Precious Achiuwa - 2020 NBA Draft Prospect

[timvp]

https://i.imgur.com/L6iRtEi.jpg

Precious Achiuwa

College: Memphis
Position: C/PF/SF?
Age: 21
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 225 pounds
Draft Range: 8 to 15

Why: Extremely mobile for his size. Add in his 7-foot-2 wingspan and his theoretical defensive potential is enormous. Can defend out on the perimeter and he's a beast on the boards. Racks up steals and blocks at high rates. Very fast up and down the court. Pretty good ball-handler for his size and shows flashes of offensive wherewithal. Though he was a sub-60% free throw shooter, hit 32.5% of his threes so it's possible he could become a three-point threat.

Why Not: Feel for the game is poor, especially offensively. Went to Memphis as a perimeter prospect but he showed little ability to read a defense. Turns it over a ton and not the most willing of passers. Projects as an energy big; very unlikely (though not impossible) he could develop enough perimeter skill to play as a wing in the NBA. Outside shot is a work in progress. Discipline and consistency are issues on defense.

Spurs Fit: He could probably step in early on as a backup center. A shift to the 4 or the 3 will take a while -- or might never happen, depending on how he develops. If the Spurs draft him, re-signing Poeltl would be less of a priority.

Spurs Comparison - Ceiling: Supersized Malik Rose

Spurs Comparison - Floor: Clueless Francisco Elson

Statistics (http://www.tankathon.com/players/precious-achiuwa)
Interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHENlLb4fvo)
Highlights (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHoPlvfO-n0)

[Dejounte]

Finally youre back lol

[Dex]

Spurs Comparison - Floor: Clueless Francisco Elson

Considering Francisco wasn't exactly what I would call a "cerebral player"...that's a pretty low floor.

[rankingtear]

Watched an earlier Memphis game. Kid got lucky Wiseman got suspended, was awful at the PF spot. Everytime he get's the ball at the perimeter it's a bad possession. He's one move that worked is backdown and overpower.

[duncan2150]

Watched an earlier Memphis game. Kid got lucky Wiseman got suspended, was awful at the PF spot. Everytime he get's the ball at the perimeter it's a bad possession. He's one move that worked is backdown and overpower.

No he did not get lucky, he had more responsabilities on offense wich is Not his role.

He is more a defensive player than offensive, but he did pretty good and was Memphis leader by far.

About offense, did you see the pnr abilities ? The transition ?

When you analyze a young player( not you in particular) you Need to know his role, style of play, strenghts..... The

[jjktkk]

Don't know if he's worth the 11th pick, but Achiuwa seems to have the potential to play all frontcourt positions. If he can hit his 3's consistently, to go with his defensive prowess, Achiuwa has a chance to be decent player in this league.

[John B]

Very excited of him as a prospect, very athletic with big potential for a small ball center. I can’t wait to see him run with the young crew. Keep Poeltl to defend bigger centers like Jokic.

But is he the immediate need or 3 and D like Vassell, and pick up and athletic big at 41st?

[Chinook]

As I've mentioned probably too much recently, I don't consider myself a scout. But from what I see from Precious, you have to think of him as a center who may be able to play PF rather than a PF who can play C or especially SF. I don't see any circumstance where Achiuwa is a three, even if the perimeter skill comes through. He'd just be a skilled PF at that point. Nothing wrong with that. From the still very little I've watched from him, I don't see an ability to cross-guard on smaller wings. He seems like a capable switch defender who can hedge and handle closeouts better than most bigs, but he still looks like a baby deer on the perimeter. But yeah, he's a big, long strong dude, he'll get his numbers playing a FS role like a bigger version of the Good DJM. I just think that the defense should be contextualized appropriately.

