#3 Usman Garuba – Forward – Spain

We are seeing more and more international prospects find success at the NBA level and one of the next international guys who could make an impact after being drafted is Usman Garuba from Spain. Garuba stands about 6’8” and possesses a reported 7’2” wingspan, making him a very intriguing power-forward prospect. 

Out of all of the international prospects, Garuba may be the most NBA-ready in terms of making an impact on the court. He may not be the most athletic guy and may not possess the scoring ability to make an impact like Luka Doncic did, but Usman Garuba has made a name for himself being a high-energy guy on the defensive-end of the floor. 

He can guard pretty much any position and his length gives him the edge of smaller opponents who keep the ball in front of them. Garuba is a threat to intercept virtually any pass and is a very smart defender in terms of positioning. 

Usman Garuba always finds himself in the right spot defensively, which results in him forcing a lot of turnovers from his opponents. Offensively, you are going to get a lot of dunks and layups on the interior from him, but Garuba has made strides as a mid-range shooter over the years. 

Now, Grizzlies fans are going to roll their eyes at this, but Memphis could realistically target Usman Garuba as their next version of Zach Randolph. The 19-year-old forward is not close to being a guy like “Z-Bo” yet, but given his size and his presence defensively, the Grizzlies could absolutely look to throw him in a role like Randolph held in Memphis for eight seasons. 

READ MORE: 2021 NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Who improved their stock most during the combine?

At 17th overall, Memphis is going to be looking for a guy that can make an impact for them on the court, but they are in a unique situation because they already have a lot of young talents on their roster. 

Giving Garuba time to adjust to the NBA and get situated in his new position could really prove to be beneficial for his career outlook. Not to mention, with time, Usman Garuba could easily turn into a key starter or even a “sixth-man” type of forward for Memphis. 

If the Grizzlies are looking for depth in their frontcourt and looking for a guy who can defend at a high-level, then targeting Usman Garuba definitely makes sense for them. He has the size and basketball IQ to not only be a key player in this league for years to come, but be a factor for a playoff contending team.