NBA Draft 2021: Evaluation of Western Kentucky center Charles Bassey

DEFENSE

For NBA front offices, Charles Bassey’s biggest selling point in the Draft clearly comes on his own end as an elite rim protector, all-around D anchor, and rebounding force. Not every day you get a guy with his size, instincts, and athletic tools who boasts a 13Blks % in college play (by Barttorvick.com). He mans the paint, moves with ease in short distances, and finds his way in almost every rotation around the basket. Wingspan, vertical leap, timing, and balance are behind Bassey’s quasi-supernatural skill, sharpened by his court-awareness and the rare talent to keep the ball in-bounds on most of his blocks.

Moreover, Bassey’s defensive value goes way beyond spectacular rejections: he’s equally effective contesting drives in the zone and changing shots with his mere presence, as well as standing his ground and holding matchups with his chest, not so low center of gravity but brute strength in post-D and box-outs.

Rick Stansbury has learned to maximize Bassey’s defensive upside with man-to-man sets and an array of zones, from the usual 2-3 to 1-3-1, always counting on Charles as ‘eraser-man’ in the middle while teammates feel free to risk over passing lanes and funnel drivers towards him.

In PNR coverage, ‘drop’ is Bassey’s favored approach, backpedaling between the ball-handler and the bucket, although at times he’s required to step out, hedge and get back, or do a job in switches flexing his lower-body and using his footwork on the perimeter.

There is little question that he will be asked to do so more with the pros, with teams trying to expose him in space. But Charles seems well equipped to react to those situations, turn hips while keeping his balance, and cover ground with long steps making his length count as a formidable threat.