The Miami Heat selected Precious Achiuwa with the 20th pick in the NBA Draft, adding an intriguing prospect that fits right in with the Heat Culture.
The Miami Heat are coming off an NBA Finals loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. They have every reason to run it back with the bulk of their rotation from last year, with an eye on acquiring a star in the near future.
Their off-season got underway on Wednesday night though in the NBA draft. It was there that they added Precious Achiuwa out of Memphis
Miami has seen Eastern Conference rivals improve in the early stages of the off-season, so getting a contribution from their rookie first-rounder at some point would be a huge asset. While not completely necessary for the pick to be a great one when we look back down the road, he could be a difference-maker by later in the season.
That will be the case if the Heat experience early deficiencies in a few specific areas. Let’s look at those areas.
3. Athleticism
Precious Achiuwa has athleticism that jumps out at you when watching him play. At 6’9” with a 7’2” wingspan, he has the size to play either of the forward positions.
While some may consider him a bit smaller than preferred to play the four, he makes up for any size difference with his athleticism. He’s able to get off the floor very well for a player his size.
This allows Achiuwa to contest shots other players his size might not be able to. Let’s look at the other forward spot.
If asked to play the three, Achiuwa possesses enough lateral quickness, speed, and agility to keep up with NBA perimeter players. Instead of being a potential ‘tweener’ at the next level, he projects strongly to both positions.
After a turnover or against a defense that’s slow at getting back, Achiuwa is a consistent threat to beat his man down the court. He can use those opportunities to re-energize his team at any given moment, throwing it down with authority on the other end.
His combination of strength, size, and athleticism make him a special athlete. This would be at any level and even by NBA standards.