Usman Garuba is the Grizzlies’ most intriguing draft prospect
Unlike last season, the Memphis Grizzlies have a relatively high draft pick in 2021. They’ll pick at the No. 17 spot, where a handful of elite prospects will be available, giving them the chance to take a player who could have fallen from the lottery.
Right now, we can only speculate as to who will be available at that point.
One player in particular who has been rumored as a potential prospect for Memphis is Usman Garuba, an international prospect from Spain. Garuba is a 6-8, 229-pound prospect who played for Real Madrid, a team that has had a handful of strong NBA players come through. Luka Doncic is the most notable current player.
But there’s a catch.
The Memphis Grizzlies would be taking a huge risk by going for Usman Garuba
Garuba is one of the most unique prospects in the draft, with a large, unreliable sample size to work from. The big man has the size and power to develop into a strong NBA big but wasn’t a high-volume player with Real Madrid.
He only played 17.2 minutes per game, scoring just 4.7 points per game. That said, he’s only 18 years old, which is why teams are so high on this prospect.
The young forward has all of the potential in the world, as obvious by the fact that he became the youngest ever starter in Real Madrid’s history. The previous was Luka Doncic. Obviously, there’s no real connection between those two players, but it’s an interesting parallel.
When Garuba is on the floor, he’s a turnover-creating, shot-blocking machine. Per 36 minutes, he averages 1.4 steals. That said, there aren’t many other positive stats to speak of. His field goal percentages need work, he’s not a great free-throw shooter, and he struggles to stay involved on offense.
The primary positive connected to Garuba is his ability to play smart basketball, something that Memphis needs. That said, they already have a young 6-8 center who does that in Xavier Tillman, so without any excessive size, there’s no reason to take a chance on this risky prospect.
Next. This is the year to draft an underrated big. dark
Garuba would be a long-term prospect with no guaranteed upside, which isn’t a chance that Memphis will want to take right now. In all likelihood, they’ll pass him up and draft a wing.