Offensively, I think he provides the aggressive vertical spacing that Poeltl should. He seems to like cutting and ducking in whenever he senses an opportunity. I love that he seems good a sealing and presenting a big target for entry passes. It's not clear how well that would work against NBA defenders. But opportunistic post-ups are still one of the most damaging shots for a defense to deal with since they eventually cause a lot of bending as folks scramble to help. If he can be a decent corner shooter, I think he and Aldridge could work in a 3 out, 2 half in/half out offense. It'd be an open question as to whether that'd work with DeRozan or especially and Murray. Going with that, the vertical threat Precious can present on the break and his own ability to take a rebound and go could really add to the downhill offense the Spurs have been trying to implement for a few years and just managed to demonstrate during the bubble. Especially at the five, Achiuwa's speed and decent handles could be devastating. I didn't see any play-making though, and that limits how well Precious could leverage his ball-handling. That is worrisome if he's to grow into a Bam-level play-making center. However, when looking at Adebayo's stats from college, one can see that Bam didn't show that in college either. It's something that could take time.

I would be fascinated by the Spurs picking Achiuwa. He's not at the top of my list in terms of the whole draft or realistic targets at 11. But he'd be one of the most exciting. I'd play him at the four right away with the idea of Aldridge continuing to extend his range. With Gay entrenched as the backup four and Sam maybe pushing for minutes, the team doesn't have to worry about Achiuwa having to play a huge role. Alternatively, the Spurs could look into playing Precious as the backup three and seeing if being in the position somehow unlocks his latent potential. Mills/Walker/Achiuwa/Gay/Poeltl should have decent spacing. The issue would be that one of Johnson and Murray has to be out of the rotation. Maybe that would be with a Murray trade, but that's its own can of worms. If DeJounte is kicked down to the bench and the team runs with White/Johnson/DeRozan/Lyles/Aldridge, then Achiuwa might not be able to be in the rotation at all. I guess that Poeltl could be let go or Aldridge traded. That'd depend on return and free agency, though.

[BatManu20]

Solid prospect and I think the Spurs are probably very interested in him, but I think we end up going with a 3&D like Vassell or Williams ahead of him.

[spurspl]

him and keldon could be a two headed hustle big body dog

[Dejounte]

Precious is my third or fourth choice...

Achiuwa's appeal is his mobility and strength, both which are NBA ready. The concern is his lack of feel for the game, basically it would be like rookie LeBron without the IQ and an amplified tendency to bulldoze through everything. Is that what the Spurs want to gamble on? Like Chinook said, it would probably be the most interesting choice for the Spurs. I do disagree that he will start right away... His lack of awareness will make look absolutely lost out there if thrown into the fire. This isn't Kawhi where he knew where to be at all times and where he had the defensive chops not to foul.

[Dejounte]

The Spurs of the last several years and their draft selections has made me shift my priorities as far as what I value in prospects. Personally, I'm done with players like DJ and Lonnie who have all the physical tools in the world, but can't put it together. The player has to have some feel for the game and has had a coach instill principles in them.


https://youtu.be/YVi5x0TCOqc

Some badly missed rotations and some "I'm a star and I'm going to take this stupid shot even though my skill level isn't there yet" plays are what you'll witness in this video and in other full games.

Feel, BBall IQ (Derrick Whites, Keldon Johnsons) >>> gifted with athleticism or size (Lonnies, Murrays)

[Maddog]

I rarely watch college games, but pre pandemic I watched a game with Memphis and was completely underwhelmed
No feel for the game

[look_at_g_shred]

Remember everybody made a big deal about Rui last year and how "lost" he looked on the offensive end? I think it turned out alright. WE need to stop overthinking. The guy has all the tools you need for a modern 4/5. He's going to be a hell of a player. Would love Precious in silver and black!

[spurspl]

The guy has all the tools you need for a modern 4/5. He's going to be a hell of a player. Would love Precious in silver and black!

agree, the only thing he needs is a good coach who leads him properly, especially to make hik more mature on the court.

[ZeusWillJudge]

I heard for the second time this weekend that there's talk that he may be a year or two older than he's listed. (As listed, he's about to turn 20 in a few days.) That would be a caution flag, since he's made his way so far with physical gifts and not fundamentals. If he's been a man among boys, that would mean a little less. Especially since Memphis had a really light strength of schedule.

The other thing is that he is supposed to have hit it off with Mike Miller (assistant coach) and worked hard on his game while he was at Memphis. He's got the athleticism for the next level. If he's coachable and willing to work, he's got to be a contender, even if he is a year or two older than listed.

