NBA Comparison: Kevin Séraphin/Bismack Biyombo

Strengths: The intrigue with Anigbogu starts with his outstanding frame, standing at 6’10" with great length (7′ 6.25” wingspan and 9′ 2.5” standing reach) , and a strong, (252 lbs) explosive lower body … He’s also quick on his feet, changes direction well, has a quick second jump, and brings a consistently high energy level … He offers many of the qualities of the modern energy big man that NBA teams look for today … Those physical tools provide Anigbogu with a strong base, allowing him to make an impact even though his skillset is farther behind at this stage … Anigbogu contributes in a variety of ways on the offensive end, despite an unpolished perimeter game … One of his most valuable attributes is his consistent production on the offensive glass, where he pulled down an impressive 4.1 offensive rebounds per 40 minutes … Anigbogu is active on the glass and can be an explosive athlete in space … He also has the size and lower body strength to carve out space down low … He has a quick second jump, and the physicality to absorb contact, which helps him to finish second chance opportunities … Anigbogu also moves well off the ball, especially with his mobility and ability to elevate in space … His other clear strength offensively is in transition, where he has long strides and excellent speed for a big man, allowing him to beat his man down the court regularly … He’s also an active rim runner who plays with a great motor … On the defensive end appears to be where Anigbogu will make the biggest impact, and where his long-term potential is the most obvious … He averaged 3.5 blocks per 40 minutes this past season and was a quality rim protector off the bench for UCLA … His length comes into play here, as does his ability to cover ground quickly, and he shows good timing as he takes pride in finding opportunities to alter shots … Another area where Anigbogu can impact the game defensively is in the pick and roll, a key for a big man in today’s NBA … He does a good job of stepping out on ball screens to help his guard and he has the mobility to recover and cut off a driving lane or step out and contest a perimeter shot … His technique still needs to be refined, but he has the potential to switch out on guards and stay in front of them as well … Anigbogu is also a strong post defender, with the size and strength to hold his position and the length and athleticism to contest shots … The good news for Anigbogu is that the things that he does well, such as altering shots at the rim, running in transition, being a consistent threat on the offensive glass, being a lob threat at the rim, will shape an NBA role that’s become increasingly valued at his position in today’s game … His awareness and recognition needs to continue to develop, as does his overall skill level, but given his physical gifts, motor, and youth (he won’t turn 19 until October), there will be plenty of teams around the league happy to have him come draft night …

Weaknesses: Although Anigbogu has an impressive combination of physical tools, his overall skillset has a great deal of catching up to do … His touch around the basket can be a bit erratic, as most of his scoring comes off of putbacks and lob passes … He’s also not nearly as explosive of a leaper in traffic, and he doesn’t have the awareness to consistently know when to kick the ball out and reset the possession … He will often force tough shots with little to no chance of converting … This can be seen through the fact that he shot only 48% on field goal attempts after offensive rebounds  … Even though he is an explosive athlete in space, when contested by an equal athlete, his lack of touch becomes an issue … It will be important for him to improve in this area, especially considering the jump in interior talent he’ll be facing in the NBA … He could also stand to improve his hands, as he struggles to catch passes thrown below his chest … In terms of perimeter skill level, Anigbogu still has much work to do. He attempted just eight jump shots on the season, and looked very mechanical when doing so … There isn’t a whole lot of fluidity in his jump shot, and his 53.5% shooting from the free-throw line suggests that he does not have great upside as a stretch forward … Anigbogu is similarly unrefined in the post … Despite his size and strength, he shot just 30.4% on post-up opportunities, despite using a sizable portion of his half-court offense on the block … His lack of touch again comes into play here, but his unrefined footwork is a big factor in his ineffectiveness as well … Anigbogu can become predictable in the post, as he is limited to mostly simple jump hooks and turnarounds … His hands are not secure and he fumbles away far too many easy catches and rebounds … He also becomes very turnover prone when doubled in the post, turning the ball over on nearly 18% of his post-up possessions, which is nearly as often as the 25% at which he scores … Another issue he has is that he can be too aggressive in seeking out opportunities to block shots … Anigbogu has a tendency to find himself out of position as he chases shots he has little to no chance of getting to … While his constant motor and activity level are things to be valued, he’ll have to work on harnessing his aggression and continue to develop his overall recognition, awareness, and communication defensively in order to make the most of his physical gifts … His 7.6 fouls for per 40 minutes, pace adjusted, say a lot about his lack of defensive discipline … Even though it takes six fouls in the NBA before disqualification, he will need to improve in this area to stay on the court for longer stretches … One more area he could improve on is on the defensive glass, as he hauled in just 19.9% of the available defensive rebounds while he was on the court … His activity as a shot blocker hinders him somewhat in this regard, but his overall awareness can get better … He is capable of rebounding out of his area because of his physical tools, but he needs to do a better job of being in position to haul in defensive rebounds …

Notes: Measured 6′ 8.5” barefoot, 6′ 9.75” in shoes, 252.2 lbs, 7′ 6.25” wingspan and 9′ 2.5” standing reach at the 2017 NBA Draft Combine … Full name: Christopher Ike Anigbogu… Born in San Diego, Calif. … The son of Chris and Veronica Anigbogu … Has two sisters, Ada and Onyi, and one brother, Tochi … Three-year varsity player at Corona Centennial High School under head coach Josh Giles … Was rated the No. 17 player in his high school class, nationally, by Scout.com … Also was ranked No. 25 by Rivals.com and No. 60 by ESPN.com … Tabbed the No. 1 center in California and the Western region by Rivals.com … Listed as a five-star recruit by both Rivals.com and Scout.com … Averaged 17.1 points and 9.6 rebounds in 25 games as a senior (2015-16)

William P. Desautelle III 5/15/17