NBA Draft 2014: Atlanta Hawks select Walter Tavares with 43rd overall pick

With their second round pick (43rd overall selection) in the 2014 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks selected 7-3 center Walter Tavares, from Spain.

According to Draft Express, Taveras certainly isn’t a glamorous prospect, but a solid rebounder and rim protector:

"Walter Tavaresranks as easily the lowest usage player on this list, averaging only 5.8 possessions per-game, but the center’s small role also affords him tremendous efficiency, as he leads this group scoring 1.093 points per possession overall. The 7’3 Tavares seldom gets a touch in the post, averaging a sample-low .5 possessions per-game on the block, but he ranks among the top-3 most efficient scorers on rolls to the rim and put backs. Unlike some of the players on this list, Tavares was already being asked to do essentially the same things he would in the NBA a year ago. He doesn’t try to do too much one-on-one or away from the basket, as his role revolves around his ability to use his size to rebound the ball and finish the shots created for him by others inside. Tavares is not a glamorous prospect, but he has showed improvement throughout the year in his ability to contribute as a roleplayer in the ACB, and this study doesn’t even start to analyze the contributions he’s expected to make as a rim-protector or rebounder, which are arguably his biggest strengths."

While I know next to nothing about this guy, I have to admit that the report above does excite me. It’s not too often you see a player this big even in the NBA and if he can become a rim protector and rebounder at the NBA level then this is certainly a good pick.