Getty Tariq Owens of Texas Tech, who is a fringe NBA draft prospect.
After starting at Tennessee before bouncing to St. John’s and then finishing up at Texas Tech, Tariq Owens finally finds himself in an NCAA tournament in his last year of eligibility. With NBA ready size paired with great athleticism and instincts, it isn’t a surprise that the senior finds his name surfacing in NBA mock draft conversations.
Adding to his NBA draft stock, Owens shows signs of becoming a competent stretch big option. Although he hasn’t shot well from deep this season, he looks to have solid form and is a very good free throw shooter for his size, hitting 79.5% of his free throws. Free throws are a fantastic indicator of success at the next level as a shooter from deep and Owens seems to show signs of both the ability to improve on that front and the stats to back it up.
Tariq Owens NBA Draft Profile: Latest Mocks & Projections
Despite possessing a tantalizing upside, the biggest knock on Owens is the fact that he is still a raw prospect as a college senior. Owens excels at scoring but in very limited sets and his offensive deficiencies have him falling outside of NBA mock drafts.
As a result, Owens is likely to get a crack with a team in the NBA Summer League and will need to show that he can pair a competent offensive upside to go alongside with his elite rim protection skills.
Standing 6’10” weighing in at 205 pounds the Texas Tech big man is deceptively strong and incredibly athletic. A high motor big man that is able to impact the game on both ends of the floor without having the ball in his hands, Owens fits the mold of the modern NBA big man. Owens is a player that would likely benefit greatly from some time in the G-League so expect him to be a candidate for a two-way contract considering his rim protection skills can contribute at the NBA level right away.
Tariq Owens NBA Player Comparison
Tariq Owens profiles fairly similarly to Nerlens Noel in terms of the skills they bring to the table. First and foremost, both players are defensive minded and look to block or contest anything they are remotely close to. Despite both lack true center size, they are adept at playing either the four or five allowing for increased lineup flexibility.
The biggest difference here is that Nerlens Noel is more or less terrified of the three-point line while Owens is much more comfortable stepping back and knocking down a shot. While he lacks effectiveness from deep so far, he does project to evolve into a better shooter from deep at the NBA level. That said, Noel was likely the better defensive player when comparing college careers, though that isn’t to disparage Owens but more so to emphasize just how good Nerlens was in college.
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