The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Arizona State's Carrick Felix with the No. 33 pick in Thursday's NBA draft. Carrick played junior college ball at Southern Idaho before spending three seasons with the Sun Devils.
NBA Draft 2013: Cleveland Cavaliers selects Carrick Felix
Felix, a senior, will bring toughness and defense to the rebuilding Cavaliers.
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Felix didn't really break out at Arizona State until his senior season in 2012-13, scoring 14.6 points per game and establishing himself as one of the top offensive players in the Pac-12. He also impressed with his rebounding ability, grabbing 8.1 boards per game as a 6'6 1/4 forward.
His strength as a scorer is movement away from the ball and hitting spot jumpers. He uses his quickness away from the ball to crash the boards (he averaged 2.1 offensive rebounds per game as a senior), and he has both power and finesse moves to finish at the basket. He uses that same quickness and athleticism on defense, though his technical work in that half of the court is still raw. He recently measured a 6’9-1/4 wingspan.
For the rebuilding Cavaliers, Felix will be a welcome addition. He will provide the team with toughness and a defense-first attitude, something the team lacked last season. His contract won’t be guaranteed, but one would assume Felix will be close to a lock for some early playing time during his rookie campaign.
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