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Name: Zeke Marshall
Age: 22
Height: 7-foot
Position: Center
School/Country: Akron
Latest Stats: 13.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.7 bpg
Zeke Marshall‘s four year career at Akron has come to a close and the good news is that it did end in the NCAA Tournament. There’s no replacing Marshall at Akron, but the 7-foot NBA prospect is onto the next endeavor in his life. That of course being the 2013 NBA Draft, where Marshall is hoping that his name will be called on that final Thursday in June. Marshall is fresh off his best season at Akron, having averaged 13.0 points, 7.0 rebound and 3.7 blocks per game. As his defensive numbers indicate, Marshall is a handful inside and his ability to protect the rim, block shots and simply keep the paint clear at times virtually speaks for itself.
A legitimate 7-footer with great size inside is certainly going to attract the attention of NBA scouts, but will it be enough to warrant a late second round draft choice? Marshall could hear his name called within the latter portion of that final round, but he will have to impress in pre-draft workouts.
Strengths: Marshall has unteachable size, standing at 7-feet and weighing in at 235 lbs. A defensive specialists, Marshall is a force inside on that end of the floor. He averaged 3.7 blocks per game this past season and totaled 368 in his four year career. Marshall is playing his best basketball right now, coming off a career season for the Zips.
Weaknesses: Marshall could use some more work on his offensive game, especially in terms of his face-up game. If Marshall had been more dominant in the MAC, his draft stock would probably be a lot higher, so how much stock do NBA scouts put into 13 points and eight rebounds per game in a prospect from Akron? Marshall would need to find the right niche and rotation if he’s only going to be relied upon as a defensive and shot-blocking specialist.
Draft Projection: Late Second Round to Undrafted
Follow Paul Seaver on Twitter: @PaulSeaverRS
