The Creighton Bluejays were a power in the Big East Conference last season, finishing 25-10 and making their first NCAA Tournament appearance in three seasons. They possessed a top 20 offense, even after starting point guard Maurice Watson was lost for the season. One reason was the seemingly out of nowhere performance from freshman big man Justin Patton.
After redshirting his first year, Patton thrived when given a chance to run in Gregg McDermott's offense last season, becoming one of the best offensive big men in the country. He averaged 12.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in just 25.1 minutes per game while posting the fourth best effective field goal percentage (68.9%) in the nation.
An exceptional athlete, Patton was at his best on the move. He ran the floor with ease, executed flawless cuts to the rim, and was an ideal pick and roll partner. His high shooting efficiency was a product of his impressive touch at the rim. The center made over 80% of his shots (168-of-208) in close, per Hoop-Math.com.
Not just a traditional low-post scorer, Patton showed the potential to score facing the basket and from long range as well. He made only 32.9% of his two-point jumpers but sank 8-of-15 (53.3%) of his attempts from beyond the arc.
A true seven-footer with a 7'3" wingspan, Patton has the size to deter shots at the rim, even if he doesn't excel at shot blocking (5.7% block percentage). His quickness and excellent footwork allowed him to step out and defend the perimeter without looking lost or uncomfortable as well.
The only thing holding Patton back from being a surefire lottery pick is his overall aggressiveness. Despite holding the size advantage over many opponents, Patton wasn't the dominant rebounder he should/could be. He averaged just 9.8 boards per 40 minutes with a dismal 13.8% rebound percentage. His passiveness also led him to shy away from contact, drawing fewer fouls than one would like. Patton went to the line an average of just 2.5 times per game.
Overall, NBA teams look at Patton as a bit of a project who may need to spend some time in the NBA G-League (formerly D-League) to evolve his game. With that said, Patton is expected to be selected between picks 15-25 and could wind up being a starting big man for years to come.
The Portland Trail Blazers, who own multiple picks, could take the gamble on Patton in the middle of the first-round. The guard heavy squad is in need of an infusion of talent in the frontcourt and could select the big man with either their 15th or 20th pick.