With the 4th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Tristan Thompson, a forward from Texas.
Surprised by this pick? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
After Enes Kanter went 3rd overall to the Jazz, the popular belief was that the Cavs would select Jonas Valanciunas as the 4th pick. Few, if any, predicted Thompson would be selected, but Dan Gilbert is no stranger to stirring up controversy.
For a full feature/interview of Thompson from the NBA draft Combine go here.
For a full scouting report on Thompson go here
However, though Thompson was not the likeliest pick, in a weak draft class with few options decidedly better than the rest, the Cavs may have made a very wise decision. Valanciunas has yet to get out of his contract abroad, and would not see the court in the NBA for over a year. This may have dissuaded the Cavs from the pick, but Thompson may have played his way into the top four.
Make no mistake, Thompson is a strong player. The Big 12 freshman of the year in 2010/2011, Thompson stands at 6’8”, 225 pounds, very similar size to Derrick Williams. He averaged 13.1 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in his only season as a Longhorn. Thompson uses his size well, and grabbed nearly 4 offensive rebounds a game for Texas. His strength on the offensive glass may prove to be his biggest asset to the Cavs.
Thompson’s future with the Cavs is uncertain, as trade murmurs have already begun. However, a trade seems fairly unlikely. There aren’t many players the Cavs could trade for, and Thompson likely has less trade value than other players in the draft such as Valanciunas or perhaps even a second guard.
To top it off, Thompson was a late add to a training session for the Cavs that involved Derrick Williams and Enes Kanter. The Cavs passed on Williams, and it is uncertain whether they would have selected Kanter over Thompson.
Either way, Thompson clearly showed the Cavs something special in that training that led to him moving up significantly and unexpectedly to the 4th pick in the draft. He has the size and potential to be a solid NBA player. In a weak draft class, few can criticize the Cavs for taking a risk with this pick. And if Thompson pans out as a strong player, Dan Gilbert and the Cavaliers organization deserve all the credit in the world.
And Tristan Thompson no doubt capitalized from some of the top prospects in college basketball returning to school.
-Jamie Arkin