AN OLD-FASHIONED big man who offers plenty of production coming from his elite post moves and a great inside scoring game, Thomas Sorber can add to an NBA frontcourt when the Draft takes place in a couple of months.

An excellent paint scorer who can find the bottom of the net with a large array of post moves, Sorber also brings a rock-solid physical frame that will allow plenty of separation for his teammates from their immediate defenders.

Although he does have areas of his game to work on in his perimeter defence, quickness and finishing out of pick and rolls (he made just 50 per cent of shots from this), there is plenty of upside in his shooting and passing for his position.

For the Georgetown Hoyas in the NCAA this season, Sorber averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game on 53.2 per cent shooting in an extremely productive campaign.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will run through some of the clearest comparisons to already established NBA talents, with Sorber looking similar to other old-fashioned big men who have forged a solid career in the league.

Jonas Valanciunas – Sacramento Kings

One of the most reliable centers of the modern era, Valanciunas has been a solid contributor for several teams in the NBA, and continues to play an important role for the Kings off the bench. He was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors, and was named to the All-Rookie Second Team. Since then, he has played for the Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards and finally the Kings, bringing physicality and offensive production to all of those clubs. Despite being 32 years of age, he is still averaging double-digits in the points column, and looks far from over at NBA level. Like Sorber, Valanciunas has a solid physical profile, and can find the bottom of the net in the paint from the craftiest of post moves, and the youngster will be hopeful that his perimeter shooting can develop just as well, with the Lithuanian veteran shooting 34 per cent from behind the arc, which is impressive given his position.

Wendell Carter Jr. – Orlando Magic

A once-highly touted draft pick who has still found a role on a playoff team, Carter Jr. may not have reached the lofty heights many expected, but he has still proven to be a rock solid player at NBA level. The former Duke product was acquired with the seventh overall selection of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, but could not quite find his feet throughout his three-year tenure with the team. However, a trade to the Magic was just what the doctor ordered, with Carter Jr. cementing his place within the starting lineup and proving a consistent two-way threat on a rising Orlando roster, even averaging 15.2 points per game in the 2022/23 season. An excellent inside scorer, rebounder and improved shooter, there are plenty of shades of Carter Jr. in Sorber’s game, and the latter will be looking to become just as integral when he reaches the NBA.

Jusuf Nurkic – Charlotte Hornets

Another former first round draft pick who has been a key piece on several contending sides, Nurkic is still starting for the Hornets and providing a valuable veteran presence. Having joined the Denver Nuggets via trade on draft nights after the Chicago Bulls picked him with the 16th pick in 2014, he developed nicely over his first three seasons with the team, but it was his move to the Portland Trail Blazers that saw Nurkic become a solidified starter and consistent contributor in the frontcourt. Since that move, he has averaged 10-plus points in all but one of his past nine seasons and nine-plus rebounds in all of those campaigns, and also put together impressive stints with the Phoenix Suns and now the Hornets. Like Sorber, he plays with the gamestyle of an era gone by, and has an excellent post hook and footwork, which should be encouraging for the youngster, showing that he can still produce on the offensive front while he works on other facets of his game.