2021 NBA Mock Draft — 21. Usman Garuba, New York Knicks
The Knicks are coached by Tom Thibodeau, whose operating principle in life is capital-D Defense. The Knicks are run by Leon Rose, who formerly worked at CAA, the agency that represents Usman Garuba, a defense-first player. This is a match made in heaven, if you’re Knicks management. It feels something like destiny.
While Garuba’s skill set does not fill much of an immediate need, he does have a great deal of potential to contribute on the defensive end, and it’s potential that should pay off quickly. He’s an elite on-ball defender at 6-foot-8, with endless reserves of energy and a singular determination to impose his will on that side of the ball. Thibodeau will love him.
The Knicks’ center situation is a bit murky, and Garuba provides enough positional flexibility to partner with Julius Randle in smaller frontcourt configurations. He will get ignored behind the 3-point line, which isn’t ideal, but Garuba feels too much like a Knicks target not to be a Knicks target.
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