Julius Randle, Freshman, Power Forward, Kentucky
Overview:
Randle is nothing short of a basketball natural. He is everything a coach could ask for in terms of a frontcourt player. At 6’9” he is strong enough to patrol the blocks and snag rebounds, but he is also athletic enough to run the floor offensively. He is currently averaging 54% from the field. His opportunities to score are generally good ones. He is an able defender as well.
Randle does a lot for Kentucky and John Calipari would not have it any other way. He has already had ten double-doubles this season through mid-January. His per game average for scoring (16.9) and rebounding (10.5) are both in double digits. He and center Willie Cauley-Stein allow Kentucky to be the 6th best rebounding team in the nation. Randle is fun to watch each game. He plays with an energy and a basketball prowess rarely seen.
Final Projection:
Randle will be a top 10 pick for certain. Quality big men are hard to find nowadays. He will have to work on his shooting a bit. But he will not be paid to take 15-foot jumpers. He will help generate possessions for his team, either on offense or defense, which will allow them more scoring opportunities. No one knows if he will be the next Tim Duncan, but this type of athleticism cannot be taught. He is a basketball player. Someone is going to take him very early.
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