Precious Achiuwa rose from the shadow of James Wiseman at Memphis to being the main prospect following Wiseman’s withdrawal. As a freshman, Precious Achiuwa put up a stat-line of 15.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.9 BPG, and 2.8 TOPG on shooting splits of 49/32.5/60. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Precious Achiuwa
Height/Weight: 6’9/ 234
Wingspan/ standing reach: 7’1/ 9’0.5
Hand size: 10
Position: Forward
College: Memphis
Tools: Athleticism, Frame, defense
Pros:
- Versatile defender
- Good slasher
- Excellent athlete that runs the floor well
- High defensive IQ; reads passes before they happen
- Good P&R finisher
- Nonstop motor
- Good rebounder that gets good positioning
- Plus second jump
- Strong on closeouts
Cons:
- Gets tunnel vision at times
- Needs to heavily refine jump shooting mechanics
- Forces shots at the rim often, particularly off of putbacks
Overall:
Precious Achiuwa made a living in college as a slasher and dynamic defender. As a great athlete, he uses his strong first step, long strides, and explosiveness to finish at the rim at a high level (64%). While he needs to improve some of his habits in both getting to the rim and at the rim, his mistakes are fixable with the right coach. His biggest flaws offensively lie in his decision making, evidenced by his almost 3:1 turnover:assist ratio, as well as lacking a reliable jump shot. He did improve his 3 point shooting success as the season progressed, taking just 10 threes in non-conference play versus 30 total 3s in conference play. His form isn’t broken, but he still needs to refine his form to become more consistent and repeatable.
Achiuwa makes his living on the defensive end with his nonstop motor, strength, and quick feet that allow him to guard wings, forwards, and bigs. His second jump allows him to make up for mistakes more easily than most players. Achiuwa’s defensive profile stands out as one of the best in the draft.
NBA Comparison: Floor: Trevor Booker; Ceiling: Jerami Grant
Projected draft range: 9-26
Fit with Mavs:
As the Mavs continue to search for complimentary pieces alongside Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, Precious Achiuwa combines addressing the Mavs’ biggest needs and having a high upside player to evolve into more than a complimentary piece. While his consistency in decision making on both ends needs improvement, Achiuwa should be able to be a positive defensively from day one, as he can switch onto guards and defend the rim. In the long term, if a team can correct his passing decision making and/or his jump shooting consistency, he could be one of the best value picks in the draft. His high motor and hard-working mentality should give the Mavs’ coaching staff and front office hope in developing him into the high-caliber player he has the potential to be.
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