A fluid 6'11" freshman with immense offensive versatility, Chris Cenac Jr. offers the Philadelphia 76ers a high-upside gamble as they hunt for a dynamic, floor-stretching partner to anchor their future.
CBS Sports' latest mock draft has Philadelphia taking Chris Cenac Jr., and the appeal is clear. He is a 6'11 freshman with long arms, athleticism, and offensive touch; his ceiling is one of the highest in the draft for a big man. He can stretch the floor and act as a lob threat; this is critical for a Sixers team that could use more help in the frontcourt.
The production was solid for a freshman. Cenac averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per game, while shooting 48.5% from the field. He also flashed real rebounding value early in the season, pulling down 23 rebounds in Houston’s first two games. This shows that Cenac isn't just a wing cosplaying as a center, as his ability on the glass can translate to the next level.
However, there are still some concerns that Cenac is a raw prospect. He was very inefficient in the field, sporting only a 54.6% true shooting percentage. This mark places him in the 19th percentile among qualified players.
He also does not protect the rim well at all; his 2.6% block percentage is among the lowest in all of college basketball. That is where the question about rim protection and defensive ability comes in. In the modern NBA, unless you are a truly elite offensive player, you need to be able to protect the rim at a decent level. Cenac would either need to be good enough offensively to justify the hole in his defense or improve his motor and defensive ability down low.
That rawness is also what makes the fit interesting. Philadelphia would not be drafting Cenac for immediate certainty. They would be drafting him for the possibility that, with time, he becomes a more complete two-way big man who can run the floor, finish lobs, and eventually offer more on defense than he does right now.
The Sixers clearly need help up front, and Cenac is the kind of bet a team makes when it believes the upside is worth the patience, if the bet pays off, then Cenac could be a running mate for Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe in the next era of 76ers basketball.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at dixonwesley286@gmail.com.