With the 48th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the LA Clippers have selected Florida State swingman Terance Mann, teammate of Mfiondu Kabengele.
The LA Clippers appear to have had a focus on the Florida State Seminoles tonight, as both Mfiondu Kabengele and the newly-selected Terance Mann are products of the university.
LA traded up for the former, giving up the 2020 first round pick they received from the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the Tobias Harris trade, in addition to the 56th overall pick in this year’s draft. Kabengele projects as a forward-center with both rim protecting and floor-stretching ability, though it make time some time for him to bring his skills up to NBA level.
Mann, the latter, is a 6’6″ swingman capable of playing and defending multiple positions, at least at the college level. His style of play and strengths fit in well with what the LA Clippers have going on, given his two-way potential and high basketball IQ.
In his final season at Florida State, Mann posted averages of 11.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 31.7 minutes per game. He also connected on 39.0 percent of his three-point attempts this past season, something he will surely look to capitalize on as he potentially makes his move to the NBA.
The Ringer’s latest mock draft notes Mann as being a “high-character” athlete, who makes a difference in his community and loves basketball.
Mann will be 23 years old by the time the 2019-2020 NBA season begins, so questioning his upside seems fair, but his strengths will likely carry well into the big leagues. With the ability to defend multiple positions, he’s exactly the kind of versatile player that these Clippers seem to love so much.
Mann likely won’t be an elite defender in the NBA, but he’s smart, tough and very gritty. His 6.5 rebounds per game are also an impressive mark considering the position he played during his four years at Florida State. He’s got plenty of determination as well, and it sounds a bit like he’s got a little Patrick Beverley in him. Big time chip on his shoulder.
As a second round selection, Mann’s contract will not be guaranteed, so there’s no guarantee that he shows up on the floor for the Clippers next season. But assuming he does, he’ll likely slide into LA’s third unit and maintain a similar role that Tyrone Wallace has had over the last few seasons.
Considering his two-way upside, the LA Clippers likely made a smart move here in selecting Terance Mann.