Miami Heat: Precious Achiuwa’s 3 Greatest On-Court Strengths

The Miami Heat have always built with a commitment to the defensive end. In the NBA Draft, they added to their group of versatile defenders with Achiuwa.

1. Defense

As mentioned earlier, there’s more than enough athleticism here to keep up with wings on the perimeter. The bounce is also there to prevent anything easy at the basket, making Achiuwa a very versatile defensive prospect.

He projects as someone who can thrive in switch-heavy lineups, an important tool in today’s NBA. As a big man that will take care of the glass, being able to switch onto any player on the court when asked and not get eaten alive is an asset to any coaching staff.

That does double for Miami’s. They are always one of the premier staffs and programs in the league.

Achiuwa has the ability to take it a step further than not get eaten alive though. He could become a menace when switched onto any player.

That, combined with his length and leaping ability makes him a strong perimeter defender and an excellent rim protector at the same time. At Memphis, he swatted 1.5 shots per game while collecting .7 steals per contest.

As is evident when watching his college film, Achiuwa’s length and instincts on defense lead to many deflections and changes of possession. This not only fits perfectly with a Heat defense that prides itself in frustrating opponents, but it also gives him greater opportunity to display an area of existing strength in his game, using his athletic abilities to take advantage of opponents in transition.

Achiuwa brings skills and capabilities to the floor that will translate to the NBA immediately. The Miami Heat drafted a player with huge upside if he reaches his potential, but someone who should still be an impact player even if his offense doesn’t catch up right away.