Dok has shot up to 32 this week. I struggle with these kind of jumps. I get he’s proved a ton defensively, but NBA personnel didn’t catch wind of anything before now?
http://insider.espn.com/nba/insider/sto ... -prospects
Udoka Azubuike | C | Kansas | No. 32
The newly minted Big 12 player of the year, Azubuike has established himself as a contender for national player of the year honors as well -- the best and most important player on the top team in college basketball.
Azubuike's junior year was derailed by a torn hand ligament that allowed him to play only nine games. He entered the draft for the second straight year but once again withdrew after drawing less interest than hoped. Then he spent the offseason getting into the best shape of his career.
He has been incredibly productive as a rebounder and finisher, as usual, but the other reason he's knocking on the door of the first round of the draft is that he has made significant strides on the defensive end as the anchor of a Kansas defense that currently ranks No. 2 in the country, according to ESPN's Basketball Power Index.
Entering this season, Azubuike was strictly a drop defender in pick-and-roll situations who would typically get carved up any time he stepped outside of the paint due to his heavy feet and below average feel for the game. His improved conditioning and significantly higher intensity level, along with his experience, have allowed him to emerge as arguably the most impactful defensive big man in college basketball, a complete wrecking ball in the paint with his shredded 270-pound frame and outrageous 7-foot-8 wingspan and 9-foot-4 standing reach.
This season he has hedged and even switched ball screens, keeping smaller players in front and making himself incredibly difficult to shoot over. His ridiculous length allows him to block shots from incredible vantage points, both on the perimeter and inside the paint, and with either hand (his 3.8 blocks per 40 minutes ranks No. 1 among ESPN Top 100 prospects). There are very few big men on the planet with Azubuike's dimensions, and the fact that he now covers ground adequately, contains drives and is virtually impossible to post up in the lane has added quite a bit of intrigue. In the NBA, he could have a huge physical advantage on a nightly basis with his unbelievable measurements.
Azubuike is a game-changer on offense as well, as he's extremely quick and powerful elevating off two feet and has shown significantly improved hands, timing and instincts as a finisher. Kansas' offense revolves heavily around getting him deep paint touches as a roller or post-up threat, as just throwing the ball in his vicinity has a high likelihood of resulting in a dunk. He's shooting 74% from the field due to his interior dominance and also posting a career high in assists.
Some NBA teams have had questions about Azubuike's listed age (20) and fit in the modern game, as well as his 44% free throw shooting and inconsistent approach, which has led to some friction between him and Kansas' coaching staff. But his freakish physical tools, dominance at the college level and improvements on both ends of the floor suggest he'll have a role in the NBA. A dominant NCAA tournament showing could move him firmly into the first round, possibly even the top 20 for a franchise that wants to buck the small-ball movement and force opposing teams to adjust to him on a nightly basis. -- Givony