The Cleveland Cavaliers have the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft for the third time in four seasons, which amplifies the pressure on the organization to nail the choice. Last year's pick, Anthony Bennett out of UNLV, was a colossal failure as a rookie while several other players like Victor Oladipo and Michael Carter-Williams blossomed.
This year's crop of rookies is loaded, unlike the 2013 class, which was very tricky. At the top of the heap in terms of potential is freshman center Joel Embiid out of Kansas. While his teammate Andrew Wiggins stole the headlines for most of the season after being compared to LeBron James, Embiid proved to be an athlete of Wiggins' caliber at seven feet tall.
Embiid averaged 11.2 points per game and just over eight rebounds while swatting 2.6 shots a night. He displayed cat-quick reflexes and the ability to jump-a package like that rarely isn't taken first overall. He also battled back problems, a scary thought for any team looking at a big man, and especially a big man that would have the spotlight Embiid will be under.
Wiggins is the safer choice, and flashier considering his Vince Carter-esque 44-inch vertical leap. Still, big men like Embiid are rare, and his Kansas coach Bill Self is telling NBA shot-callers not to worry about his injuries.
"I would have worries if the doctors and experts said there should be worries," Self told 97.5 The Fantatic. "He's got a stress fracture in an area I guess 25 percent of all (football) linemen have and play with. Twelve percent of every gymnast has it. They said every student-athlete coming on campus has potential to have this injury. It happens (and) you don't do anything for it except rest it and rehab it and you are back to being yourself.
"This is one area in his back that will create zero problems for him moving forward. All it did was create symptoms and pain initially but those things are all gone from what I've seen."
Wiggins averaged 17.1 points per game and 5.1 rebounds, and eclipsed the 25-point mark five times. Jabari Parker was considered his top rival entering the year, and he statistically outperformed Wiggins with averaged of 19.1 points and 8.7 rebounds. Still, the Cavs are reportedly uninterested in the more polished Parker according to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix.
"Cleveland isn't tipping its hand, but league sources continue to believe that the decision is down to Embiid and Andrew Wiggins," Mannix wrote.
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