Daily Knicks
Fansided

2018 NBA Draft: Top 5 centers for the New York Knicks

By Maxwell Ogden

AUSTIN, TX - FEBRUARY 7: Mohamed Bamba #4 of the Texas Longhorns and Makol Mawien #14 of the Kansas State Wildcats jockey for position at the Frank Erwin Center on February 7, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX - FEBRUARY 7: Mohamed Bamba #4 of the Texas Longhorns and Makol Mawien #14 of the Kansas State Wildcats jockey for position at the Frank Erwin Center on February 7, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
TUCSON, AZ – MARCH 03: Deandre Ayton #13 of the Arizona Wildcats controls the ball under pressure from Nick Hamilton #21 and Kingsley Okoroh #22 of the California Golden Bears during the first half of the college basketball game at McKale Center on March 3, 2018 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TUCSON, AZ – MARCH 03: Deandre Ayton #13 of the Arizona Wildcats controls the ball under pressure from Nick Hamilton #21 and Kingsley Okoroh #22 of the California Golden Bears during the first half of the college basketball game at McKale Center on March 3, 2018 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Age: 19 (7/13/1998)
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 7’0″, 250 pounds, 7’5″
Slash Line: .616/.344/.747
Season Averages: 33.2 MPG, 19.9 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 3.2 ORPG, 1.6 APG, 1.9 BPG, 0.4 3PM

Arizona Wildcats center Deandre Ayton has a stake to the claim of being the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2018 NBA Draft. He’s earned the now overblown nickname of The Unicorn due to his rare combination of explosive athleticism and modern skill.

With Ayton and Kristaps Porzingis, the New York Knicks would have two highly skilled players who can physically overwhelm opponents on a nightly basis.

Ayton stands at 7’0″ and 250 pounds with a 7’5″ wingspan, yet he has no trouble running the floor or leaving his feet. He easily plays above the rim, displaying what can only be described as an uncommon level of athleticism for a player his size.

From a purely physical perspective, Ayton has a combination of size, athleticism, and power that has been compared to eight-time All-NBA honoree Dwight Howard.

In terms of his skill set, Ayton can play from the post, has an impressive midrange game, and has soft hands for the pick and roll. He’s also steadily improved as a shot-blocker, which complements his No. 14 ranking in defensive rebound percentage and No. 52 ranking in offensive rebound percentage.

With the ability to score from midrange, the post, and even beyond the arc, Ayton’s generational physical gifts are complemented by a modern skill set.

Sound familiar, Knicks fans?

Must Read: 2018 NBA Draft: Top 5 power forwards for the New York Knicks

Regardless of which center the New York Knicks opt to go with from this list, the decision to do so would likely pay off after the 2018 NBA Draft.

Home/Knicks Draft