Thon Maker (Photo : Twitter)
Thon Maker was touted as the future of NBA big men while he was in high school but now seems unimpressive with a closer look.
Now that Thon Maker has been admitted to the NBA draft, he will have to survive the scrutiny of NBA scouts and executives. After his first draft combine, the results have not been impressive. According to an NBA executive quoted by Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE, the phenom from Sudan who is now an Australian citizen but now residing in Canada failed to stand out.
"There is no way this kid should be in this year's draft," one Eastern Conference scout told CSNNE.com. "He's nowhere close to being ready to play or make any kind of impact that will help a team anytime soon. He's one of those two years away from being two years away kind of players. If you take him near the end of the second round, he's worth it. But a first-rounder? I just don't see it."
This view was supported by the latest mock draft from the The Vertical by Jonathan Givony where Thon Maker was absent from their first round projections.
When viewed through the workouts, Maker has remarkable skills not common for players his size. He has exceptional ball handling and is even developing a three point shot. The caveat is that NBA execs still expect him to perform big man duties like rebounding and defense. The biggest area of doubt is whether he can hold his own against stronger NBA competition.
Since Maker chose not to attend college or play professionally overseas, he has yet to be tested by bigger, older players. Yet, an assistant coach who had watched him play on Basketball Without Borders claims that he has seen enough.
"You immediately saw the separation of talent, of God-given ability," the assistant coach told CSNNE.com. "He's a multi-faceted player, a willing learner."
Drafting a "project" like Thon Maker is very risky, to say the least that's why it's more likely that the more established teams who won't demand quick development would be the best destination for Maker. A team like the Boston Celtics who have more picks than roster spots could also be a possibility.
Maker has made himself into an enigma and it is hurting his draft stock. This makes executives somewhat suspicious. Still, a rare talent like him could be worth the risk.
