NBA Draft Board: Real Madrid’s Usman Garuba

Ahead of the 2021 NBA Draft, we’re breaking down 20 of the best prospects in the class.

In the 2021 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder own two picks just outside the lottery at No. 16 and No. 18 overall. One of the prospects who could fall in that range is Usman Garuba who most recently played for Real Madrid of Liga ACB.

Profile:

Garuba is certainly a project, but could be worth the investment for a team who has time to develop him. Playing in a tough league overseas, the 6-foot-8 forward has experience playing against premier talent at age 19.

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Strengths:

Garuba has the potential to be one of the best defenders in this entire class. His 7-foot-3 wingspan is one of the most impressive of any of his peers.

The offense could take some time to come around at the next level, but Garuba should still be able to defend and rebound immediately. He’s got an extremely high motor and plays with a ton of energy and passion that could spark a bench unit.

Weaknesses:

Garuba isn’t a great 3-point shooter, but also doesn’t shoot them at a high volume either. While he projects to be a power forward long-term in the NBA, he’ll likely be forced to play small-ball center as a rookie since his offensive game isn’t polished yet.

What’s most concerning is his poor free throw shooting, which is a major indicator of future success as a shooter. While Garuba has a ton of upside, he is also a risky prospect that many teams may be uncomfortable taking a chance on.