As NBA Draft Nears, Steinbach Works Out For Warriors

Less than a week from the NBA Draft, Hannes Steinbach visited the Bay Area on Thursday for a private workout with the Golden State Warriors, thus enabling him to envision becoming teammates with players such as Steph Curry and Draymond Green.

The mock drafts have pegged the former University of Washington forward from Germany getting taken anywhere from pick No. 11 to 15, which includes the Warriors at the 11th selection.

"I want to go as high as I can," Steinbach said in a brief conference call with a half-dozen media members following his audition.

The draft plays out next Tuesday and Wednesday, with a round held each day, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, beginning at 5 p.m. PT.

The 6-foot-10, 248-pound Steinbach has drawn plenty of interest for his fundamentally sound game, which is highlighted by his ability to rebound at a high rate because he has huge hands and a lot of desire.

For the Huskies, he averaged 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per outing this past season.

Throughout his time in Montlake, Steinbach diplomatically insisted all options were open for him in terms of playing one or more seasons at the UW.

Hannes Steinbach looks for a shot against UCLA in Seattle. | Dave Sizer photo

However, he conceded he was thinking about early entry to the NBA all along, especially after having previously playd in the German pro leagues.

"It was a thought on my mind," he said. "Yeah, I imagined that."

With Steinbach down to five days to consider his future basketball destination, NBADraft.net has him at No. 11 in its latest mock draft, going to those Warriors.

USA Today puts him at No. 12, sending him to Oklahoma City. Yahoo predicts Steinbach will be drafted at No. 13, making him Miami bound. CBS Sports has Steinbach going at No. 14, to the Charlotte Hornets. ESPN has him ending up with the Chicago Bulls on the 15th pick.

Yahoo's take on him, pro and con, credits Steinbach with having enough natural strength to compete as an NBA player and for putting on plenty of weight while at the UW. The synopsis on this Euro player goes as follows:

"Steinbach will enter the NBA with some readymade skills as an interior scorer and rebounder. He has massive hands that he uses to grab every possible rebound and finish effectively around the basket. He also showed legitimate touch on 3-pointers in flashes, which would turn him into a very different player if it becomes real."

ESPN similarly likes Steinbach as a true post player, joining the Bulls with considerable offensive possibilities but likely having defensive limitations in terms of being a proficient shot-blocker.

"Although Steinbach's predraft workout process has been quiet, he has drawn interest in the back half of the lottery, with his range running into the teens. He was helped by his combine measurements, which affirmed that he has adequate size to play center, even if he isn't a vertically gifted shot blocker. He would represent a ready-now addition for the Bulls."

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