NBA Comparison: PJ Brown

Strengths: A true 7 footer with a long build, Zeller has solid height for an NBA C prospect … Added in with his size, Zeller is also a fluid athlete, and is certainly mobile showing some leaping skills, particularly with a head of steam … Runs the floor as well as any C prospect out there, and has a high level of speed for a guy his size … Offensively, Zeller demonstrates the ability to play well down low and already has a right-hand jump hook in his arsenal that he utilizes as a go-to move … Although he only sporadically shows it in UNC’s system, he also has a potentially strong jump shot with 18 foot range when facing the basket … Pretty solid FT shooter for a big man (76% as a Jr.) … Could be a versatile factor in the picking game, as his promising jumper will make him a threat to pop, and his speed and leaping skills will allow him to be an ideal guy to roll to the rim and finish … Shows a soft touch … Possesses all the tools to fare well in an up-tempo style, and has demonstrated that with his production on a fast-paced team like UNC … Will use his quick leaping skills and reflexes to be a strong presence on the offensive glass for 2nd chance opportunities … Not many C prospects have his combination of size, run-jump athleticism, and offensive tools … Has pretty good shot-blocking skills too … Seems to have some untapped potential despite being a Sr …

Weaknesses: Even though Zeller has good height for the C spot, he certainly doesn’t have very good strength …When he faces strong big men down low, they can easily seal and establish position on him for pretty easy shots … He’s also not the toughest guy down low, and struggles with defensive rebounding and physical play inside on both ends … Has a high center of gravity, and can be pushed out of the post by defenders with leverage … Although he has most of his upside on the offensive end, he’s still a bit raw in his feel for the D and will force shots when kick outs are available … Doesn’t react to double teams very well … Not a particularly selfish player, but Zeller rarely looks to pass the ball back out … Should look to add some left handed moves to his arsenal, as his jump hook is his only truly noteworthy move in the paint … He also should work on being less mechanical in his approach, as he can be turnover prone or get caught in awkward situations at times in the half-court offense … Although his jumper is promising, he’s going to need repetition with it as it hasn’t been utilized a lot during his UNC career …

Overall: Zeller has the prototypical height, length, run-jump athleticism, and touch of a good C prospect … He also has developing skills offensively as a post and face-up shooter … He will be a good fit in a fast-paced offense  … Zeller needs more strength and to play tougher, right now he can be bullied on both ends by physical play in half-court situations … Still, he’s likely a first round draft choice next year and he will be a very key clog in the national frontrunner UNC’s chase for a title …

Jorrye Nixon 8/16/11