Post by jhb on Feb 25, 2021 10:54:20 GMT -5
Al Horford
PF
6'10"
245
21
Florida
Another two-time national champion from Florida, Horford is somewhat the yin to Joakim Noah's yang. Whereas Noah was the intimidating defensive presence (don't get us wrong, Horford is no slouch in that regard), Horford was the better offensive prospect of the two and one with perhaps a bit more upside as he continues to develop his offensive game.
Big Al comes to TMBSL with a TMBSL-ready body, moving fluidly and already fairly strong for his age. He shows a very soft touch to finish in the paint and a much more developed post game, although he will still need to work in that regard to become one of the upper echelon post scorers at the next level. He somehow was a less efficient free throw shooter than Noah and his nightmare shot mechanics despite having a much smoother stroke. He peaked at about 65% from the free throw line, though scouts suspect he's more talented than that as he showed the ability to consistently hit mid-range jumpers and even occasionally got cheeky and extended his range even further. He's a bit passive on offense at times, and scouts wouldn't be surprised if he developed some stretch 4 tendencies in TMBSL. He will hit the extra pass and takes care of the basketball.
Defensively, while Horford isn't Noah, he will still be an asset to any team on this end. He moves well and can defend the post. He doesn't have the ability to defend out to the perimeter and he isn't an elite shot-blocker, but he does have good timing and will protect the rim enough that he can be relied upon in crunch-time. He put up incredible rebounding numbers at Florida, but some scouts credit Joakim Noah and his boxing out for allowing him to get to as many rebounds as he did and they worry with his passive nature he may not be as good in this regard at the next level.