With the 20th pick in the draft, the Miami Heat selected Memphis Forward, Precious Achiuwa.
This move shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Heat actually met with Precious Achiuwa a week prior to the draft. Also, Achiuwa provides that well-needed bench piece behind Bam Adebayo.
Achiuwa’s Numbers
Achiuwa has drawn comparisons to players such as James Johnson and Montrezl Harrell. But unlike Harrell, Achiuwa’s shooting numbers are concerning. He shot 60 percent from the free throw line, 26 percent on floaters, and 30 percent on jump shots in college. Defensively, he is amazing. Having Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder and Achiuwa all as players who can guard multiple positions certainly looks good going against the top big wings in the league.
Achiuwa averaged a double double in his freshman year, last year at Memphis. He averaged 15.8 points per game, 10.8 rebounds, and an impressive 1.9 blocks. He is an energetic big scorer with the potential of being a future defensive star.
SPN’s Fran Frischilla told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that Achiuwa has “Miami Heat written all over him” and that he wants to be Kawhi Leonard.
Dive Deep
Plusses
- Pick-and-roll upside: He can roll and finish with athleticism or put the ball on the floor and get to the rim.
- Active rim runner in transition. He can also pull down rebounds and sprint ahead with the ball himself.
- Good rebounder, and he’s especially active on the offensive glass.
- Athletic defender who makes plays in the passing lanes as a mobile helper. With his length and strength, he could develop into a rim protector in smaller lineups.
- High defensive potential thanks to his physical measurements and quickness, but his fundamentals and discipline must improve.
MINUSES
- Turnover prone: He doesn’t read defenses well and often forces shots or drives into a sea of defenders. In the pick-and-roll, he needs to master the short roll pass.
- Poor shooting touch: He shot 60 percent from the line, 26 percent on floaters, and 30 percent on jumpers. With shaky lower-body mechanics, there’s a lot of work to be done to make him passable at the pro level.
- Struggles with inconsistency as a defender. His footwork hinders his ability to slide and stay in front of quicker players, but it’s fixable.