Getty Matt Haarms of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrates after defeating Tennessee Volunteers.
Standing a towering 7’3″, Matt Haarms is one of the most imposing physical specimens on the basketball court in college basketball. After breaking out as a freshman in 2018’s NCAA tournament playing behind Isaac Haas, Haarms has assumed a large role since his graduation and has become the steadying force down low for the Boilermakers.
Haas took until his senior year to truly develop as a scorer and shot blocker and Haarms actually looks to be a more polished product in his second season comparatively. Haarms has also continued his NCAA tournament hot streak as he has yet to score in single digits so far while snatching up an average of 6.3 rebounds per game, almost a full rebound more than his regular season average.
What he lacks in raw athleticism, Haarms makes up for with a high basketball IQ. He uses his length exceptionally well around the basket on both ends and is an extremely efficient finisher to go along with being a prolific rim protector.
Matt Haarms NBA Draft Profile: Latest Mocks & Projections
Despite turning heads on college basketball’s biggest stage in consecutive years, Matt Haarms doesn’t yet find himself ranked on any 2019, 2020, or 2021 NBA mock draft. Haarms has the sheer size alone to where an NBA team will take a flier on him even if he never lives up to his fullest potential in college. 7’3″ centers don’t grow on trees and Haarms has shown enough as a shot blocker to at least earn a shot in the Summer League and eventually on a G-League squad.
However, Haarms has the potential to far exceed his current undrafted expectations by continuing to improve his play at the same rate he has been. Showing improvement across the board in every major statistical category (except blocks), Haarms looks to be a slow developing product that could have an incredibly high ceiling given his enormous frame.
Matt Haarms NBA Player Comparison
At the next level, Matt Haarms looks to project as a player similar to Boban Marjonovic. The obvious connection of height aside, the two players offer a relatively similar skill set. The one major difference between the two is the fact that while Boban is heavier and stronger, Haarms is a bit quicker and more athletic on his feet.
The difference in weight is what shapes the differences in their game as Boban is more comfortable putting his back to the basket and going to work against whatever poor soul gets the task of guarding him. Compare that to Haarms, who plays with a bit more finesse around the rim and is actually a more serviceable shot blocker given his better mobility.
Outside of that, both Haarms and Marjonovic are excellent finishers around the rim and do so at a very effective percentage. Both are great at sending back shots but limited a bit in terms of the ground they can cover on defense. Boban took a few years to develop at the NBA level and gain the proper frame necessary to bully grown 7-footers in the paint and it is likely we see Haarms follow a similar career path as well.
Most importantly, both are players who thrive on playing with very high energy and provides a noticeable jolt to the lineup when they start making plays. Haarms will never be as heavy or strong as Boban but his crafty game and high IQ could allow him to become an incredibly unique (and serviceable) player for his size.