Read the opposing arguments from Bleacher Fan and Sports Geek.
No, the NBA Draft is not going to be filled with Kentucky Wildcat players, which is what you might think after seeing the mass exodus of players from Lexington this week. Pardon me while I shed a tear for John Calipari. But the list of underclassmen who will enter the NBA Draft seemingly grows every day and is sure to grow even more with the deadline to declare for the draft still a month away at May 8. There is already a fairly distinguished list of early entrants to this point, and that is what The Sports Debates is focusing on today. Who could have the biggest immediate impact in the pros next year? Obviously, the big three of Evan Turner, John Wall, and Demarcus Cousins will demand a lot of attention in this category, and there is no disputing their talent. But I am choosing to go in a different direction and go with Al-Farouq Aminu.
Aminu was heavily hyped coming out of high school, as he played at Norcoss High School in metro-Atlanta. He was actually a teammate of fellow early draft entree Gani Lawal during his junior year. He surprised many by choosing to go to Wake Forest, but it is a decision that worked out for him. As a freshman in the 2008-2009 season all he did was become a unanimous selection for the All-ACC freshman team by averaging 13 points per game and just over eight rebounds. It is also important to note that at one point that season he and Jeff Teague, former teammate and current Atlanta Hawks guard, helped lead the Demon Deacons to the number one spot in the polls midway through the season.
There was speculation down in ACC country that Aminu would declare after his freshman year. But he decided he needed to work on his game more, so he decided to come back to Wake. He improved his scoring and rebounding to the tune of 15.9 points per game and over ten rebounds per game. He actually led the conference in rebounding, which was no small task this season with Lawal and Georgia Tech freshman sensation Derrick Favors in the conference.
Late last week Aminu declared for the draft, and he has immediately been projected as a lottery pick in the NBA Draft in June. It is important to note that this kid is still exactly that… a kid! He is only 19 years old right now, and will be 20 when the season starts. It will be interesting to see how his six foot nine inch body matches up right off the bat. I think his potential is through the roof, but I also think he has a chance to make an immediate impact. He is a versatile combo-forward who can create in his own shot and drive to the hoop to draw contact. In that sense, he is kind of like Josh Smith and Thaddeus Young. He would be a perfect fit on a team that runs an up-tempo offense.
The early entree list grows every day, but right now I see Al-Farouq Aminu having the most immediate impact.
