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The Portland Trail Blazers will select in the lottery during the NBA Draft if their fortune doesn’t change between now and the end of the season. In his latest mock draft, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has Portland picking Memphis freshman Precious Achiuwa:
Achiuwa made his strongest statement of the season on Saturday during a 22-point, 22-rebound, five-block effort against Tulane.
Even without a great deal of skill, he continues to impact games by maximizing his 6’9”, 225-pound frame, 7’2” wingspan, mobility and motor for rim-runs, finishes, second-chance opportunities and defensive playmaking. Achiuwa’s jump shot and decision-making still require significant improvement, but few bigs in the draft have a more impressive physical foundation to build off.
Achiuwa is averaging 15.5 points and 10.4 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game during his freshman season at Memphis. He was a five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American coming out of high school.
You can view highlights from Achiuwa’s recent 22-point, 22-rebound game here:
The NBA Draft is set for Thursday, June 25.