Thon Maker fascinating NBA teams ahead of draft

ALL eyes were on potential No. 1 pick Ben Simmons yesterday but there’s another Australian fascinating NBA teams.

Thon Maker shows off his athletic capabilities at the NBA Draft Combine.

THE majority of interest for Australian fans in Wednesday’s NBA Draft Lottery centred around which team would win the top pick and in turn, become the likely destination for Ben Simmons.

But the annual bouncing of the ping pong balls to decide the order in next month’s draft also had a huge impact on the future of another local talent, Thon Maker.

Maker certainly won’t be challenging Simmons for the No. 1 pick but he’s creating similar fascination among NBA teams.

A sense of mystery surrounds the 19-year-old Sudanese-born seven-footer, who enhanced his prospects by displaying his unique athleticism at the NBA Draft Combine last week.

Maker recorded a 36.5 inch running vertical leap — a record for a player is height — while also shining in sprint and agility tests.

After deciding to jump straight from high school to the pros, Maker has been pegged as a late first-round or second-round draft pick.

Draft Express has him mocked No. 40 to the New Orleans Pelicans, NBADraft.net has him slotted at No. 33 to the Clippers, while Sports Illustrated has him sneaking into the first round at No. 28 to the Phoenix Suns.

Maker met with 12 teams at the combine, including the Detroit Pistons (picks 18 and 49), LA Lakers (two and 32) and Portland Trail Blazers (who currently have no draft picks and will have to trade their way into the draft).

And run.

Thon Maker can jump.

Detroit beat writer David Mayo wrote the Pistons would “be thrilled” if he was still available at pick 49, but noted Pistons general manager Jeff Bower — who did not mention Maker specifically — was in position to risk its first pick on a long-term project because of their improved roster stability.

“I think we could,” Bower said. “I think the strength of the draft is such that picking at 18, you’re going to look for some ways to make a difference and that’s one avenue that we’ve looked at.”

The most positive prediction for the elite talent came from The Big Lead’s Jason McIntyre, who has Maker headed to the Boston Celtics at pick 16. “Biggest wildcard in the draft,” McIntyre wrote. “Wouldn’t be surprised if a team took a flyer on him late lottery. The Suns probably won’t let him get out of the 1st round.”

If that happens, at least Maker has already met star Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas — who he was photographed with at Wednesday’s lottery.

As for the man himself, he’s just looking for an opportunity. Having lived everywhere from Sudan to Australia to the US to Canada in his life, settling and sticking at an NBA team is the goal.

Maker was also keen to dispel some of the myths around his game when meeting with reporters at the combine, clarifying he never compared himself to OKC superstar Kevin Durant — and was far different to the player on show in his viral mixtapes.

“People gotta stop with the mixtape stuff,” Maker said. “That’s not me. I bet you those people who put them out haven’t sat through a whole game of mine and watched it. My defensive rotation, the way I communicate to my teammates, the way I pass the ball.

“They probably got the bad passes, the one-hand passes, not the fundamental, two-hand, jump-stop, they don’t get to see all that stuff. Some people use that to identify me, and I told the teams what it is.”

“I said I like Durant as a player. They said I think I think I’m Durant,” he added.

Originally published as Thon Maker fascinating NBA teams ahead of draft