With their only draft pick this year the Mavericks decided to go big, selecting A.J. Hammons a 7 foot center from Purdue with the 46th pick in the draft. Hammons, 23 was a four year player at Purdue who really blossomed as a senior averaging 15.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. He was named first team all-Big 10 and conference defensive player of the year for his efforts.
Hammons, is known for his strong play at both ends of the floor, possessing both an elite post game and the ability to protect the rim. Questions about Hammon's motor and attitude caused him to be drafted lower than what his talent would suggest. Rick Carlisle though seems convinced that the Mavs might have just drafted a real keeper.
"We really like him. ... We feel he is a first-round talent." Carlisle said in a post-draft press conference. "We were fortunate that he slid. He's a skilled big men who can score in the post."
The Mavs did not have a first round pick this year thanks to the ill-fated Rajon Rondo trade, but combining Hammons with holdovers Justin Anderson and Dwight Powell just might give the team a young core of promising players for a change.
Hammon's College Stats
