NBA Draft: Is Noah Vonleh a future star?

The NBA Draft can sometimes make or break a franchise. If you are a team that finds yourself drafting at the top of the lottery, you are drafting in hopes that you can draft a player that can change the landscape of your team and lead them closer to an NBA championship. The 2014 NBA Draft class is projected to have a few of those players, but who are they?

Everyone knows that Andrew Wiggins of Kansas, and Jabari Parker of Duke are almost certain future All-Stars, and can come into a franchise from day one and start making a difference. For the two teams that will have the opportunity to draft them, they can potentially have the upcoming season turned around for them.

In a recent interview with Spencer Checkettes and Gordon Monson of 1280 The Zone, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated was asked how many guys in this NBA Draft were truly difference makers and could change a franchise.

"I think there are probably four at this point. I guess we exclude Embiid from that mix right now with his injury, but if you want to talk about healthy, ready to play, that your reasonably sure of, I think you talk about the top four guys, Wiggins, Parker, Dante Exum, and I would even throw a guy like Noah Vonleh into that mix.I got a chance to write about Vonleh, got a chance to spend some time with him, I watched him work out, I’ve talked to a lot of people that have watched him work out (smarter people than I), and I’m telling you, they not only love his physical tools, his huge hands, great lower body, but there’s a polish to his game. He has a perimeter shot that we saw showcased in college, and teams really believe that he is going to develop in to a real inside-outside threat.It’s going to take him some time, he’s the second youngest player in the draft, only 18 years old behind Aaron Gordon, but as he develops over the next two to three years, with that frame, and with the right coaching, I mean, he is a star in the making."

If you have been reading some of my articles leading up to the NBA Draft, I have been pretty critical of Vonleh. To me personally, he seems extremely raw and is more of a “project” big man. I don’t see the Jazz needing to draft a “project” big man where they already have Rudy Gobert filling that role.

If Vonleh was to turn out to be what Mannix believes, he could potentially fit into what the Jazz are wanting to do in the future. With new Jazz head coach Quin Snyder coming in this season, he would like to have a big man who can spread the floor and knock down outside shots. Vonleh fits that role better than any other player in this draft, however, as mentioned, it could be quite some time before you get that kind of production out of him.

Also in the interview with 1280 The Zone, Mannix mentions that Vonleh might not even be on the board when the Jazz draft at five. Parker and Wiggins are basically a lock to go number one and two in the draft, but after that, he believes that Vonleh could be selected by the Orlando Magic with the fourth overall pick. Mannix, saying that, makes sense, and fits with the rumors that have been floating around that the Magic want to pair a big man with Nikola Vucevic down low. Embiid could possibly be in the mix there, but Mannix believes that the Magic would pass on him and go with Vonleh instead.

For all the players that are entering the NBA Draft on Thursday night hoping to be drafted, there will always be questions surrounding them about there potential until they enter the league and prove what they can do. From what we can speculate, you almost can’t go wrong with this draft. It seems that this draft is extremely deep and could produce future All-Stars all over the place.

If Mannix turns out to be right about Vonleh, then he is definitely a player that the Jazz should have high on their draft board. However, with how young and raw he is right now, I don’t see him playing in a Jazz uniform next season.