Big men entering NBA draft face steep learning curve

The clock is about to start ticking for this year's crop of big men, and Zeller said that even with the preparation he received at Indiana, with its

First-round picks in 2012, Anthony Davis (left) and Tyler Zeller both had plenty to learn as rookies :: Elsa/Getty Images

Drafted fifth overall in 2011, Jonas Valanciunas didn't make his debut until the 2012-13 season :: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Cody Zeller (center) is expected to be a lottery pick in the 2013 NBA draft :: Andrew Hancock/SI

The clock is about to start ticking for this year's crop of big men, and Zeller said that even with the preparation he received at Indiana, with its NBA-like playbook, and twice-a-week chats with his brother, he knows there's a lot he doesn't know. "There's a lot to get adjusted to and I think it will take some time," Zeller said. "It'll be a learning process this first year. I'll fight and scrap for every little bit of it; that's what I'll do at the next level."