[ad_1]
Zeke Nnaji is letting it be known he can bring more to an NBA team than just high energy.
“I’m a very coachable person,” Nnaji said. “Very big competitor. Work hard every day. Tenacious rebounding on both ends of the floor. Can run the floor well. Someone who can switch on pick-and-rolls, be able to guard guards.”
Much more.
“Stretch the floor,” Nnaji continued. “Pick-and-pop. Pick-and-roll. Take advantage of mismatches. I’m 6-11, but I’m still mobile. I’m still agile. Be able to stay in front of smaller, shorter guys. Take advantage of mismatches. If I got a smaller guy on me, post him up. Got a bigger guy on me, use my quickness to beat him.”
In need of a more athletic four who could play the five, the Phoenix Suns have spoken to Nnaji and Maryland big Jalen Smith as players have been doing Zoom meetings with teams amid COVID-19 pandemic.
“We did an interview,” Nnaji said in a Zoom media interview Monday morning as the NBA is making several draft prospects available to the media this week. “That was a good interview. I think it went well. Other than that, I haven’t had a whole lot of contact with them.”
The Suns have the 10th pick in the Nov. 18 draft.
“I talked to the Phoenix Suns I believe maybe one or two months ago,” Smith said in a Monday morning Zoom media interview. “It was a great meeting. Got to talk with all the personnel. They told me about the atmosphere there.”
Smith was impressed with Phoenix’s 8-0 run in the NBA restart.
“I see a great, young team that can be deadly in the future,” Smith said. “So much potential with Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. And then Mikal Bridges being that swingman for them.”
The only unbeaten team in the “seeding” games in the Orlando Bubble, Phoenix came up just short of the play-in tournament for a spot in the playoffs.
“They have a great coaching staff who really truly cares about their players and doesn’t really care about the outside hype of just having a young team,” Smith continued. “I feel as though they’re a great developing organization that can be really deadly in the future.”
Smith believes he can bring that “defensively versatility” to an NBA team right away. Accounting for 73 of Maryland’s 134 blocks last season as a sophomore, Smith averaged 2.35 swats a game in an 2019-20 college basketball season that abruptly ended due to the pandemic before the NCAA Tournament.
“Just that impact on the defensive end because obviously coming into the NBA, every NBA team has offensive scorers and great talents, but not many teams have a defensive impact,” Smith said. “I feel with my size and athleticism, (I’m) able to do what most bigs can’t do. Have a great impact on defense.”
The 6-10, 225-pound Smith mostly played a five at Maryland last season due to “issues we had behind the scenes,” but he considers himself a natural four going into the NBA. Smith averaged 15.5 points on 53.8% shooting and 10.5 rebounds for the Terrapins.
“At the end of the day, I feel as though it was the best for me (to play the five) to help my team out on the defensive end,” said the third-team All-American from Baltimore. “I also contributed to them more on the offensive end.”
Smith also made his mark from the outside as he knocked down 36.8% (32-of-87) of his 3s. As a freshman, he shot just 26.8% from 3 (19-of-71).
“It was pretty much getting into the gym a lot more than I did my freshman year and making sure I’m getting up a lot more shots to help my team,” said Smith, who noted Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon wouldn’t let him leave the gym without making around 500 3s after every practice.
“That just helped with the confidence boost with him putting in plays for me to get 3s.”
Smith’s overall improvement was key in Maryland winning its first Big Ten regular-season title since joining the conference in 2014. Arizona didn’t have that type of season, but Nnaji earned Pac-12 freshman of the year honors.
Nnaji averaged a team-high 16.1 points on 57% shooting, 8.6 rebounds and blocked 28 shots before choosing to leave college after one season for the league.
“This is what I wanted to do my whole life,” said Nnaji, who is from Hopkins, Minnesota. “When I was a kid, this is what I’ve been dreaming about as long as I can remember. Playing outside in my driveways, getting my shots up. I’ve always dreamed about going to the NBA.”
Working out in Las Vegas with legendary trainer Joe Abunassar all summer, Nnaji said he’s interviewed with “about 22” NBA teams.
“It’s been great here,” he said. “Definitely got a lot better from my time being here. Shooting the ball really well.”
The 6-11 Nnaji said he’s been lifting weights and is up to 245 pounds, five less than another former one-and-done talent out of Arizona who also wore No. 22 and was the conference’s top freshman two years ago – Ayton.
Nnaji said he hasn’t really spoken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft “a whole lot,” but took heed to advice given from another fellow former Arizona player about the NBA, Andre Iguodala.
The three-time NBA champion with Golden State is preparing for his sixth straight NBA finals as he and the Miami Heat will face the Los Angeles Lakers starting with Wednesday’s Game 1 in the bubble.
“He’s talked to us a little bit about what it takes to a pro,” said Nnaji about Iguodala, who is in his 16th NBA season.
With Aron Baynes being an unrestricted free agent, the Suns may lose their backup to Ayton, but could use their only draft pick to select a more athletic four capable of playing the five.
They started rookie Cam Johnson at the four in their 8-0 bubble run and played Dario Saric at the five at times.
Saric is a restricted free agent.
Bridges started at the four as well during the season, but he and Johnson are more natural 3s while Saric is a stretch four. So, the idea of Phoenix adding a big isn’t far-fetched.
The Lakers start two bigs in Dwight Howard at the five and All-Star Anthony Davis at the four. Ayton likes the idea of playing power forward as Phoenix experimented with him and Baynes starting together this season.
Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism. Start your online subscription.
[ad_2]
Source link