11. C Thomas Bryant, Indiana
Adding to the list of physically imposing centers in this upcoming draft class, Thomas Bryant showed plenty of flashes of somebody who could be highly effective at the next level of play. After coming into his freshman campaign as one of the most hyped players in the class, Bryant decided to forgo this year’s draft in favor of, in all likelihood, entering in 2017, despite the possibility of being a lottery pick regardless.
Bryant’s physical tools are what stand out at first glance when watching him play. Listed at 6-10 and weighing over 240 pounds underneath the basket, Bryant has a lengthy wingspan and uncanny athleticism at the five spot that makes him a sizable force on both sides of the ball.
He’s still fairly raw in a number of aspects, but that’s always a common theme among the younger big men at the collegiate level. He showed massive strives as his freshman campaign progressed last season with Indiana, and will have yet another season to continue his upward trend in a more expansive role in 2017.
Bryant’s stature alone makes him a defensive stud on the low block. He got into foul trouble at times early on, but corrected that problem on a consistent basis as time passed. He has excellent lateral mobility for somebody with his size, and an NBA-ready body that should make him a viable shot blocker as soon as he steps foot onto a professional court. He can get up and alter shots at will, and has shown excellent progression in his fundamentals as well in regards to his footwork around the basket.
Bryant is also a strong rebounding threat give the nature of his game and his oft-lauded motor that made him a forceful presence down the stretch last season. He has a nose for the ball and is willing to put all his energy into producing in whichever manner benefits the team.
His willingness to be energetic on both sides of the ball is part of what makes a player of Bryant’s physical dominance so appealing, and is one of those consistently mentioned intangibles that will almost always carry over to the next level of competition. It’s an attribute that seperates him from some of the upcoming class’ other hyped big men, such as Marques Bolden, and is something that we saw make players among the likes of Domantas Sabonis and Thon Maker highly sought after, while leaving AJ Hammons in the middle of the second round.
Offensively, Bryant has a lot of work to do, but he did show some promising signs. He’s an easy lob target for obvious reasons, and his swift method of motion makes him difficult to contain in pick-and-roll situations. He can set hard screens and get to the basket without much resistance, while also showing some flashes of a budding arsenal of moves around the low block.
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Bryant is a hard worker and somebody who is tailor made to make an impact from day one at the next level. He still has immense room for improvement, but has the intangibles of somebody who should be a very good NBA center.
Next: 10. Allen