Player to Watch: Roy Hibbert

FanHouse previews a player to watch from each NBA team in advance of the 2009-10 season.

Seven feet, two inches. Two hundred and seventy eight pounds. Only 23 years of age. Size, agility, athleticism, post moves and tremendous upside. Not Greg Oden. Not Andrew Bynum.

His name is Roy Hibbert, and if he finds the right track, lock up your pivots, lock up your wives, lock up your post defense and run for your lives. If he can't, he's doomed to "obligatory tall guy that never panned out" status. It's a thin ledge for the big fella.

For a team as underwhelming as the Pacers were last year (save the occasional Danny Granger "Oh, Holy God" game), they have so many bright spots. Mike Dunleavy Jr. can be a capable all-around foundation player. Granger is next, in so many contexts. You can do worse than T.J. Ford at point. Brandon Rush, lots of potential. Tyler Hansbrough ... makes nice commercials.

But Hibbert represents an entirely different set of potential. A franchise center has become impossible to find. Emeka Okafor is considered a top-10 center and he was trade bait this year. Not only that, but Hibbert has produced when on the floor: 17.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks per 36 minutes. If only he could stay on the floor for that long.

Hibbert's also averaging 7.7 fouls per 36. Essentially, the guy's defense bears a striking resemblance to Godzilla knocking down a building. He can't stay on the floor, and that same problem has already popped up in the preseason. A terrific player who can't actually stay on the floor is not as good as a less talented player who can take up minutes.

But if Hibbert can get some more control over that frame, it's a frame that can compete with anyone. What's more, Hibbert has an honest-to-God set of post moves. His rebounding style is a little awkward, but that's made up for by the fact that he's friggin' huge. Best of all, Hibbert comes without the complimentary severe leg injury that so many franchise centers come with. You can't teach size, but you also can't undo knee surgery. Not that you can't come back and dominate afterward, but not having had those problems is a plus.

Hibbert's holes aren't a pandemic, I should note. He has a good grasp on spacing and displays great touch with the ball. With Granger as the brightest point and a developing roster, Hibbert could blossom if placed in the right head space. But he'll have to meet the coaching staff halfway. With Solomon Jones on the club, the Pacers won't hold his starting position and minutes naturally. He'll have to earn his spot, and he'll need to find it in the context of the offense. The last thing the Pacers need is a high usage center trying to assert himself while Granger sits idly by. Hibbert not only has to assert himself, he's got to do it in a way that isn't too forceful. Just so long as we're not making this too complicated.