With the 19th overall pick, the Atlanta Hawks will be looking toward the future when they select center Jarrett Allen from Texas. Even though the Hawks recently signed Dwight Howard to a big deal, this pick will be to groom a player that can replace Howard when the time comes.
As a freshman at Texas, Allen averaged 13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. Even though the Longhorns struggled last season, there was certainly some talented young players on the team like Allen.
Against Kansas last season, Allen certainly played some of his best games of the season. In their first meeting, Allen totaled 22 points and 19 rebounds on the road. Later in the season at home, Allen totaled 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Even though Allen is under 6’10” without shoes, he has a long wingspan that reaches over 7’5”. Being the backup to Howard to start his career would be a good situation for Allen to fall into. Howard has certainly been a great defender in his career, and like Allen, he isn’t over seven feet tall.
With Allen’s athleticism, he should be able to be a good pick-and-roll player in the NBA like he was in college. Even though he might not fill an immediate need, Allen could be a good piece to have in the future for the Hawks.