No real surprise here — it was almost a surprise he went back for his sophomore year — but Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger is declaring for the NBA draft, reports ESPN.
The team will make a formal announcement Wednesday afternoon.
Sullinger is a lock top-10, maybe top 5 pick in the draft (DraftExpress currently has him No. 6). He played the five in college but is an old-school, back-to-the-basket four in the NBA (although he has range and shot 42 percent on threes last season). He has great footwork and strength around the basket and a solid fundamental game with fantastic hands and touch. He’s not an explosive athlete — he does not play above the rim — but he can get a shot and finish with a variety of moves.
Because he’s not wildly athletic some teams will balk and pass on him, but those are probably the same teams that would have passed on Kevin Love for the same reasons. Not that Sullinger is or will be at the level of Love, but to think a guy can’t be effective inside below the rim in the NBA is a mistake.