Still, I have this mental image of Pop yelling at him on the sidelines. :lol

[Play Boban]

​What kind of name is precious

[Dejounte]

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/#mock

Precious moved up to the Spurs pick per Kevin O Connor's mock draft. I think he's been known to be plugged in as far as inside sources? Not sure...

[ZeusWillJudge]

​What kind of name is precious

He has a brother named God'sgift, another named God'swill, and a third named Promise. He has two sisters named Grace and Peace.

[R. DeMurre]

He has a brother named God'sgift, another named God'swill, and a third named Promise. He has two sisters named Grace and Peace.

Does this count as cultural appropriation of Hippies? Or Buddhists?

[R. DeMurre]

Also: God'swill sounds like he was named by the folks over at The Onion. :lol

[Play Boban]

He has a brother named God'sgift, another named God'swill, and a third named Promise. He has two sisters named Grace and Peace.
Yuck, wouldn’t draft based on that

[BatManu20]

He has a brother named God'sgift, another named God'swill, and a third named Promise. He has two sisters named Grace and Peace.

I’ll have what those parents are having tbh.

[phxspurfan]

Seems alright, probably about par for this draft pick range (early-mid teens). We're not trading up apparently, so gotta go with a guy like this if he is available. We sure as hell have enough small guards

[phxspurfan]

He has a brother named God'sgift, another named God'swill, and a third named Promise. He has two sisters named Grace and Peace.

what we got here is a cru-sader

nc1ifhVSciU

[rankingtear]

The Latest Ringer Mock has him going to Spurs at 11. Shit... The kid actually said in an interview he wasn't given much opportunity to pass the ball, LOL. Up there with i model my game after Lebron and KD. Agent needs to stop him from saying stupid things that make him look like an idiot.

[exstatic]

The Latest Ringer Mock has him going to Spurs at 11. Shit... The kid actually said in an interview he wasn't given much opportunity to pass the ball, LOL. Up there with i model my game after Lebron and KD. Agent needs to stop him from saying stupid things that make him look like an idiot.

There’s also the possibility that he genuinely IS a fucking idiot. That will resolve itself during the interview process.

[JuneJive]

This strength over skill players are a big red flag in itself.

Pass.

[Chinook]

The Latest Ringer Mock has him going to Spurs at 11. Shit... The kid actually said in an interview he wasn't given much opportunity to pass the ball, LOL. Up there with i model my game after Lebron and KD. Agent needs to stop him from saying stupid things that make him look like an idiot.

Maybe he's right. Towns said he didn't much of a chance to shoot threes in college. Guys like Bam demonstrate skills they didn't show in college from time to time. Depending on the context, it seems like an okay answer. It's been than Stewart (?) answering question about switchability by claiming he was a "man-to-man defender". Like yeah, no, dude, you don't get to dictate to NBA teams whether they have a switching scheme or not. No one's gonna draft a man-defensive center to check all of the dominate seven-footers in the league. Compared to that lack of awareness, Achiuwa saying he thinks he has hidden talent seems downright eloquent.

[DAF86]

I'm guessing he meant he didn't have the chance to dominate the ball as much to prove his supposed passing prowess. By the look of things this guy really wanted to be a perimeter player on college.

[Sugus]

I'm guessing he meant he didn't have the chance to dominate the ball as much to prove his supposed passing prowess. By the look of things this guy really wanted to be a perimeter player on college.

I agree with you, it's a really promising sign to me. I think he can play the 4 or 5, and his developing perimeter abilities will turn him into a very dangerous player when combined with his defensive presence. He might not be all there yet in terms of understanding the game and his role in it, but he's got great instincts and a will to work on his game. You can see it in his dribbling and aggressiveness, dude just pulls it off the board and goes to attack by himself. Him and Keldon in a fast break would be a sight to behold, not to mention the defense with White, Lonnie and Dejounte. Spurs could return to their D-minded principles. More than anything out of this draft, whoever we pick, I don't want a defensive liability of a player, tbh.

