The measurements are out on the players attending the NBA draft combine in Chicago and you can bet Joe Dumars and his staff will take note of the numbers pertaining to the big men under consideration with the No. 7 pick.
Here’s a breakdown of the most likely big men to be considered with the No. 7 pick:
Whiteside’s wingspan is huge as expected - he calls to mind Marcus Camby - but his hands are relatively small and he’s very light, with very narrow shoulders. He’s the tallest in shoes by a half-inch over Monroe and a quarter-inch over Aldrich. Davis has the smallest wingspan, Udoh the smallest standing reach. None of the numbers appear so far out of range as to separate or disqualify anyone.
Among second-round big men possibilities, Texas’ Dexter Pittman has some intriguing numbers. He’s 6-9.5 without shoes but 6-11.5 in shoes and weights 302 pounds with by far the highest body fat percentage at 20.8. But if he gets himself in shape, his 7-6 wingspan and enormous hands – 10.3 length, 10.5 width – speak to his potential. It’s why he’s being talked about in the late first round now. Tragically, Pittman had to leave the combine when his 16-year-old brother was shot and killed Thursday in a dispute in his native Houston.
Another outsized prospect generating some late first-round buzz, Oklahoma’s Tiny Gallon, weighed 302 with 15.1 percent body fat. Gallon told reporters he made about 19 of 25 3-point shots during Thursday’s workout.
Kentucky’s Daniel Orton, who played sparingly behind DeMarcus Cousins but is considered a likely lottery pick who could push his way into the mix even at No. 7, was just 6-8.75 without shoes and 6-9.5 in shoes, but his wingspan and standing reach were excellent – 7-4.25 and 9-2.5.
Craig Brackins, a possibility for the Pistons at 36 if he slips that far, had perhaps the biggest hands with a 9.5 length and a whopping 11.3 width.
We’ll have much more from the Chicago draft combine in the days and weeks ahead, including our series of draft profiles that will start next week on Pistons.com.