Golden State Warriors associate head coach Mike Brown, who is currently serving as the head coach of the Nigeria men’s national basketball team, recently gave some props to young Miami Heat forward Precious Achiuwa.
Achiuwa is part of the Nigeria national team with Brown, and the club is coming off of a massive upset over Team USA in an exhibition game.
“He is extremely important to this program,” Brown said. “There is no ceiling to how good he can be.
“As a young guy, you see the talent, you see the determination, you see the intelligence, you see the physical and mental toughness, you see the athleticism, the length, the quickness. You see all those things, and when he puts them all together, he is a dynamite on the floor, even as a young guy.
“It’s just a matter of him understanding how he can utilize all those attributes every single second he is on the floor. He is still learning and that is why I say he is not even close to touching his ceiling.
“And once he completely figures it out, it’s a wrap for anybody that is in front of him because he is that dynamic on the court.”
Achiuwa made waves across social media with his impressive block of Kevin Durant during the exhibition game. He finished with three points and seven rebounds in the contest, and Nigeria walked away with a 90-87 win.
The former first-round pick didn’t make a huge impact during his rookie season with the Heat, but he did show flashes of potential. Over 61 games, he averaged 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He is surely hoping to see an increased role going forward.
During his lone season at the University of Memphis, Achiuwa averaged 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. His 6-foot-8 frame gives him a very high ceiling, and Heat fans are certainly hoping he’s able to tap into some of his potential in the near future.