[rankingtear]

Maybe if he was more willing to pass it would sound less stupid.

[BackHome]

Yeah he has that Metu kinda mindset when he catches the ball but still he was tied to the Spurs months ago so he maybe the kid we pick.

[mo7888]

I see him as a high energy 5....possibly becoming a stretch 5. This wouldn't be my pick at #11 if we run back what we have but if we're making other moves (trades) I wouldn't hate this pick.

[Kevin]

He sounds a lot like LJC before the knee injury.

[Dejounte]

Your boy Precious, Sugus

https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn/status/1310984258257932288?s=19

https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn/status/1310984960912830464?s=19

https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn/status/1310986281254518790?s=19

https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1310981712239906823?s=19

[BackHome]

I am so ready for the Draft to be here

[Sugus]

Your boy Precious, Sugus

https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn/status/1310984258257932288?s=19

https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn/status/1310984960912830464?s=19

https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn/status/1310986281254518790?s=19

https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1310981712239906823?s=19

Thanks for all the info, as always, DJ. I don't have Twitter so it's all news to me. Sounds like there's mutual interest there if the Spurs selected him for an interview... And he's saying all the right things.

To be honest, I've cooled down on him somewhat, mainly because I'm really tired of low-BBIQ players on our team, even though Precious definitely could develop that aspect of his game. It's just one of the hardest intangibles to gauge, and especially without more recent games to see how the prospects have developed, it's a sort of red-flag. You can't get combine measurements on IQ. But despite that, I really think he'd thrive with our young core, I see him benefitting from our fast-paced new offensive style much more than someone like Smith, who likes to play on the low post and isn't such a transition machine. But I'd be fine with either pick.

[Dejounte]

CF3C7GohEH9

[Dverde]

I guess posting shirtless pics on your social is the new trend. This kid gotta be tough growing up named precious

[BackHome]

Omg - Good find Drew. :spin

[Obi Juan Kenobi]

https://youtu.be/NIMgEEASoWQ

Love that song!!!

[The Truth #6]

If someone on their board doesn’t fall, my intuition tells me that Precious is high on their list for targets. I see them looking for a SF to a C, and someone who has some fluidity between the positions. Now that I’ve watched a little bit of his tape, his upside seems higher than I thought, especially with his outlet passes and passing in transition. He can’t shoot like Jalen, which makes his development longer, but his movements are much more natural than Jalen, meaning he has some potential to play on the perimeter, whereas I see Jalen as more of a spotup shooter. His halfcourt IQ isn’t there presently or maybe ever, but he doesn’t seem to be a lazy player, which gives me hope. I’d much rather have him than Poku at 11.

He would play well with the young guns. If they draft him, you let Jakob walk, and get one more year out of Lamarcus while Precious learns. For a team rebuilding, it’s not an awful idea.

[Dejounte]

If someone on their board doesn’t fall, my intuition tells me that Precious is high on their list for targets. I see them looking for a SF to a C, and someone who has some fluidity between the positions. Now that I’ve watched a little bit of his tape, his upside seems higher than I thought, especially with his outlet passes and passing in transition. He can’t shoot like Jalen, which makes his development longer, but his movements are much more natural than Jalen, meaning he has some potential to play on the perimeter, whereas I see Jalen as more of a spotup shooter. His halfcourt IQ isn’t there presently or maybe ever, but he doesn’t seem to be a lazy player, which gives me hope.

I was where you're starting off with Precious (see my hundreds of posts in the 11th pick draft thread where I believed in the hype), I had him much higher than Jalen. Watch a little bit more and you'll see his feel for the game is lacking. Basketball is a mind game. Lastly, for all the times people say "the Spurs will develop his shot", I would say they're not miracle workers. This isn't a Kawhi situation, Kawhi had a good foundation and didn't have as poor percentages as Precious. His free throw percentages point to the odds being against him ever being a good shooter. But, shooting isn't everything (Bam isn't a great shooter) and his strength would lie in playmaking off the dribble which would make him extremely useful if he reaches his potential there.

