2009 NBA Draft: Hasheem Thabeet Rises Above Many NBA Draft Prospects

When it comes to rare combinations, Hasheem Thabeet fills the spot perfectly. This 7'3" tower from University of Connecticut has already established himself as a top blocker. He was discovered quite late, at age 15, and is still a work in progress. But by NBA standards, he is a very enviable project.

Most players as tall as Hasheem Thabeet are physically clumsy and lack balance. But Hasheem Thabeet is right at that fine line between very, very tall and walking-on-stilts high. The only recent comparable player is Dikembe Mutombo. However, Thabeet has the potential to be compared to another dominant NBA center from the past, like Hakeem Olajuwon. Hakeem came into the NBA as a shot-blocking maniac, and gradually developed his game into a multi-pronged force.

Hasheem Thabeet's offensive game so far has been limited, consisting mainly of athletic dunks, alley-oops, and close shots. He hasn't been very effective at shooting from farther than 15 feet, although he has improved tremendously since he came to Connecticut as a raw freshman.

His defense is excellent, because of his shot-blocking prowess. He just can't be avoided in the paint. However, he can be pushed aside pretty easily, and sometimes even bullied, by players such as DeJuan Blair(a Charles Barkley-type player who will likely haunt Hasheem in the NBA). So Hasheem Thabeet needs to get stronger, and he has that potential. If he puts on more muscle, he'll be better able to hold his ground inside the key.

In fact, Hasheem Thabeet has a huge potential to improve, and that's why the scouts are after him. If he continues to improve at this rate, he will surely be a key player in 10 years.

Thabeet is expected to be a top 5 pick for sure, probably number 2 or 3 in the upcoming NBA draft. If picked second he'll wind up in Memphis, and if picked third he'll join the new Oklahoma City Thunder team, barring any last-second trades. In any case - he'll be a long term project, as the talent and size in the NBA is a big jump up from the NCAA. And as an added bonus, his name definitely works well with fans and the media. You can't stop tha' beet.