The hardest position to fill in today’s NBA is an athletic physical center who can defend the paint, collect boards, and still be enough of a threat that your team is not playing four on five on the offensive end of the floor.

The Fresno State sophomore center Greg Smith could be the guy a lot of NBA teams need.

"This is a perfect year because I am a physical guy," said Smith.  "Being a center, you have to be physical, and I see that there is not a lot of physical centers in this draft so I thought it was my time to come out and I should be one of the top centers out there.

"There are a lot of teams that I think I could play for.  All 30 teams could use a guy like me who is physical down low and going to play defense and rebound.  I think that I am a fit for a lot of teams that run and gun or play half-court offense.  I am a smart player and have a good I.Q. so either system is good for me."

At the NBA Draft Combine, Smith’s listed college height of 6′ 10" was confirmed and his 7′ 3" wing span compensates for any disadvantage against true seven-foot centers.  His 251 lbs is solid at only 6.4 percent body fat and he is athletic as well with a 35.5" maximum vertical that allowed him to reach up to 11′ 11" high.  Perhaps his most unusual natural feature is his massive hands that measured 11.25" long.  With the biggest hands in the draft, Smith can legitimately palm a basketball pass.  For comparison, the top-ranked center Enes Kanter has hands that are 9.5" long.

Smith entered his sophomore college season as a player to watch but he disappointed as someone who ran hot and cold despite his obvious physical advantages.  A significant improvement in defensive rebounding was offset by no improvement in scoring or blocks as Smith was actually less involved in Fresno’s offense than he was in his freshman campaign.

As a result, Smith has been projected as an uncertain second-round pick, but that is not how Smith sees himself.

"I am far away (from 4 months ago)," said Smith.  "I am a whole different player.  My whole game (is different), my explosiveness, my quickness.  If you looked at me (before) you wouldn’t even be able to tell that I am the same person.  After four months you would say who is this kid, he is just a different player.

"(You can see the change) in my passion, in my eyes and how I play.  See how I work.  See how I am just taking positions over and that I am not lagging.  When they see how hard I work and how big my eyes are and how tough my game is and that I am going for it, they will see that it is about winning and I am going for it."

{AUTHOR_BOX}In May at Joe Abunassar’s Impact Basketball and the NBA Draft Combine Smith impressed with his size and strength, and he continues to show improvement on his post moves, although outside shooting and free throws have a long way to go.

"It went real well," said Smith at the Combine.  "I ran the floor hard, I gave my all. I came out of the workout dripping sweat and showing all the scouts that I can last the whole game.  That I can go hard at the hardest position and never stop.

"When they watch me (now) they see the present, especially how I run the floor, how I finish, and how I don’t stop.  (They’ll say) this guy is consistent, he keeps going and going and going.  This is what I am going to have to do."

In a league where centers have become finesse players that can nail the three-ball, Smith brings a more traditional aspect to the role.

"Physical, get to the front of the rim, be a beast, be a force down low," Smith described himself.  "Try to score down low, show post moves, and show that I am willing to do whatever it takes."

Smith is correct that almost every NBA team would like to draft a big physical center to develop into a post presence, but after being inconsistent at Fresno State, he will have his work cut out for him to move up in the draft.  If he can convince a NBA general manager that his motor has been turned on and it is going to stay on, Smith is going to attract increased attention as we get closer to the draft.  If Smith’s motor stays on after the draft and he continues to work hard at his craft, one NBA team could have a second-round steal on their hands.

Send me your comments or questions about Greg Smith, the NBA draft, the Toronto Raptors, or anything else in the NBA to my weekly NBA chat  and check back on Thursday at noon ET for a response.