I'm not against drafting Precious, as I said before, it would be interesting for the Spurs to work with. Unfortunately, I see a lot of headaches for the first few years like what we experience with Dejounte as far as dumb, low BBall IQ plays happening frequently.

[Dejounte]

The Spurs had Keldon "rated the highest for his position in the draft." Sure they took Luka First, but they had to satisfy RC's id and draft Luka ahead of him, and apparently, CIA poop had bad Intel on who wanted him. Can you tell me who was a better rookie small forward than Keldon after it was all said and one?
De'Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish, Cameron Johnson, Sekou Doumbouya, Mattise Theybule, Darius Bazley, Nassir Little, and Dylon Winder were all selected at SF before Keldon.


I guess you can say Zion is an SF because he is much shorter than Keldon(look at the game tapes on that bud), he was drafted as a PF, and he played Center for the Pelicans. Of course, as the first and founding member of the Kelondstans, I say he was better than ZION. Come on, man.


How can any thinking basketball fan, even Spurs Talk Eye Testers, say that Fat Lazy Zion had a better rookie season than Keldon? That being said, if they have Precious as "THE HIGHEST RATED PLAYER AT HIS POSITION DRAFT," how can you object to selecting him at 11? Even if you think his shot sucks. The bottom of that metric is MKG with the Hornets, and even that fool figured out how to make a 3 this year.


https://wp.usatodaysports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2015/02/cormier.gif

Zion Willaimson's Of Season Training Regimen.

I agree with everything you said.

If we draft Precious, and RC comes out and says he was 1st on their list then yeah, I would be extremely hyped. But for now, no one knows.

And second, you're not the first and founding member of the Keldonstans... That's me, man. I had posts about him way before you :bobo

[Sugus]

Ok, let's dust off this thread a little.

I get the concerns about shooting. I have them myself. But after watching a lot of tape on Precious, probably more than any of his detractors, I can say I'm confident in his shot, much more so than Dejounte's (since he's the comparison given in terms of lower IQ/physical players). The mechanics are just fundamentally sound. There's no hitch, it's a fluid motion, he has good elevation, the follow-through is there, he sets his feet well. His dip is the only thing I'd critique, he definitely won't be given as much space as he was given in college, especially if he actually starts knocking the shots down. I've pulled two examples of his shot from his highlight reel, of course they don't paint a full picture, but it's enough to get my point across, I think:

https://i.imgur.com/i5Eu5yT.gif

https://i.imgur.com/fGQ89j0.gif

(praying that they display well this time around...) (and I also gotta point out that I don't like his disengaging from the play after that screen in the second gif; he needs to be always set if he's gonna be a PnP kind of threat).

The second thing that's important about his shooting is - his mentality. The guy WANTS to shoot 3's. It is a MAJOR distinction from someone like DJ, who actively defers or refuses to take 3's when the opportunity arises. To me, having actually coached youth basketball, it's miles and miles easier to correct a shooter's motion deficiencies, than it is to convince a player who's shy of shooting, to do so. I see no hesitance in Precious' game, and that is what gives me hope. I can perfectly see him developing into a C&S player from deep; of course, it's not going to be a Jaylen Brown-esque, pull-up transition 3 game most likely, but it's not what you look for in a prospect like Achiuwa.

The real point where Achiuwa would realize his potential, would be to combine his dribbling, face-up game, with developed shooting mechanics. He is an avid transition player taking the ball up the court, but he's not good enough yet in isolation opportunities. That would be the "next step" for his game. And his recent training highlights show him working on his ball-handling, which is great to see. I think Achiuwa understands there's more value to him as a 4-5, than as a strict 5, and he's looking for that versatility. I don't ever see him playing the 3 with his body type, but I'm really interested in versatile 4-5 prospects, like him and Smith.

The BBIQ will always be up in the air. Some players develop it, some players don't, it's not an easy thing to even quantify or spot, let alone work on. My bottom-line is that I like Precious enough to be excited by him, but if the Spurs interview him and watch the film and don't like it, I'm alright with another pick. Just don't let it be a guard...

[Dejounte]

Ok, let's dust off this thread a little.

