NBA Draft: Evaluating Ryan Kalkbrenner's Day-One Impact

Ryan Kalkbrenner is one of the best shot blockers in college basketball and has the tools to make an immediate impact for teams following the 2025 NBA draft

Mar 26, 2023; Louisville, KY, USA; Creighton Bluejays center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) blocks a shot at the. Basket by San Diego State Aztecs guard Darrion Trammell (12) during the second half at the NCAA Tournament South Regional-Creighton vs San Diego State at KFC YUM! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

While traditional big men are slowly fading from the NBA landscape, rim protectors remain extremely valuable in certain situations and matchups. Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner fits this role perfectly and should be a valuable upperclassman in the 2025 NBA draft, as he combines great height and length with elite timing and hand-eye coordination.

His offensive game is by no means a lost cause, as he has shown flashes of being able to stretch the floor, which could unlock starter potential if he gains more shooting consistency.

Let's highlight aspects of Kalkbrenner’s game that could translate to the NBA, as well as areas for improvement.

Up to this point in his collegiate career, Kalkbrenner has consistently been one of the best shot blockers in the nation. He started his collegiate career by averaging over a block per game as a freshman, despite playing just over 13 minutes per game. As his minutes increased in the next two seasons, he boosted his rim protection productivity to over two blocks per game in both his sophomore and junior years. In his senior year, Kalkbrenner took another leap, raising his blocks to over three per game, which ranked as the second most in the nation. His impressive standing reach and ability to contest vertically without fouling should remain effective during his final year of eligibility and eventually carry over into the NBA, similar to Walker Kessler’s career to this point.

Kalkbrenner has also steadily increased his scoring throughout his college career, averaging an impressive 17 points per game during the previous season. Following the departure of Trey Alexander after last season, the stage is set for Kalkbrenner to shoulder more of the offensive load in the upcoming year, which should further enhance his productivity.

Currently, he is mainly a play finisher, possessing a soft touch on the interior and consistently finishing in the mid-post, as well as on contested shots at the rim. Whether these shots come from post-up opportunities or second chances following offensive rebounds, Kalkbrenner has shown flashes of being one of the more effective interior scorers due to his previously mentioned touch and ability to create looks with his footwork and surprising fluidity for a player of his size.

Three-point shooting remains a question mark, but he has clearly worked on this aspect of his game throughout his college career. Although it is still a work in progress, improvements in his form and confidence bode well for continued advancement early in his NBA career. He may have a long path ahead of him to become a legitimate threat from deep if that is the long-term goal for him. The role of NBA big men is in a strange place; young, versatile bigs have created an extremely difficult mold to replicate, but many teams will need to find counters for these players, and Kalkbrenner looks like a viable option.

He will also need to improve his connective playmaking to fit better with offenses at the next level. His feel for the game is promising, and he has shown flashes of vision out of the high post. While he may not be relied upon to spot shooters and cutters with his back to the basket, Kalkbrenner is able to sense help defenders closing in and kick the ball out to the perimeter to alleviate pressure.

Kalkbrenner may not go early in the draft due to his age and lack of consistent versatility, but he will offer an immediate impact to whichever team takes a chance on him. Many teams look to draft based on potential, but contenders will surely be interested in adding a player like him, making Kalkbrenner one of the more intriguing centers to monitor ahead of the 2025 NBA draft.

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