Remember when the Celtics bought a 2nd round pick last year and used it on a 7 footer named Colton Iverson? He played with the team's Summer League squad but then wasn't signed to a contract so he went to play in Turkey for the year.
He's only playing 17 minutes a game and averaging 6.5 pts and 5.6 rebounds and recently Austin Ainge paid him a visit.
"Colton is a physical, hard-nosed, rebounder/defender," Ainge said in a phone interview Saturday. "That's his game and that's what we love about him. He instigates physical play. No one likes to play against Colton. He sets a mean screen. He's a really nice kid, but he walks by you and he hurts you - that's how strong he is."
Ainge went on to say that Iverson is "not a super-skilled player" but he's physical, makes hard contact, sets great screens, and has a "nice jump hook." He's even working on fouling less. So there's that.
All in all, he doesn't sound much like a diamond in the rough. More like a roughneck in the paint. But that could be useful if he continues to improve - especially if he can play good enough defense to be on the court when he's needed. Kendrick Perkins and others have made a nice living in the U.S. by focusing on defense and setting mean screens. And as a second rounder, he'll likely be available for cheap next year.
At the very least, he'll be an interesting person to watch in the Summer League this July. Hope he does well. I'm a sucker for big brutes.