Jun 27, 2013; Brooklyn, NY, USA; NBA commissioner David Stern (right) shakes hands with deputy commissioner Adam Silver after the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
With the 10th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Mock Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select… Noah Vonleh, power forward from Indiana University, according to bleacherreport.com. Here’s what they had to say about the selection:
"10. Los Angeles Lakers: Noah Vonleh, PF/C, Indiana (6’10”, 240 lbs.)There isn’t a ton of top-tier talent on the roster for the Los Angeles Lakers right now, especially with Kobe Bryant injured. The Lakers will be looking to draft the best player available in June, and that player in this scenario would be Noah Vonleh out of Indiana.While the Hoosiers aren’t having the season they were hoping for, Vonleh is emerging as a very impressive prospect. He’s shooting 54.8 percent while averaging 12.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. He’s a great scorer inside that’s developing a solid mid-range game. He’s still a bit raw, but Vonleh’s upside makes him worth a top-10 pick."
Vonleh reminds me of Chris Bosh. He is a lean, athletic big man that does most of his damage from mid-range. He also has an improving post game as he is filling out his 7’3″ wingspan in his freshman year. He wasn’t always this tall, so he has some good handles to go along with his size. He will be stronger than Bosh and already has a good center of gravity to dominate his opponents in the post. Vonleh came into the season projected as a legit top-5 pick, but Indiana has struggled this year, and his stock has fallen as a result. Vonleh is averaging 12 PPG and 9.5 RPG in only 22 minutes. Check out some of his highlights:
As you can see, he has the strength and size to be a force in the post, but has the quickness and the handles to put the ball on the floor and be dominant from mid to long range. His work ethic is also extremely good already, so playing with Kobe will be a great opportunity for him. If the Lakers do select Vonleh with the 10th pick, I am very confident he could be an All-Star and a huge piece on our next Championship team. But, if the Lakers continue on this downward trend, they could crack the top-5 and get so much more value.
What do you think? Would you be happy with Noah Vonleh as our prize for an off year?