At the 2012 NBA draft combine, John Henson weighed just 216 pounds. For reference, the 6-foot-4 Dwyane Wade is listed at 220 pounds.
Obviously, there were plenty of questions whether the 6-foot-11 Henson had the bulk to play inside in the NBA.
Henson’s game dictated he should, at least. His shot-blocking at North Carolina was exceptional, and he wasn’t much of a ball-handler. But at least a few people thought he couldn’t hack it as a professional power forward.
Turns out, Henson might be ready to move in deeper into the paint.
Gery Woelfel of The (Racine) Journal Times:
Based on what I'm hearing, that weight and strength John Henson added should pay off as the Bucks opening-game starting center.
— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) August 26, 2014
The positional revolution is already upon us, and Bucks coach Jason Kidd is taking it to the next level.
Coaching the Nets last season, Kidd went small following Brook Lopez’s injury. The results were positive, perhaps giving Kidd his niche – a coach who’s unafraid to tinker with weird lineups.
He already plans to play Giannis Antetokounmpo at point guard – not point forward – and Henson at center is another funky twist. The Bucks might not be good, but it should be fun to watch Kidd experiment with mismatches.
As fun as Milwaukee’s lineups could be, there is a downside to this news. If Henson starts at center, Larry Sanders, who finished serving his suspension last season, wouldn’t. Not long ago, Sanders was one of the game’s more electric big men, but attitude issues have derailed his career.
So, maybe Kidd plans to start Henson at center out of necessity. But that was also Kidd’s reason for altering Brooklyn’s lineup, and that turned out pretty well.