A.J. Hammons is a great example of how difficult it is to evaluate players and project where they will go in the NBA draft.
He checks almost all of the boxes when it comes to size and skill, but his effort level and focus are big question marks.
"If he was a high-motor guy, he'd probably go top-eight," an NBA scout told Bleacher Report, adding that Hammons would go ahead of Utah's Jakob Poeltl, who is expected to be the top center taken in the draft.
Instead, Hammons is expected to likely go in the second round with a chance to sneak into the first.
There are red flags from a suspension and benching in college. He missed two exhibition games and the season opener as a sophomore after violating team rules. This past season, he was benched for the first two games and didn't move into the starting lineup until January 7.
But once allowed to play, there was progress on the floor, and he played himself into the draft with the best statistical season of his career.
"He doesn't always try hard, but when he tries hard, he's an NBA center," a second scout said. "He' ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by C.J. Moore
2016 NBA Draft Prospects: Breaking Down NBA Future of Purdue’s A.J. Hammons
May 10th, 2016 by C.J. Moore Leave a reply »
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