NBA Draft Profile: Andrew Nicholson

Andrew Nicholson – PF – 6'10, 234lbs.
St. Bonaventure

As the only Canadian with first-round talent, a lot of eyes north of the border will be on Andrew Nicholson. The power forward burst onto the national stage during this year’s A-10 tournament. He put up a massive stat line of 26 pts, 14 rebounds and eight blocks against Xavier in the championship game, launching the Bonnies into the NCAA tournament.

Nicholson is ready to step into an NBA lineup and be productive. He can stretch defences with his ability to knock down threes (43.4%), a skill that he greatly improved from his first two years when he didn’t attempt a three-pointer. Despite the long distance shooting, Nicholson was able to be very efficient from the field. In four years at St. Bonaventure, his field goal percentage never dropped below 56 per cent. This was a result of his silky smooth hook shot and crafty face-up game, as much as his deadly jump-shot. His 7'4 wingspan will be a tremendous asset to him in the NBA for rebounding and shot-blocking.

The downside of such a polished prospect like Nicholson, is that his ceiling may not be much higher than his current level of play. If that anxiety is put to rest, Nicholson should become a productive piece of a starting lineup for years to come.

ESPN's draft guru, Chad Ford, is very high on Nicholson, writing “It's pretty rare that a guy who won Defensive Player of the Year in his conference is drawing raves for his offensive performance on the court.”