2017 Orlando Magic Draft Preview: Who is Ivan Rabb?

Feb 28, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears forward Ivan Rabb (1) dunks the basketball against the USC Trojans in the first half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears forward Ivan Rabb (1) dunks the basketball against the USC Trojans in the first half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next

The Good

Ivan Rabb has good size for a center and good mobility for one too. At 6-foot-11, 220 pounds, Rabb is surprisingly lithe and quick on his feet, while maintaining some power around the basket.

Only 17 players in the entire nation averaged a double-double this season in the NCAA. And just five came from major conferences. He was certainly helped by the increased pace in the Pac-12 in getting to 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. But still, it is a strong indicator of what he can do.

Rebounding is typically a skill that translates to the NBA. And Rabb is a solid rebounder. It is not just his raw numbers. Rabb posted an 18.3 percent total rebound rate and grabbed 25.7 percent of all available defensive rebounds.

Those are not earth-shattering numbers. He is not like Kenneth Faried — he posted a 25.6 percent total rebound rate in his junior year — who just gobbled up rebounds. But Rabb’s numbers are solid.

Rabb looks at home in the paint. He uses his size well to push (legally!) players out of the way to get to the glass. His finishes can be a bit clunky, but he can score around the basket effectively.

Where Rabb really grew his sophomore year was with his jumper. He is comfortable stepping out to 15 feet along the baseline or to the elbow and the top of the key and burying a jumper on a pick and roll. His length and athleticism force defenses to respect his driving ability, especially among slower centers.

He shows promise that he can extend to the 3-point line. He made 8 of 20 3-pointers last year for California.

There is a lot of ingredients for a solid player within Rabb.