NBA Draft Prospects: Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest

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Stats: 15.8 ppg, 10.7 rpg (4.3 off.), 1.4 spg, 1.4 bpg, 44.7% FG, 27.1% 3PT, 3.2 t/o's

Size:

• Listed: 6'8", 210 lb, 19 yrs old
• Combine: 6'8 1/2" (in shoes), 216 lb, 7'3 1/4" (wingspan)

About Him: Aminu is one of the bigger question marks in this draft, in my opinion. In terms of tools, he is one of the more appealing prospects. At almost 6'9" in shoes, Aminu has the size to play the four and the athleticism to play the three, which is the way the NBA is trending these days (think Josh Smith, Gerald Wallace, etc). He's got long arms, he has a frame that should fill out nicely, he's quick enough to defend on the perimeter, and he was able to hold his own in the post defensively this year. He has a world of potential, which becomes all the more impressive when you consider he is a year younger than most in his class -- he's two weeks older than John Wall and a month older than DeMarcus Cousins.

The problem is that Aminu's skills have a long way go to catch up to his talent. As a shooter, he has a long way to go. He made just 27% of his threes this year, and was just as bad in the mid-range. When he was forced to shoot off the dribble, it was even uglier, as Aminu's "shot" looked more like a shotput at the rim. He hit 70% from the line, so clearly the potential to be a good shooter is there, but he has a long way to go to improve the consistency of his form.

Off the dribble, Aminu was just as questionable. He has a tremendous first step, which allowed him to beat his man off the dribble quite often. But if he was unable to get to the rim in one or two dribbles or he was forced to change direction, things got a little uglier. Travels, charges, and losing the handle weren't uncommon. As you might expect, he had a fairly low FG% and a fairly high turnover rate. These are fixable problems, however.

Aminu does have a decent back to the basket game. His length makes his jump hook tough to defend, and he was pretty consistent in being able to make that shot. He has good footwork and coordination, and as he adds some strength to his frame and develops a couple more moves, this aspect of his game will only get better.

Where Aminu really excelled was when his athleticism took over. He's a very good rebounder, using his length and athleticism to aggressively attack the glass, especially on the offensive end, where he averaged over four boards per game (10.3 rpg on the season). He had trouble finishing in the paint -- off of offensive rebounds or off of a post move -- but like his post game, added strength should help rectify that problem.

The best part of Aminu's game right now is his ability in transition, and it may not be close. For someone his size, Aminu can really get out and run the floor, and he is a highlight-reel waiting to happen on the break. As we mentioned, his handle still needs to be improved, but it is good enough right now that he was capable of taking a defensive rebound and going coast-to-coast or leading a break. In the early stages of his career, Aminu will probably be the most effective on an uptempo team.

Defensively, there is a lot to like. He's got the tools -- length, quickness, footwork -- to defend a three on the perimeter. But he also has the size -- and eventually the strength -- to defend a four in the post. He averaged almost a steal and a half and a block and a half this season.

Comparison:

• Best Case Scenario: Anyone of the multitude of athletes making all-star teams as a combo-forward -- Josh Smith, Gerald Wallace. A more athletic Jeff Green, Thaddeus Young, and Marvin Williams are more reasonable comparisons.
• Worst Case Scenario: How about a poor man's Jamario Moon?
  

Outlook: Al-Farouq Aminu has the tools to develop into a very good player in the NBA. He has enough upside to possibly make an all-star team one day, and most reports say that he has the work ethic to one day fulfill that potential. And keep in mind, he's essentially the same age as the freshman in this draft class. A big question mark in my mind with Aminu is his mindset. There were games this season where he absolutely checked out. He had zero points (on just two shots) and four boards in 28 minutes in a loss at Florida State that, at the time, seemed like a must-win for Wake Forest's NCAA Tournament hopes. He had 11 points and 7 boards in a blowout loss against Miami in the first round of the ACC Tournament. There were times when Aminu took over this year, but there were also times where he seemed really uninterested in the outcome of the game.

Highlights: