NBA prospect primer: C Jarrett Allen

Unlike the NFL Draft process which unfolds over months and months, the NBA season turns around to the draft so quickly that it can sneak up on you. In advance of June 22, we're going to take a look at some of the top prospects and their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Obviously, a lot of redditors know about these prospects already and have formed their own opinions, but this series is intended for those NBA fans who haven't studied the draft yet and want a one-stop shop to get to know the next generation of NBA talent.

######C Jarrett Allen, Texas

his career

As a top 10 recruit in his native Texas, Jarrett Allen ended up staying local with the University of Texas at Austin, to play under the promising program being rebuilt by Shaka Smart.

Turns out, it wasn't quite built yet. Smart's team finished 11-22, leading Allen to suffer in relative anonymity all year long. His stats didn't jump off the page either, averaging 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.

Despite a disappointing freshman campaign, Allen jumped into the draft, with his stock presumed to be in the 10-15 range.

why he'll succeed

While Jarrett Allen didn't set the college landscape on fire as a freshman, that's become the standard for many bluechip big men. Top 10 recruits like Steven Adams, Myles Turner, and Skal Labissiere all had disappointing freshman years and saw their draft stock suffer as a result. At the end of the day, all turned out to be value picks.

The same may be said for Allen. He's a traditional big man with a lot of shot-blocking potential. He's relatively fluid, and his best asset is a 7'5" wingspan. Given all that, you'd expect better defensive numbers than his 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks (in 32.1 minutes), but bigs often take time to develop their full potential.

To me, that's the key for any team that drafts Allen. He's not ready yet, but if a team can develop him on the bench for 2-3 years, there's a good chance he'll turn into a quality starting center and defensive presence. Someone like Hassan Whiteside is a good model for Allen to follow.

why he'll struggle

Most NBA teams don't value traditional bigs much these days, so there may not be many franchises willing to invest a lottery pick (and 2-3 years of development) on one.

You can also question Allen's instincts for the game. As mentioned, those 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks are relatively disappointing given his tools and measurements, and his 2.5 turnovers per game is a high total as well. All in all, it's a risky pick and a big projection.

best team fits

MIA (#14) -- If I'm comparing Jarrett Allen's potential to Hassan Whiteside, it makes sense for Allen to literally follow Whiteside's path as well. Right now, Whiteside is only 28 years old and under a three year contract. Still -- that timeline works with the raw Allen. If you can develop him for 3 years, he can step right into Whiteside's shoes once that deal expires.

CHI (#16) -- Similarly, the Bulls have a good defensive center in Robin Lopez, who's 29 years old and on a 2-year contract. The plan would be the same: develop Allen on the bench, with an eye to start him once Lopez's deal runs out.

overall grades

For this, we're using the scale that:

• = bust

** = rotational player

*** = starter

**** = good starter

***** = All-Star

immediate impact : *

low-end career : **

upside career : ****

total score : 7 stars. (#10 prospect on our big board)

previous prospect primers

#1 -- Josh Jackson, #2 -- Markelle Fultz, #3 -- Lonzo Ball, #4 -- Jayson Tatum, #5 -- Malik Monk, #6 -- Jonathan Isaac, #7 -- Dennis Smith, #8 -- De'Aaron Fox, # 9 -- Lauri Markkanen, #10 -- Jarrett Allen, other lottery talent