John Henson: 2013 Milwaukee Bucks Player Profile

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With the 14th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks selected John Henson out of North Carolina. A 6-foot-11, 220-pound Power Forward/Center, Henson was a 2-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year thanks to his 7-foot-6 wingspan. He entered the draft after averaging 13.7 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game in his junior season. He was also named to the All ACC First-Team for his stellar junior campaign.

Even though Henson is a natural righty, his best scoring move is a left-handed hook shot in the post. He will always be a very good transition player due to his extreme length and athleticism. His biggest contribution will be on the defensive side of the ball. He is a natural shot blocker and is a well above average perimeter defender. He has elite balance and coordination for someone as long as he is which allows him to switch to guards and defend pick and rolls. Henson is also a great rebounder and will be able to attack the offensive glass to get easy points.

His biggest liabilities are his lack of a shooting touch and his slight frame. He is a very bad free-throw shooter and is very inconsistent outside of the paint. He has a lot of the same characteristics as DeAndre Jordan, except Jordan has been able to bulk up to 265 pounds, which has enabled him to cover physical centers and out run them down the court. Chances are Henson will never reach 265, but if he can bulk up to 240, he has a chance to be a starting Center in the NBA.

In his rookie year, Henson averaged 6.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in only 13.1 minutes per game. On April 10, 2013, Henson had the best game of his rookie season, recording 17 points, 25 rebounds and 7 blocks against the Orlando Magic. He is buried on the depth chart behind Larry Sanders, who just inked a four-year extension to stay with Milwaukee. They are two very similar players who cannot play on the court together due to their lack of outside shooting.

I expect Henson to be a pivotal bench player this upcoming season, providing energy and giving Milwaukee a rim protector on the court all 48 minutes. The best thing for Henson would be for Milwaukee to trade him to a team that needs a young shot blocking Center so that he can continue to grow as an NBA player.