Rudy Gobert

Strengths

Right-handed… This 6'11" forward/center has tremendous upside and will turn 21 years old just days before the 2012 NBA Draft; he has some serious length, quickness and agility for a player of his size. He is still growing, and it's been thought that he is actually closer to 7-feet with a 7'9" wingspan. His combination of size and athleticism has him as a high-draft pick regardless of offensive polish… While his offensive game is not yet a finished product, he has a nice feel for the game and utilizes his size well to finish shots around the rim on offense, alter opponents' shots compete for missed opportunities on the defensive end… Gobert runs the floor well, often beating his man in transition for the easy bucket. He is an explosive leaper and very solid athletically, so if he can develop his body and add polish to his game, Gobert would be a nice pick-up… He is a very good defensive presence, showing great instincts and vision to swat shots and get in the passing lanes or strip his opponents of the ball for a steal. Given his length, his shot-blocking should still be present when he moves onto the NBA despite his slender frame.

Weaknesses

Gobert oozes potential with all of the facts listed above, but his weaknesses are two huge negatives that could make him one giant bust if he does not improve. He has an extremely long frame- standing 6'11" with a tremendous wingspan, but weighs in close between 200-210 pounds. He lacks complete lower body strength to post-up on offense or hold his ground on defense in the low blocks. His upper body strength limits his otherwise very good rebounding abilities as he is often thrown around against more physically mature players. As if his weight wasn't a big enough issue, his offense, especially in the post is very limited; he is pretty much relegated to scoring off of put-backs, penetration cuts and transition opportunities. His post-game is almost non-existent.