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Best Draft Fit: Baylor PF Johnathan Motley

By Liam O'Brien

Feb 8, 2017; Stillwater, OK, USA; Baylor Bears forward Johnathan Motley (5) looks to shoot as Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Leyton Hammonds (23) defends during the first half of a NCAA basketball game at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2017; Stillwater, OK, USA; Baylor Bears forward Johnathan Motley (5) looks to shoot as Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Leyton Hammonds (23) defends during the first half of a NCAA basketball game at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports /
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Baylor power forward Johnathan Motley is enjoying an excellent campaign with the Bears and could fit nicely into the Celtics rotation moving forward.

While the Boston Celtics might be anticipating the selection of a guard with their first pick heading into the 2017 NBA Draft, the team undoubtedly will need to address their front court deficiencies with at least one of their four draft selections. The Celtics rank 26th in the NBA with a dismal rebounding differential of -3.5 while also ranking in the bottom five in the league in defensive rebounds per game with 32.2. In terms of total rebounds, Boston has garnered the third-fewest in the NBA over the course of the season.

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Thus, one of the Celtics picks must be dedicated to a strong big man who can haul in defensive rebounds with furious tenacity. Enter Baylor power forward Johnathan Motley. The knock on Motley heading into his junior campaign was that he lacked rebounding prowess. The Bears stalwart erased that sentiment just as the Celtics will be seeking to do as a team heading into next season. After notching just 14.5 rebounds per 100 possessions in 2015-16, Motley is coming down with an impressive 20.1 rebounds per the same time span this season, one which has morphed into one of the most successful in Baylor history.

Motley was criticized heavily by draft scouts after posting a defensive rebound percentage of 16.7 percent in his sophomore year. He has remedied this in major fashion as well, boxing out opponents to the tune of a 22.7 defensive rebound percentage in 2016-17. In Big 12 competition, Motley’s defensive rebound percentage has jumped to 24.8 percent. In terms of total rebound percentage, Motley has increased this figure from 14.8 percent in 2015-16 to a league-best 19.4 percent in 2016-17, swiping away at the pundits who doubted his ability to box out with the best in the Big 12 Conference.

He currently sits atop the league in defensive rebounds (143) and total rebounds (226). His average of 9.8 rebounds per game ranks first in the Big 12 while he has also displayed an effectiveness on the offensive boards with a league-leading offensive rebound percentage of 15.4 percent.

Motley has also transformed into a reliable scoring option in the post, something that the Celtics clamor for outside of center Al Horford. After putting up 11.1 points per game last season, Motley has upped this total to 16.6 per game in this year’s campaign. Motley is efficient around the rim, sporting a 57.2 percent true shooting percentage which has been bolstered by the 73 percent clip he has recorded at the line in conference play.

His 134 two-point field goals lead the conference, and his shooting percentage of 51.8 percent is fourth in the league. Motley has shown his newfound ability to pass the ball as well this season. Heading into 2016-17, one of the knocks on him was his incapability to pass out of the post. This season, however, he has been a changed presence in that regard, upping his assist percentage from 9.1 percent in 2015-16 to 15.5 percent in 2016-17 while putting up a career-best 4.3 assists pet 100 possessions.

Motley has also bolstered his defensive intensity as the season has progressed. This is something the Celtics direly need, as they have been picked apart in the post by offensive-minded centers far too often this season. Boston allowed Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins to post 28 points and nine rebounds in his visit to the TD Garden on December 2 while New Orleans Pelicans center Anthony Davis notched 61 points and 32 rebounds in two games against the Celtics this season.

Motley’s defensive rating of 92.4 ranks seventh in the Big 12 while his 1.6 defensive win shares is the fifth-best mark in the league. In terms of defensive box plus-minus, Motley ranks eighth in the Big 12 with a 5.0 rating. Motley’s length allows him to to affect rim penetrators that attack the hoop, however, one thing he does need to improve on is his ability to protect the rim with shot-blocking. Motley’s block percentage has dipped from 7.3 percent in his freshman season to just 3.8 percent this year, signaling a decline in his aggressiveness in terms of swatting shots. In turn, this has resulted in his rate of personal fouls per 100 possessions sharply declining from 8.5 a season ago to just 6.2, however, the Celtics would certainly like to witness his blocks per 40 minutes average of 1.4 take a leap if he falls into their lap.

Next: HH Draft Profile: Miles Bridges

Currently, Motley is projected to be the 28th player to come off of the board by Draft Express. While the Celtics do not own the rights to a first-rounder outside of the Brooklyn Nets selection which is expected to fall into the top five, they could hope for him to dip into the early stages of the second round or use their stockpile of draft picks to trade into the bottom of the first round in order to select him.