As a sophomore with the University of Georgia Bulldogs, Nicolas Claxton made a remarkable leap. He ultimately transformed himself from a forgettable role player into the team’s centerpiece. In 32 contests, he averaged 13.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks. The latter two marks were third and first in the SEC, respectively. Such dramatic improvement proved Claxton could be an NBA player sooner than later. He made the case to be a late first-round pick, and it’s surprising he stayed on the board as long as he did.
The Bulldogs were the SEC’s second-worst team this past season.