NBA Draft Profile: Zach LaVine
With the NBA Draft this Thursday, Go Joe Bruin will be looking into a few of the UCLA Bruin’s potential draft selections. Today we look Zach LaVine.
About LaVine
6’5″, 180 lbs., Shooting Guard, 1 year in college
His Time at UCLA
2013-14 Averages (per game)
| Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Steals | Assists | FG% | 3pt FG% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24.4 | 9.4 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 1.8 | .441 | .375 | .691 |
LaVine is explosive! He is athletic, quick and can get above the rim, probably better than anyone in the draft. He made the All-Pac-12 Freshmen team as one of the most high-flying specimens in the conference. Early in the season he quickly garnered attention with highlights of his dunks that occurred in nearly every game. He mainly came off the bench, but is talented enough to make th jump to the pros.
Why LaVine Will Be An Asset
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LaVine can score in the most impressive ways. If he is not throwing down highlight dunk after highlight dunks, he is attacking from beyond the arc. He has good range in his shot and is quick off the catch-and-shoot. He is long and has good ball handling skills. He can play point and shooting guard, which gives NBA teams looking to select him a variety of ways to use his talents. His combine and workouts were the talk of many, especially in regards to the height of his jump.
What LaVine Has To Work On
One of the biggest criticisms about him leaving after one season at UCLA is that he has a lot to work on. Shooting needs to be more consistent if he is going to solely be a scorer. He may need to gain some weight in conditioning, because even though he can throw down some nasty dunks, he will get rocked a lot more than in college with the bigger bodies in the Association. He would also get flustered when defenses guarded him closely. His own defense is something left to be desired, all of it. He often got burned going one-on-one with on the defense end and was often out of position.
Projection
LaVine is projected to go mid-first round, potentially selected by:
#15 Atlanta Hawks, #16 Chicago Bulls, #17 Boston Celtics, #18 Phoenix Suns, #19 Chicago Buls, #20 Toronto Raptors, #21 Oklahoma City Thunder, #22 Memphis Grizzlies
Summary
LaVine is a very exciting player, so if he can quickly make the transition to the pros, that is the only thing a team has to worry about. Some proper developing would make him a legitimate threat in a few years, which is why he would be perfect for Chicago. The Bulls have two picks in the middle of the first round and should snatch up LaVine if no one else does at that point. What Chicago does with young players is great and LaVine seems to be a good match with the determination and swagger the Bulls’ current line-up has.