28. Precious Achiuwa, big, Memphis
At 6-foot-9 and carved out of stone, Precious Achiuwa could go as high as the lottery. There’s natural infatuation with his athletic gifts, and the potential of a mobile, multi-positional defender who can bulldoze opponents in the open court is hard to deny.
Even so, Achiuwa has a ways to go developmentally. His 3-point stroke is virtually nonexistent, he’s not a diverse scorer inside, and his defense — while shimmering with elite upside — is still a work in progress. There’s a chance Achiuwa doesn’t actually figure it out, which is why the lottery feels too high.
Late in the first round is a better bet, and in a mostly unspectacular class, it’s understandable that teams are prepared to take leaps of faith. Achiuwa could make this ranking look stupid, or he could struggle to realize his potential. Either outcome is possible. Regardless, he’s one heck of an athlete.