Age: 18
Height, Weight: 6-foot-11, 245 pounds
Slash Line: .627/.450/.769
Season Averages: 14.6 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.8 SPG, 2.4 BPG, 0.3 3PM
The Portland Trail Blazers have Damian Lillard putting on an MVP showing in the playoffs. CJ McCollum is a dynamic second option, too. There are needs beyond them, though, as this second round team is hardly perfect or complete.
Jusuf Nurkic was lost to a devastating leg injury near the regular season’s end. It immediately removed him for the postseason, however far the Blazers advance, and put center in the hands of former New York Knicks standout Enes Kanter.
The Turkish big man will hit free agency this summer, though. Meyers Leonard has disappointed on an eight figure contract. Skal Labissiere is only depth. More insurance is necessary for Nurkic’s unknown recovery from his injury, and that is where Charles Bassey enters the picture.
A 7-foot-3 wingspan gives Bassey an intriguing frame, with a 245-pound body that’s NBA caliber. It showed with 10 rebounds per game and 2.4 blocks, but it was against Western Kentucky’s opponents that were mostly not future pros.
Passing has been inconsistent for Bassey, with a high turnover rate that made him volatile with the basketball. Plus, his offensive game is raw.
However, the athleticism brought to the table, paired with the physical frame, should propel Bassey into an NBA role upon arrival. He might only land in the 20s or the late teens, but there is upside as a starting center for years to come.