NBA Draft 2018 Prospect Watch: Keita Bates-Diop
After a strong redshirt junior season this year with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Keita Bates-Diop has officially declared for the 2018 NBA Draft. With that, we break down what he has to offer and his prospects on the NBA level.
Following a breakout redshirt junior season, one that ended with him being named Big Ten Player of the Year, Keita Bates-Diop is moving on from Columbus and making the jump to the NBA, having officially declared for the 2018 NBA Draft.
It’s quite the turnaround for the 22-year-old, especially after enduring an injury-ravaged campaign that forced Bates-Diop to medically redshirt midway through the 2016-17 season after appearing in just the first nine games of the year before suffering a stress fracture in his left leg.
But it has truly been a long time coming for the Illinois native, who really put himself on the NBA radar with everything he accomplished this season, whether through his own individual accolades or his team’s success.
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Under Chris Holtmann, who jumped from Butler University over the summer to helm the Buckeyes’ program, Bates-Diop rose to become the main focal point, sparking the Buckeyes to a 25-9 record.
In 34 appearances with Ohio State this season, Bates-Diop finished with 19.8 points on shooting splits of .480/.359/.794, along with 8.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.
As much of a turnaround as the Buckeyes experienced from the previous year, their season was cut short after they fell to the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the second round of this year’s NCAA Tournament.
So without further ado, let’s break down Keita Bates-Diop’s game on both ends of the spectrum, see how draft experts currently rate him and evaluate his fit with the Milwaukee Bucks.