A Draft 4X4: Four Quick Facts About the Grizzlies Four Draft Picks

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So by now we all know that the Grizzlies seem to have done well for themselves in the 2016 draft. The picks made sense, they were relevant, and didn’t leave Grizzlies fans losing their $*!@. So, who are the four young men that will have the opportunity to don a Grizzlies jersey? Here are four quick facts about each of the four Memphis draft picks.

Pick #17: Wade Baldwin The Fourth (@The_Fourth_Wade)

1. The Sophomore averaged 18.6 points, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals per 40 minutes last year at Vanderbilt. He’s got a good stat line and knows how to share the ball. He’s not selfish and with development he should be able to keep his turnovers in check while facilitating effectively. Thrust into either a starting position or a go-to backup he has real promise running the floor.

2. He can shoot the ball outside. Baldwin averaged 42.2% from three over the course of his college career. He’s also pretty exceptional at the catch-and-shoot. For a Grizzlies team that could benefit from some solid shooting he could find himself producing rather quickly.

3. That 6’11” wingspan tho. He’s got a great upper body for a guy whose 6’3”. That strength not only makes him a formidable defender but it also allows him to create contact. That contact will give him opportunities at the free-throw line where he currently connects 80% of the time. (Just to give you some reference, the Center we picked at 57 also has a 6’11” wingspan.)

4. It’s safe to say he has a sense of humor. He’s going to fit in nicely here being a Star Wars fan and all.

Pick #31 (from Boston): Deyonta Davis (@deyontadavis23)

1. We got him for a steal. He really shouldn’t have been available at 31 but he was. I think we all need to give him a little grace too. I mean, if you thought you were a lottery pick and made it all the way to 31 before you got drafted, you’d be a little bummed too. Coach Izzo was even seen consoling him on the floor Thursday night. The young Freshman did not fare as well as he wanted to but for the Grizzlies, this was great news.

2. He’s 6’11” with a 9’1” reach and 7’3” wingspan. He’s built to be an NBA power forward. His raw athletic talent is evident and with grooming is going to lend him to being an ideal big man. He’s quick and can get up to the rim, making him an exceptional option for the lob. He has good hands and can be a dependable finisher. He could also potentially play the Center role in a small ball lineup.

3. He averaged 11.8 rebounds per 40 minutes. He gets himself to the right place when he needs to be. 4.4 of his 11.8 rebounds were on the offensive side, which I like. Offensive rebounds lead to second chance points and the Grizzlies could use a few more of those off the bench.

4. He can defend. Of course his size alone gives him merit to be a good defender but he’s also an agile player. His quickness allows him to cover ground and take up space where he is needed. He averaged 4.1 blocks per 40 minutes of play. If he fills out even more he’s got even greater defensive potential. Check out this sweet block to get a little taste:

Pick #35 (also from Boston): Rade Zagorac (@zagorrrrrrr)

1. He’s a solid wing who can shoot. Not only can he shoot but he can also create his own shot. On a roster where shooting is a serious issue I think it’s a great pick to find a guy that has some serious promise. He is comfortable with the ball. Whether he is pulling up out of transition, attacking the basket or being creative in a one-on-one situation he seems to find a way to make his shot work.

2. He’s got heart. He broke his arm in the middle of the fourth quarter of the first game last season and finished the game. He scored 16 points and had 6 rebounds. Look at him, putting in work, casted arm and all.

3. His stat line is pretty solid. He finished last year averaging 13.8 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, despite missing games due to the broken arm mentioned above. He did that in an average of 28.3 minutes per game. Now, European ball is a lot different from NBA ball but if he can translate that effectiveness here he has the opportunity to be a fantastic player.

4. He declared for the 2015 draft, then withdrew. This might have helped his stock this year. Prior to his broken arm he was looking to play a more prominent role for Serbia but the injury nixed that. However, he came back from the injury and assisted his team in having their most successful season ever. He declared again this year, with a little more development under his belt.

 

Pick #57: Wang Zhelin (Sorry to disappoint, he doesn’t have a Twitter)

1. He’s got nice legs. Zhelin is 7’0” and 251 pounds of Chinese Center. His strength really lies in his legs. Where, according to everything I have read, he can be compared to Yao Ming. He’s very good at getting the positioning he needs and is usually ready to grab double digits boards in all the games he plays.

2. He only played 8 games his last season in the CBA. Now, from what I can gather it appears he was battling a myriad of injuries. Don’t hold me to the fire on this. However, it severely affected his production. He went from averaging 21.5 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 57.5% shooting in his first 3 seasons to 11.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 49.3% shooting. He’s been very productive for his team but did have a stronger start to his playing career.

3. He still needs some serious development. Sure he can put up big numbers in the CBA but that is not necessarily going to translate to the NBA. The CBA does not have the level of competition you see in the NBA

4. There’s a rumor about his age. At least that’s what DraftExpress.com says. Although his birth date is listed at January 1994, there’s a little question if that’s really the truth. The rumor says that he could be as many as three years older than claimed. Who knows if there’s any truth to this at all but it’s a fun little factoid!

There you have it, four facts about each of the Grizzlies’ four draft picks. Now we just get to wait and see if the Grizzlies did was well as it seems they did.

**Since I don’t spend a lot of time overseas and scouting for the Grizzlies I gotta give a shout out to DraftExpress.com, sports-reference.com, basketball.realgm.com, espn.com, and nba.com for stats and facts.

Tabitha Smith
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