Brazilian Giant To NBA? 7-Foot Lucas Nogueira Declares For Draft
Brazilian giant Lucas Nogueira has declared for the NBA draft. The 7-foot center from Rio de Janeiro is widely considered to be a potential first-round pick.
The 20-year-old’s decision to enter June’s draft was confirmed by sources close to Yahoo! Sports.
Nogueira boasts a 7-foot-6 wingspan, and is reportedly a favorite of several NBA executives. This is the second time the Brazilian giant has entered the NBA draft – he first threw his name in the ring in 2011 but withdrew before the deadline.
The rules forbid a player from withdrawing a second time, so he’ll definitely be available this year.
Nogueira first came to the NBA’s attention with powerful performances at the under-18 FIBA championships in San Antonio in 2011. Since then, he has plied his trade for Estudiantes in the elite Spanish ACB League this season. Yahoo! notes that his athleticism and offensive abilities have both improved dramatically since his emergence in San Antonio.
At exactly 7 foot, Nogueira will become one of the NBA’s tallest players if selected in June. However, he’s still three inches shorter than Oklahoma City Thunder center Hasheem Thabeet, who is also the tallest active player in the NBA.
The tallest player in NBA history remains former Nets center Romanian Gheorghe Mure?an. Mure?an, who retired in 2000, clocked in at a whopping 7-foot-7.
As for Nogueira, DraftExpress.com places him as the fourth-best international prospect in his age group. He lies in 29th place overall.
Would you like to see your team pick up this Brazilian giant? You can see come clips of Nogueira in action below:
