OG Anunoby could be the steal of the NBA draft, if healthy

OG Anunoby might be the biggest steal of this draft class after Toronto took him with the 23 in the 2017 NBA draft.

Anunoby tore his ACL in January this past season, but was just catching his stride on both ends at Indiana. He isn’t the most polished player and has lots of work to do to improve his game, but if he pans out, he could be just the 3-and-D forward Toronto is looking to have.

Anunoby averaged 11.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season in 25 minutes of play, but still managed to shoot 56 percent from the field. He also averaged 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per game last season.

He isn’t the perfect player, but that’s not what the Raptors are looking for. He spent two years in Indiana, but is just 19 years old, so he has plenty of room to grow into the future. Toronto should be very satisfied with this pick.

At 6’8 and 232 pounds, Anunoby remains nimble and quick. He has a 7’2 wingspan with quick hands and reflexes that will make him difficult to get by at the next level.

We know this because he’s done it against NBA-level competition. As a freshman, Anunoby made his name by shutting Jamal Murray down in the NCAA tournament.

He used his quicks and speed to follow Murray around baseline screens and denied him of backdoor lanes by staying just a step behind. Murray has an incredibly quick shot release, but Anunoby was able to counter that because of his length and footwork defensively.

He can stay with the quickest perimeter players despite being a heavier small forward because of that athleticism and frame. That is an invaluable skill that will be put to great use by Toronto the moment he gets minutes.

Anunoby gets the job done defensively on the perimeter. His quickness and length are both assets NBA teams value. When he’s caught in the pick-and-roll or in dribble handoff action, he’s able to stay with guards.

But that isn’t all he can do. Even if he’s stuck down low in the post, he’s still able to hold his base on the ground and force big men into tough shots with his length. (Video via Draft Express)

He doesn’t have the greatest height in the world at 6’8, but his wingspan makes up for any size he lacks against bigger assignments. And as a 215-pound sophomore, Anunoby was able to hold his ground against bigger opponents in the post.

At the NBA Combine, he measured out at 232 pounds and will have even more of a base to work with. It’s going to be hard to score on this guy.

Anunoby’s quickness and length have been well-documented here, but he also has the athleticism that comes along with that package. He’s very explosive off the ground and will be a great lob finisher at the next level.

He can go up and get most passes thrown in his direction. His wingspan coupled with his springy legs makes for a dangerous combination for defenses.

So even if defenses choose not to guard him on the perimeter, he’s still lethal as a slasher. If the defense takes their sights off of him for a few seconds, late in possessions he’ll be able to make them pay by finishing above the rim and through contact.

His bounce also translates into his rebounding. Anunoby averaged nine rebounds and 2.8 offensive rebounds per 40 minutes in his last season at Indiana. He’s shown the ability to go up and get the ball on both ends, and extending possessions is a huge skill in today’s NBA.

His offensive game is still a work in progress. Anunoby is a very raw prospect with tons of length and athleticism. More often than not, that’s what he uses to score on his opponents.

He’s a solid finisher around the rim and on the inside. He shot 70 percent on his two-point shots last season, so that isn’t an issue. The problem is he can’t create his own shot and has shown he’s inconsistent from three.

Him not being able to create a shot wouldn’t be an issue if his three-point shot wasn’t problematic. He likely won’t be relied on as a lead ball handler in any capacity at the next level, but he is going to have to knock down shots if he wants any consistent playing time.

He shot 31 percent from three last season at Indiana in heavy minutes. He did shoot 45 percent in his freshman year, but he barely played and only hoisted up one attempt per game.

Anunoby has great feet and quickness, so of course he’s a good dancer!

There was a danceoff at the 2015 Maui Invitational, and lets just say Anunoby did not disappoint.

He might not be John Wall, but those are pretty slick moves there. There should be some stat that indicates whether good dancing translates to good basketball, because I certainly feel like it does.