1. Defensive Potential
As previously alluded to, Maurice Ndour is an excellent athlete with energy in abundance. Though that could be translated to any number of potential areas of success, the clear upside is on the defensive end of the floor.
Already an aggressive and productive shot-blocker, Ndour could become an elite defensive player if developed properly.
Elite may sound like a stretch, but it’s rare that a player has the physical gifts and motor that Ndour possesses. Standing at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and fluid athleticism, Ndour moves well enough to defend multiple positions.
Perhaps most usefully, Ndour moves well enough to switch on the pick-and-roll and keep the pace with guards as they attack the basket.
Ndour finished the 2013-14 season with an average of 1.5 blocks in 30.1 minutes for the Ohio Bobcats. In 2014-15, he concluded his Ohio career by averaging 2.3 blocks in 34.9 minutes while committing fewer personal fouls per 40 minutes than he did in 2013-14.
There’s a lengthy list of reasons to like Ndour, but it’s his otherworldly defensive potential that’s most intriguing—potential that Jeff Hornacek can extract and maximize.
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Ndour may or may not pan out in New York, but he has the tools to become a special contributor.