Charlotte Hornets: How Precious Achiuwa Could be the Steal of the Draft

By Christian Milcos | Apr 12, 2020

Memphis Tigers Precious Achiuwa. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

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Charlotte Hornets

Former Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook. Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Strengths

Achiuwa has the base of what could turn into an above-average player in the modern-day NBA. Measuring in at 6-9 with a 7-2 wingspan, he has that ideal size that wings and small-ball bigs must possess coming into the league today. At only 20-years-old, he has already shown the ability to adapt. There’re many reasons to think that with a solid development program, he can be the next great ‘tweener’ at the next level.

The first thing that jumps off the page when analyzing Achiuwa’s game is his finishing ability. The one time Memphis Tiger made a living off of his powerful finishes around the hoop this past season.

There was perhaps no other player who generated a bigger reaction of ‘aw’ from fans than Achiuwa. More specifically, he garnered this type of reaction via his patented tough finishes around the rim. These high percentage looks in the paint are what led to a second-place finish in field goal percentage amongst AAC qualifiers.

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Coach Hardaway’s use of Achiuwa in this sense was extremely smart. He played to his strengths and forced him to finish around the long frontcourt prospects that the AAC produces (See Tacko Fall v. Duke, 2019).

What’s more, the coaching staff at Memphis forced the Montverde Academy alum to catch the ball at the perimeter as opposed to on the block. This is vital for big-men in the NBA to be proficient in as a result of the perimeter-based attack’s most teams use.

Achiuwa demonstrated good ball control and the ability to drive. This skill is unique and valuable for any 6-9 big. These skills were particularly evident in an early-season slaughtering of New Orleans. Bigs using perimeter space to get ahead of steam and finish is an art that most fail at. Particularly, Joel Embiid has struggled with this when opponents give him space; this a skill that will be elite for Achiuwa with more polishing at the next level.

Furthermore, a rarely discussed positive aspect of Achiuwa’s skillset is his rebounding. Hauling in the most rebounds in the conference and averaging 14.2 boards a contest per 40 minutes, there is little doubt that this skill will translate to the NBA.

Most notably, he boasted a defensive rebound percentage of 24.7. To put this into perspective, this percentage was not too far off from those of leading rebounders in the country, such as John Mooney of Notre Dame. Mooney finished second in the nation in rebounds per game and had a defensive rebound percentage of 27.8.

Having this production on the glass from a non-center is a privilege for teams today. The rebounding four-man is a player type that has been foreign to the NBA in recent memory due to the regularity with which this style of player tends to be limited on offense. The Kenneth Faried and Reggie Evans mold of player is an extinct breed purely because on the spacing issues, they entail on offense.

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When looking at Achuiwa, he’s demonstrated the ability to get hot from three and has always possessed a workable form on jump shots. A four or three-man who can rebound at a high rate and spread the floor on offense would be a welcomed skillset on any team. Look no further than LaMarcus Aldridge to see how effective this combination of skills can be.

Lastly, Achiuwa presented matchup nightmares in college, and he can do the same at the next level if used properly. His supreme length and athleticism will make it difficult for small-ball centric opponents to game-plan. Furthermore, he has the tools to be able to guard one’s through five’s in the NBA.

While some may argue that raw athleticism tends to lead to sloppiness, there is an equally important case that suggests against this. Players entering the draft who possess the physical tools and, more importantly, hardworking mentality seem to work out in the long run. Poster children for this school of thought include the likes of Victor Oladipo, Aaron Gordon, and Russell Westbrook.

These were draftees who were endlessly ridiculed for not having a polished game or a true position coming into the league. However, elite athleticism and a passion for development seemed to ultimately be beneficial for these players.

Coaches and scouts have historically had the best comments to make about Achiuwa’s work ethic and attitude. In an article about his recruitment by CommercialAppeal.com one notable scout raved, “what I did notice early was he had a very, very strong work ethic. He wanted to get better and he listened.” It is not out of the question for Achuiwa to combine his raw physical tools with an elite work ethic and turn into a true success story.