The Sixers came into this draft looking for size and that’s exactly what they got in seven footer Nikola Vucevic from USC. The 20 year old from Montenegro is seven feet tall, 260 pounds with a big 7-5 wingspan. This is a straight up need pick for the Sixers and Vucevic is a guy that should step in the rotation at center right away.
He doesn’t seem like a guy the projects as an offensive or defensive star, but can be solid on both ends of the court. He has a decent post game and has displayed a jump shot that stretches all the way to the three point line. He was also a solid rebounder at USC, which is a skill that projects well to the NBA.
As for the negatives, he doesn’t seem like a great athelete. He’s not a guy that’s super fast or is a big leaper, but at seven feet tall he really doesn’t have to be. He’s one of the few true centers in this draft, a good value at #16 and fills a clear area of need for the Sixers. No one will probably call this a home run pick, but it’s solid.