New York Knicks: OG Anunoby Should Be On The 2017 NBA Draft Radar

1. Upside Comparisons

OG Anunoby’s upside will be defined by whether or not he can consistently generate offense off the bounce. The physical tools are in place, but he needs work and polish in that regard before he can be comfortably labeled as a future star.

For an idea of just how special a player Anunoby could be, however, the best upside comparisons for him are Shane Battier and Kawhi Leonard.

Battier was never a star, but he was a two-time NBA champion whom every coach wanted on their team. His willingness to take charges, defensive versatility, and 3-point shooting played critical roles in the success experienced by every team he played for.

New York Knicks fans may want an abundance of star power, but it’s players like Battier, who had 112 games of postseason experience, who help build a team’s identity.

The more ambitious of the upside comparisons is Leonard, who has become an NBA champion, Finals MVP, and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Like Leonard, Anunoby enters the NBA Draft with elite physical tools, a raw passion for the game, and a moldable foundation.

If Phil Jackson and Jeff Hornacek work as attentively with Anunoby as R.C. Buford and Gregg Popovich have with Leonard, then the Knicks would have a star on their hands.

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There’s still some homework to be done, but the New York Knicks should give serious consideration to selecting OG Anunoby in the 2017 NBA Draft.