I get the concerns about shooting. I have them myself. But after watching a lot of tape on Precious, probably more than any of his detractors, I can say I'm confident in his shot, much more so than Dejounte's (since he's the comparison given in terms of lower IQ/physical players). The mechanics are just fundamentally sound. There's no hitch, it's a fluid motion, he has good elevation, the follow-through is there, he sets his feet well. His dip is the only thing I'd critique, he definitely won't be given as much space as he was given in college, especially if he actually starts knocking the shots down. I've pulled two examples of his shot from his highlight reel, of course they don't paint a full picture, but it's enough to get my point across, I think:

https://i.imgur.com/i5Eu5yT.gif

https://i.imgur.com/fGQ89j0.gif

(praying that they display well this time around...) (and I also gotta point out that I don't like his disengaging from the play after that screen in the second gif; he needs to be always set if he's gonna be a PnP kind of threat).

The second thing that's important about his shooting is - his mentality. The guy WANTS to shoot 3's. It is a MAJOR distinction from someone like DJ, who actively defers or refuses to take 3's when the opportunity arises. To me, having actually coached youth basketball, it's miles and miles easier to correct a shooter's motion deficiencies, than it is to convince a player who's shy of shooting, to do so. I see no hesitance in Precious' game, and that is what gives me hope. I can perfectly see him developing into a C&S player from deep; of course, it's not going to be a Jaylen Brown-esque, pull-up transition 3 game most likely, but it's not what you look for in a prospect like Achiuwa.

The real point where Achiuwa would realize his potential, would be to combine his dribbling, face-up game, with developed shooting mechanics. He is an avid transition player taking the ball up the court, but he's not good enough yet in isolation opportunities. That would be the "next step" for his game. And his recent training highlights show him working on his ball-handling, which is great to see. I think Achiuwa understands there's more value to him as a 4-5, than as a strict 5, and he's looking for that versatility. I don't ever see him playing the 3 with his body type, but I'm really interested in versatile 4-5 prospects, like him and Smith.

The BBIQ will always be up in the air. Some players develop it, some players don't, it's not an easy thing to even quantify or spot, let alone work on. My bottom-line is that I like Precious enough to be excited by him, but if the Spurs interview him and watch the film and don't like it, I'm alright with another pick. Just don't let it be a guard...

Good post.

The #1 thing encouraging about Precious is he's practicing dribbling drills like the one clip I posted awhile back.

He wants to be that big who can do a bit of playmaking, and he has the athleticism and size to make it special.

As for the shot, yes, I agree he differs from Dejounte as far as wanting to take the shot. Most of the shots I've seen are out of rhythm, meaning he takes it because it looks like a good look but it's not one of his spots. He needs to first find certain spots on the court where he feels comfortable shooting, and practice from those areas first... than try to just shoot anywhere out-of-rhythm. This may be why his percentages are so low even though his form looks okay.

Speaking of form, I think Pat has the definition of perfect form and it's always consistent. His shoulders are always square. Precious needs to watch his tape.

[rankingtear]

- The form can be fixed , some analyst pointed that he sometimes shoots the ball sideways. I do think he has poor touch / aiming, I don't know if he can fix that, most players who have superior feel for the game can't figure out the touch and are out of the league because of it, he has both touch and feel for the game concerns.

[Bender]

He has a brother named God'sgift, another named God'swill, and a third named Promise. He has two sisters named Grace and Peace.
so... Precious & Grace... all he needs is a flathead Ford...

[Dejounte]

https://twitter.com/bouncepassos/status/1326937885568888832?s=19

Sugus

[Sugus]

https://twitter.com/bouncepassos/status/1326937885568888832?s=19

Sugus

Yeah, doesn't look like it was meant to be. I'm sure the Spurs were more attracted by Smith's combination of IQ and athleticism than Achiuwa's physical prowess, Jalen looks like a more "Spursy" type of player after all. I'm not mad about it - as long as we end up getting Smith or, well, Wiseman...

[DesignatedT]

https://twitter.com/bouncepassos/status/1326937885568888832?s=19

Sugus

Sounds like that’s our pick then.