NBA Draft Board: Centers - Sol Jones the Wild Card

[Brad]

NBA Draft Board: Centers

June 26, 2006

desmond conner  

Draft is Wednesday, 7 p.m., ESPN

This isn't a great draft for centers because many will be more of the power forward type in the NBA. But a few have the potential to be decent, beginning with Patrick O'Bryant, the 7-footer from Bradley who is coming out after his sophomore season.

Head Of The Class

Patrick O'Bryant (7-0, 250 pounds, Bradley): He doesn't have great strength and has gotten knocked around a bit. But he had a huge NCAA Tournament game against Pitt's Aaron Gray (28 points and seven rebounds) that probably helped seal his decision to leave early. The league likes 7-footers, and O'Bryant does have some skills. He's a good rebounder, shot-blocker and displays good footwork. With a wingspan of about 71/2 feet, he doesn't have to jump much to block shots. A team picking in the lottery is likely to take a chance on him.

Best Of The Rest

Mouhamed Saer Sene, (7-0, 237, Senegal): He has only been playing the game for about three years, but he's athletic. His impact will be first felt on defense, aided by a 7-8 wingspan. Sene doesn't have much offense to speak of, but neither does Ben Wallace, the NBA's four-time defensive player of the year.

Justin Williams (6-10, 225, Wyoming): Whether he's actually 6-10 or more of a power forward than center is a mystery, but there's no confusion about the shot-blocking ability he showed at the predraft camp in Orlando, Fla., where he had eight blocks in one game. He's quick off the floor and seldom budges for head fakes. He needs to get stronger but could find a place in the league because of his primary skill.

Ryan Hollins, (7-0, 225, UCLA): He needs to bulk up but, like Williams, a team will take a chance on him because of his ability to block shots. Hollins also runs the floor well. He's still raw and can improve in every area.

Wild Card

Solomon Jones (6-10, 230, South Florida): Another guy who could slide in as a power forward but has effective center skills. A tremendous athlete who runs the floor with ease. Jones was one of the top shot-blockers (3.1 a game, ranking third) and rebounders (9.8, second) in the Big East last season.

Coming Tuesday: Point guards

Story Link

[LakeBull]

I wonder how much the Big East affiliation helps his stock.     Being one of the top performers in CUSA just dosen't have the same clout.

[Herman_Momart]

Im sure playing in the BE has a lot to do with his rising stock, plus the fact that he did so well on a team that had one conference win cant hurt either.  The draft is close all we can do is wait and see.  

ANy team that needs a center/PF should take a shot on him in the 2nd round.  Cant coach athletic ability like that kid has.  All he needs is a great fundamentals coach and the potential is unlimited.  

[Brad]

In light of the recent NBA finals it has got to appeal to some teams that there is a 6-10 guy (although a rail) that can rebound, block and shoot 80% from the free throw line...

[Paisa el Toro]

I wonder how much the Big East affiliation helps his stock.     Being one of the top performers in CUSA just dosen't have the same clout.

If guys from Bradley and Wyoming are being mentioned before Sol, then I don't think the Big East affiliation really has all that much to do with it. A good big-man is a rarity these days in the NBA. After a 34 year old Shaq, Duncan, and maybe even Yao, there's a huge drop-off in big-man talent. Scouts drool over athletic big-men, and that's what I think is helping Sol's stock rise.

[beastiebull]

The only thing getting him drafted this year, and it's still questionable in my book,  is that there are no other decent big men coming out and there are very few in the NBA.

[smazza]

sojo is not a center and could never play postion in nba

[Kyle]

I think Sol's game against UCONN, when he was the best player on the floor in front of a whole bunch of people scouting Rudy Gay/Josh Boone, really opened some eyes.

[Velcro]

sojo is not a center and could never play postion in nba

no one is looking at him as a center (unless pheonix was to get in the mix).

[beastiebull]

If he puts on 25 lbs. he could be 4/5 tweener type like KG in the future.  He's really not strong enough right now to be a PF either in the NBA but a few months of NBA workouts will get him there.