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Jakob Poeltl NBA Draft profile. The former Utah Ute is projected as high as a top 10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
June 1, 2016Jakob Poeltl NBA Draft profile. The former Utah Ute is projected as high as a top 10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Just three years ago, 7-foot Austrian Jakob Poeltl had no plans of going to college or even coming to the U.S. to play basketball. He didn’t know anything about Utah and thought he would play out his career in Europe.
Then, at the 2013 U-18 European Championships in Macedonia, Utah assistant coach Andy Hill vowed to watch all 38 teams in person. It was there that Hill discovered Poeltl. Hill eventually convinced Poeltl to change course and play for the Utes. In short time, Poeltl has become one of the most prized big men in the NBA Draft at the age of 20.
After two seasons in Salt Lake City, Poeltl has his sights set making the shift to the NBA. The Vienna, Austria native averaged over 17 points and 9 rebounds per game in his sophomore campaign with the Utes, earning Pac-12 Player of the Year honors.
Poeltl is widely viewed as a lock to go in the first round, with many analysts projecting him to go in the top 10.
Aside from his obvious size, just what makes Poeltl so appealing? He does everything asked of a big man, in the traditional sense. He rebounds well, is a tough defender and scores in the paint with an extremely soft touch. He’s also seen as a high-character guy who is extremely coachable.
Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak had to convince Poeltl to come back after his freshman season. It turned out mutually beneficial: Poeltl led the Utes to a 27-9 season and a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament, but he also boosted his draft stock significantly. Poeltl was second in the Pac-12 in scoring and led the conference in field goal percentage at 65.6 percent. He scored in single digits in just four games, amassed 14 double-doubles and improved one of his major weaknesses – free throws. Poeltl shot just 44 percent during his freshman year, but hit 69 percent from the charity stripe during his sophomore campaign.
While Poeltl has a lot to offer to NBA teams, there are some aspects of his game that give teams cause for concern. Most importantly, some analysts are worried about his ability to serve as a rim protector. Poeltl ranked eighth in the Pac-12 with 1.56 blocks per game, but his production is down from 1.9 in his freshman season. Poeltl’s blocks per game ranks him 105th nationally among NCAA Division I players – a definite area of weakness for a big man projected to be selected in the NBA Draft lottery. This will be one component of his game that his future NBA team will attempt to develop in a hurry.
Some analysts also wonder whether Poeltl’s athleticism will suffice at the next level. His athleticism was on display with thunderous dunks in transition and high-flying beeline cuts to the basket, but was stymied at times when bodied up by big defenders in the post. Still, the athleticism is there, more so than plenty of current NBA big men.
Poeltl has drawn comparisons to another international 7-footer who played his college ball at Utah: Andrew Bogut. Bogut has been a solid big man throughout his 11 seasons in the league, providing the essential contributions needed from an NBA big man: post scoring and rebounding – two services that every NBA team will always need. Poeltl’s two college seasons suggest he can do just that – and maybe more.