9. Jakob Poeltl
Age: 20
Position: C
School/Country: Utah
Height: 7-1
Weight: 239 pounds
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Had Jakob Poeltl come out of Utah after just his freshman season, there’s a good chance he would’ve been taken in the lottery and it’s certain that the big man would have been selected in the first round. Instead, the big man returned for one more year with the Utes and it helped vault him into a space as a sure-fire lottery pick that should has some people and scouts buzzing.
For Utah in his sophomore season, Poeltl put up 17.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while playing only 30.6 minutes per contest and shooting 64 percent from the floor. Though his length isn’t staggering, Poeltl’s legitimate seven-foot size in addition to his skills at that size as a traditional big man are enticing for teams that like to have that big, strong body on the interior.
Poeltl will definitely have to continue to get stronger and will need to become a much bigger asset on the defensive end—those two things not entirely being unrelated. That said, any team in need of a big body in the frontcourt should look at Poeltl as an asset. If there were more upside and less bust potential, he’s be an option for the Lakers. At this spot, though, that seems highly doubtful.
Next: No. 8 Chriss