2022 NBA Draft Breakdown - Michael Foster Jr.
The G League Ignite's most underrated draft prospect.
Standing at 6-foot-8 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, Michael Foster Jr. of the G League Ignite is the class’s most underrated player this year. Having averaged 14.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, two assists and three stocks per game, Foster is a player that still may go undrafted this year, but with his combination of age, athleticism and ability to be everywhere on the court, he should be in heavy consideration for the second round.
Foster cleans up everything at and around the rim, getting offensive boards easily with his long wingspan and his 250-pound frame makes him almost impossible to move out of the way. The same can be said about him offensively, where he uses that length and size to bully players but also get out fast in transition with huge strides. He’s a tantalizing player to watch because you can feel his presence everywhere on the court. Foster can truly get out on the fastbreak after rebounding the ball and that makes him a fearsome offensive big.
The Ignite product’s foul rate and assist numbers suggest some potential offensive upside in that realm of his game as well. Foster is known for making quick decisions, such as when to pump fake under the basket to draw fouls, or getting a pass off to a teammate. It’s a fascinating skillset for the big to boast, considering the fact that the Ignite didn’t have much spacing and having better shooting around him could make for some great basketball featuring Foster as a facilitator.
Foster isn’t a great shooter at this stage of his career but his mid-range game and free-throw shooting indicate that there may be some untapped potential in that regard. If he can’t develop a three-point shot, Foster is probably limited to a bench role at best.
Despite his great blocking numbers, Foster isn’t a defensive rim threat at this stage of his career. He gets fooled far too often which is interesting considering how smart he is on the offensive side of the ball and he’s too slow to defend quicker post players. There are several clips of Foster not going up to contest a shot (or getting beaten on the inside) and him getting jammed on.
Still, I think Foster is worth taking a gamble on in the second round for his elite physical tools and potential to be a two-way forward threat, akin to Isaiah Todd last year. I also tend to be higher on G League prospects with good tools that may have struggled with efficiency due to the level of competition they face.