Rockets select Montrezl Harrell with No. 32 pick in 2015 NBA draft
The Houston Rockets selected Louisville's Montrezl Harrell with No. 32 pick in 2015 NBA draft on Thursday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The forward averaged 15.7 points and 9.2 rebounds for the Cardinals last season. Harrell was a pre-season All-America, but he did not quite live up to expectations this season, ultimately making the media's All-ACC second team.
The Rockets took former Wisconsin forward Sam Dekker in the first round of the draft.
Strengths: Harrell is tough, runs the floor and finishes extremely well. He’ll play above the rim and has improved his shooting touch on free throws and mid-range attempts. Cleaning the glass has been his constant calling card as a prospect, and he’s got the necessary nasty streak and high-energy style to succeed given his build. Defensively, he held his own in college and plays extremely tough, which has to continue in the NBA. If that happens, he should be able to play both power forward and even some small-ball center, causing problems on the interior and covering up for some of his teammates’ mistakes.
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Weaknesses: Beyond the offensive glass, it’s unclear where Harrell’s scoring will come from at the next level. He’s not really a back-to-the-basket type and his jumper remains a work in progress. The combined number that hurts him is 11.9% body fat, which is somewhat mysterious. In the event his intangibles aren’t enough and his relentless style of play doesn’t translate, Harrell’s NBA stay could be briefer than expected.
