Utah Jazz: 2017 NBA draft cheat sheet
By John Keeffer
Bam Adebayo, 6’10”, Kentucky, Freshman
Bam Adebayo is a man.
At 6’10”, 243 pounds, with a 7’3″ wingspan, Adebayo is a specimen. He also has a 38-1/2″ vertical.
He actually compares similarly to Dwight Howard’s pre-draft measurables. Howard was 6’10”, 240, with a 7’4″ wingspan, and only a 35″ vertical. I don’t think he has that type of talent (he would be going much higher if that were the case), but the body and athleticism is comparable.
As a freshman at Kentucky, he was not asked to score. He got his baskets from hard rolls to the rim, alley-oop finishes and out hustling opponents for offensive rebounds and put backs.
His primary roll was to rebound the basketball, and to use his imposing frame and athleticism to protect the basket, while also being able to handle smaller players on the perimeter.
Adebayo is raw, but could step in and immediately fit the culture of the Utah Jazz with his high energy and all-around defensive abilities.