and that skill alone makes him a top-40 prospect for me. It'll be interesting to see how he develops both this year and possibly over the next three years, as Chinese players typically are not able to declare for the draft until they reach their age-22 season.
8. A.J. Hammons
Senior, Purdue
Measurables: 7-0, 270 pounds, 7-3 wingspan
Hammons has been a relatively inconsistent prospect over the course of his career at Purdue. His frame is pretty great for a potential NBA big man, and he can really protect the rim with a great wingspan and terrific timing instincts when going up for shots. He also has decent range out to 18 or so feet with solid mechanics, a fairly solid post game, and he's strong enough to hold his position on the glass, where he can really eat up the ball when his confidence levels are high. The problems with Hammons have been two-fold. First and foremost, his effort level has always been a question. It really seemed to improve in Big Ten play last year, and it might legitimately represent a turning of the corner for him in that regard. However, in the two and a half years previously, his play only showed up in all too inconsistent flashes. Also, his lateral movment isn't particularly top-notch, and he's older for his class as he'll be 24 before he ever plays in an NBA game. He's absolutely a preseason top-50 guy for me due to his play when he's rolling, and he has potential to rise into the lottery if he can lead Purdue to new heights in the Big Ten. We just need to see it more consistently.
9. Chinanu Onuaku
Sophomore, Louisville
Measurables: 6-10, 246 pounds, 7-2.5 wingspan, 9-1.5 standing reach
Onuaku has been a guy that has risen up draft boards this summer due to his play in the U19 World Championships in Crete. With a fully developed body at 6-10, he was physically much stronger than just about anyone at the event, and it showed in the way that he defended and rebounded. However, before moving him up into first-round consideration zone, I'd like to see more of it this season at Louisville. Last year, he was a pretty average defensive rebounder, and his rim protection skills were only slightly above average as a big body next to Montrezl Harrell. He also didn't show anything in the way of creating offense for himself, and he can't shoot from outside of five feet despite being able to finish around the rim. Finally, his turnover rate of 33.5 percent is one of the highest marks you'll see for a legitimate draft prospect. His performance in Crete certainly put him on the map, but now it's up to him to consolidate that place on the map by backing it up in the NCAA this year against more consistent, athletic competition.
10. Marko Arapovic
Int'l 1996, Croatia (Cedetiva)
Measurables: 6-9, 230 pounds
Arapovic is another player who raised his stock this summer in Crete with an absolutely marvelous performance that saw him named to the all-tournament team while averaging 15 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. He's your stereotypical European prospect: a highly-skilled, feel-based player with limited athleticism. Arapovic is one of the better passers in his age group for any position, capable of finding just about any open player on the floor from any spot. He's also a pretty good shooter in the midrange, knocking down turnaround jumpers in the mid-post and catch-and-shoot jumpers out to even the international 3-point line. So yeah, he has an NBA skill level. The question is just whether or not he can hack it athletically, as he's only 6-9 with an average wingspan and limited explosiveness. Because of that limited explosiveness, he's kind of caught between the power forward and center positions in the modern NBA. He's one to watch for the future though, as maybe he can become something of a Luis Scola in the right situation, although that would be his absolute best-case scenario.
Freshmen to watch: Thomas Bryant, Indiana; Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
Next 10: Kaleb Tarczewski, Arizona; Kennedy Meeks, North Carolina; Mamadou Ndiaye, UC Irvine; Moussa Diagne, Fuelenbrada (Spain); Daniel Ochefu, Villanova; Ante Zizic, Cibona (Croatia); Ivica Zubac, Ciboona (Croatia); Georgios Papagiannis, Panathinaikos (Greece); Ilimane Diop, Vitoria (Spain); Jonathan Motley, Baylor
