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HH Draft Profile: Jarrett Allen

By Michael James

Feb 14, 2017; Norman, OK, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Jarrett Allen (31) controls the ball against Oklahoma Sooners forward Kristian Doolittle (11) during the first half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 14, 2017; Norman, OK, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Jarrett Allen (31) controls the ball against Oklahoma Sooners forward Kristian Doolittle (11) during the first half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Hardwood Houdini Draft Profiles

Jarrett Allen: Texas, C

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 235

Age: 18

Click on the name for up to date stats: Jarrett Allen

Strengths

Size: 

Allen has elite size and length for the center position, and he really knows how to use it. Listed at 6’10”, with a 7’5″ wingspan, Allen could be a physically dominate center in the NBA if he fills out his frame. His length helps him defend players that he either can’t keep up with laterally, or can’t stick with down low. He also is able to grab rebounds at a higher point than other players due to his 9’2″ standing reach. The NBA is a game of inches, and Allen is equipped with plenty of them.

Face up Game:

For such a big player, Allen has a great touch on mid range jump shots and floaters. His shooting mechanics are very impressive for such a young player, so transitioning to the three point line shouldn’t be much of a problem for Allen. Similar to former Longhorn Myles Turner, Allen is a highly skilled big man who has a lot of room to grow.

Potential:

Allen has one of the higher ceilings in this entire draft class. His combination of size and skill is incredibly dangerous if his potential is reached. Allen will turn 19 in April, so he’ll be a very young prospect for teams to develop if he decides to declare for the draft this year. Don’t be surprised if a team reaches for him because of his sky high potential.

Feb 20, 2017; Morgantown, WV, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Jarrett Allen (31) shoots in the lane during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 20, 2017; Morgantown, WV, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Jarrett Allen (31) shoots in the lane during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /

Weaknesses

Strength:

Allen is not a very strong player in the post. He is easily moved by stronger players, and has trouble finishing through contact. Length makes up for his lack of strength, but Allen will need to add muscle to his frame if he wants to become a great player in the NBA. This is an easy fix that many slender big men have faced before, so it isn’t a major red flag.

Quickness:

This is kind of surprising to me to see Allen not move laterally all that well. This in combination with his lack of strength, Allen has an uphill battle towards becoming a good defender. Again, his length makes up for his shortcomings in quickness, but he’ll have to work on this through drills and conditioning in some way once he gets drafted.

Next: HH Draft Profile: Jordan Bell

Overview

All in all, Allen is a really enticing prospect with a ton of upside. He relies on his frame a little too much on defense and boxing out, but he still is able to grab a good amount of boards thanks to his long arms and instincts.

On offense, Allen has the potential to be a premier scoring threat at the center position. His great shooting mechanics and soft touch at a really young age will make him a highly touted prospect in the draft. I could see Allen going in the top 10, but he could also drop into the late lottery if teams feel he’s too much of a project.