French teenager Alexandre Sarr and UConn's Donovan Clingan top the list of best big men in the NBA draft.

By AARON BEARD

This year's NBA Draft features potential starters and valuable role players, more so than future stars without a doubt. This becomes evident when looking at the headliner prospects among big men.

French teenager Alexandre Sarr could become No. 1 overall thanks to his length and defensive potential, main reasons why he has been a three-time pick at the top of the AP's NBA Mock Draft. Meanwhile, Donovan Clingan of two-time defending national champion UConn will also likely be a top pick as a rim-protecting force.

It's simply unclear how quickly each will be ready to step into a leading role in the league, particularly offensively.

Here's a look at some of the best players at the position:

Alexandre Sarr, France

STRENGTHS: Athleticism, mobility and length provide a significant advantage on both ends of the court for the 2.13m player, whether as a rim protector and versatile defender or as a rim runner on pick-and-roll for lobs on offense. Sarr, 19, spent two seasons with the Overtime Elite development program for America's top prospects, then last season with Perth in Australia's National Basketball League as part of its “Next Stars” program. He tied for second with a 1.5 average against despite averaging just 17.3 minutes.

He finished strong averaging 10.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.3 assists in his final six games with Perth. He also ranked among the best at the combine with a wingspan over 7-4.

CONCERNS: He'll need time to add bulk to a lean 224-pound frame and handle the rigors of an NBA season. Developing a more consistent 3-point range (he shot 29% in the NBL last season) will be key to fully realizing his defensive stretch potential.

Donovan Clingan, UConn

STRENGTHS: He's big, strong and surprisingly agile for his imposing 7-foot-2, 282-pound frame, which has made him an interior shot-blocking force in the Huskies' run to basketball's first repeat men's title university in 17 years. He ranked eighth in Division I averaging 2.5 blocks per game despite playing just 22.6 minutes, then played massive games in the NCAA tournament. That included eight blocks and 14 rebounds in the second-round win over Northwestern, followed by 22 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a regional final against Illinois (the Illini were 0 of 19 on contested shots by Clingan ) and four other swats against Alabama in the Final Four.

The 20-year-old sophomore runs well on the court despite his build and is a good finisher. He was also tied for first in the group in standing reach (9-7) and second in wingspan (nearly 7-7).

CONCERNS: It's unclear how well he could handle switches to defend outside of painting in space. While he shot nearly 64 percent to rank among the national leaders, he rarely had to produce much outside of the paint. He also shot just 55.8 percent from the line in two seasons.

Kel'el Ware, Indiana

STRENGTHS: The 20-year-old sophomore showed intriguing two-way potential to become a first-round prospect, first during a season at Oregon and then last year at Indiana. He averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks last season as a starter for the Hoosiers. He made 17 of 40 3-pointers (.425), indicating the potential for growth in terms of taking defenders away.

The 7-footer has a wingspan of nearly 7-5 and tested well at the NBA Combine by placing second among bigs in the lane agility test (second at 10.97 seconds) and shuttle run ( second, 2.91).

CONCERNS: He'll need to add strength to his 230-pound frame and improve at the line, where he shot just 63.4 percent last year.

Kyle Filipowski, Duke

STRENGTHS: The 6-11, 230-pound sophomore could play either forward or center as a first-round prospect. He was a steady producer averaging 15.8 points and 8.6 rebounds with the Blue Devils. He also more than doubled his shot block total last year (54, compared to 26 as a freshman) when he had to work as Duke's interior anchor after Derek Lively II left for the NBA. He showed improved mobility and footwork after hip surgery before last season, and he improved as an outside shooter (34.8 percent from 3 last year, up from 28.2 percent). in 2022-23).

CONCERNS: Filipowski is not an elite athlete, so he could be vulnerable defensively in space as well as struggle against physical play. He slipped at the foul line last year, shooting just 67.1 percent after shooting 76.5 percent as a freshman.

Others to note

—ZACH EDEY: The 7-foot-4, 299-pound Purdue center is a two-time Associated Press men's college basketball player of the year who led the Boilermakers to the NCAA title game last year in as national leader (25.2) and number 1 in Division I. .2 rebounders (12.2). He closed out his career with 37 points in the loss to UConn. He has a ridiculous wingspan of almost 7-11 and is capable of shooting over any defender. There is uncertainty over whether the first-round prospect is athletic enough to handle defensive shifts or guarding in space.

—DARON HOLMES II: The 6-9, 236-pound junior from Dayton has spent the last two seasons putting up big numbers, averaging 19.3 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 56.7 percent. He also hit 38.6 percent of his 3s last year and averaged 2.1 blocks during his college career. The Atlantic 10 co-Player of the Year and league Defensive Player of the Year could find himself in the second half of the first round, although he is a bit undersized among the bigs.

—YVES MISSI: Baylor's 6-foot-11, 229-pound center came into play as the season progressed as a one-and-done prospect with rebounding athleticism, helping him finish at the rim (61.4 percent). on shots) and blocking shots (1.5). That could make him a pick-and-roll or lob threat in the pros, although the 20-year-old Cameroonian will need to expand his offense beyond those crowd-charging dunks and improve at the line (61 .6%).

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