NBA Mock Draft 1.0: Brooklyn Nets hunting shooting with size
By Phil Watson
Clarke fits a lot of holes for Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Nets picking at No. 17 overall is a big deal — it’s the highest pick the team has had since taking Derrick Favors with the No. 3 overall selection in 2010.
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Brandon Clarke of Gonzaga is a prospect that the draft analysts are wildly divided on. He’s listed as a top-10 prospect on some boards and an early second-rounder on others.
Clarke played just one season at Gonzaga after transferring from San Jose State and averaged 16.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and a whopping 3.1 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game,
He’s listed at 6-foot-8 and 215 pounds, but has a frame that looks like it could add some bulk.
The one check mark Clarke doesn’t have is as a shooter. He attempted just 15 3-pointers for Gonzaga this season and made four, running his three-year collegiate total to 6-for-24, a less-than-stellar 25 percent.
He shot 68.7 percent overall and Clarke has shown enough flashes as a facilitator from the wing and the block to be able to fit into a pace-and-space, ball-movement heavy system such as the Nets employ.
And his shot mechanics are solid. He’s a high-energy type who is extremely switchable defensively while also being able to operate as a second rim protector, something Brooklyn lacks when Jarrett Allen is off the floor.
A big plus for Clarke is this: When he gets to the rim, he finishes.