Jarrett Allen has been one of the pleasant surprises for the Brooklyn Nets this season. After being projected as a lottery pick going into his freshmen year at Texas, Allen fell short. He slipped to the 19th pick in the 2017 draft. After taking time to adjust to the speed of the game, Allen has played well as of late.
He’s posted 12.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game over the past five games and started two of them. Allen fits the mold of the modern-day NBA center: he’s athletic, can shoot, and can defend the rim. Given that he is only 19, Kenny Atkinson would be smart to allow him to continue to develop in the starting lineup.