With the NBA Draft Lottery behind us, we shift our focus directly to the June 26th NBA Draft. Over the next month we’ll look at some of the top prospects in the draft, along with players that the Magic either reportedly worked out, or interviewed at the NBA Draft Combine. Indiana big man Noah Vonleh is next.
After a disappointing freshman season at Indiana, big man Noah Vonleh is on his way to the next level. The 13th recruit in ESPN’s 2013 Top-100’s one season at Indiana was somewhat disappointing, with the Hoosiers posting a 17-15 record and not playing in a postseason tournament. However, despite his team’s struggles, Vonnleh caught the eyes of many, showing off great physical tools to go along with some promise on both ends of the floor.
Points |
Total Rebound %
Block %
Usage %
TS%
2013-14
11.3
19.4
5.4
21.4
60.4
Vonleh is an absolute beast on the boards, and showed signs of being great on the defensive end as well. He didn’t score a ton, but when he did, he did so in a highly efficient manner. Vonleh also showed off a three-pointer, knocking down 48.5 percent of his attempts from downtown last season. However, he only attempted 33 over 30 games, so the sample size is small, and will most likely dip if asked to do it more often in the NBA.
Measurables
Height w/shoes |
Weight
Wingspan
Standing Reach
Max Vert
6’ 9.5”
247
7’ 4.25”
9’ 0”
37.0
Strengths
- Size
The former Hoosier is absolutely massive. He’s one of the biggest and longest players in the draft, and has the ability to get up their with the best of them when he wants. He has a terrific frame, and has already bulked up to the point that he should be able to handle some of the bigger, stronger NBA power forwards right off the bat. Vonleh also has hands that measured as one the biggest in NBA history at the NBA Draft Combine. He’s got the body of a prototypical NBA power forward, and with his ability to stretch the floor, his game suits the current NBA landscape as well.
- Rebounding
Statistically speaking, Vonleh is one of the best rebounders in this draft class. While his 9.0 rebounds per game might not jump off the page, Vonleh’s 13.6 per-40 minutes certainly does. He has an extremely high motor on the glass on both ends, and has shown solid fundamentals as well. He boxes out exceptionally well, and his 3.6 offensive rebounds per-40 minutes ranks him 13th amongst DraftExpress’ Top-100.
Weaknesses
- Offensively
While Vonleh has a lot of potential on the offensive end, there are still quite a few things that need to be ironed out for the big man. He’s one of the youngest players in this draft, and is fairly raw and unpolished on the offensive end. His footwork is mediocre, and he doesn’t have true go to moves yet. Vonleh has room to grow in getting position, and making the catch right so he cane make a quick move. He’s got decent touch, but has some issues getting quality looks from time-to-time as well.
- IQ
Vonleh has all the talent possible, but needs to put it together with a better basketball IQ. He’s still got a ways to go with his feel for the game, and posted the second worst assist per-40 minutes in DraftExpress’ Top-100. He struggled making the right play at time, as is evident by his 3.2 turnovers per-40 minutes. Vonleh also has a tendency to fall asleep defensively, ending up out of position and forced to foul his opponent. It’s all things that with more time and work Vonleh can improve on, but it’s just a matter of getting the right coaching to do that.
Conclusion
Despite being very raw, Vonleh has a lot of room to grow into an impact player on both ends. He has solid foundations, and his great rebounding ability will undoubtedly transfer over and help him, especially early in his career. He turns 19 in August, so he’s one of the youngest players in this draft, and will undoubtedly be able to grow as he gets older.
For the Magic, Vonleh would be a fantastic fit. He’d be able to slide in next to center Nikola Vucevic right off the bat and give the Magic one of the best rebounding frontcourt duos in the NBA. He’d also add a defensive presence inside that the Magic so desperately need, and with his growing ability to stretch the floor, would allow Vucevic to continue to build his post game. He should be on the board and four, and could very well be the Magic’s selection come June 26th.
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