2016 NBA Mock Draft: Bender and Hield Both Drop
By Jay Siskin
![Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the start of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the start of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/75b23e335d408d8f7b8bbf308b977d6b9f51de482288f6063aae59811004b9f6.jpg)
C. Utah. Jakob Poeltl. 14. player. 24.
Poeltl emerged as one of the most productive big men in college basketball last season for Utah. He won Pac-12 Player of the Year honors along with both the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Pete Newell Big Man awards while averaging 17.3 points and 9.1 rebounds over 30.5 minutes per game. As a potential top-15 pick, Poeltl figures to be one of the first centers off the board come draft day thanks to the marked improvement he showed as a sophomore.
Rumors around the NBA indicate that Joakim Noah is leaving Chicago via free agency this summer along with future hall-of-famer Pau Gasol. This would force the Bulls to focus on front court prospects, and Poeltl would be one who could play right away.
Poeltl’s physical profile and low-post skills makes him a player who could help to bolster a team’s front-court rotation immediately. The former Ute can also come off the bench behind Taj Gibson as he continues to develop down the line.
The Austrian center was a near double-double machine his sophomore year at Utah, and should fit in nicely alongside Bobby Portis in the Bulls’ front court. If the Bulls end up keeping Gasol or Noah, getting a big man who plays good team defense, and has as versatility on offense as Poeltl is, would be a nice addition.
Next: Denver Nuggets No. 15