UCLA – Thomas Welsh
UCLA is 13-5 so far in the NCAA, and a respectable 4-2 in Pac-12 conference play. No longer the “Big Baller Brand” university, this team is running on the talents of players like 7-foot-0 center Thomas Welsh. Welsh is a remarkable player, following in the footsteps of Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid in a Pac-12 version of the stretch-five. So far, he has been hitting on 42.9 percent of his perimeter shots, and averages three such attempts per game.
If you are concerned that perimeter shooting is taking him away from the boards, he sustains a 10.7 rebounds per game average, plus 1.7 assists, 1.1 blocks, and .9 steals per game.
Big man with big impact
Welsh creates a big impact in every game he plays. At 7-foot-0 height, he towers over most of the competition. But he doesn’t simply stand in the paint and shoot. He works three-point range shots too, befuddling his opponent.
19 threes for Thomas Welsh. Jamal Adams, his coach at Loyola, always knew he'd develop into a real good player.
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) January 12, 2018
Welsh is the type of player who adds tremendous versatility to any NBA team’s bench. And given time, could be that special player at the four or five role to bounce bodies in the paint, or finesse a nice perimeter game.