Raptors NBA Draft options at 39th overall: Ryan Kalkbrenner
The following is part of Raptors Republic’s series of pieces previewing the 2025 NBA draft. You can find all the pieces in the series here.
“But Brendan, he’s not going to be available-” But reader, have you considered that I want to talk about him anyway?
Ryan Kalkbrenner -7’1 Big – Creighton University – Age: 23
The Offence
The archetype that Raptors fans have been craving for years, a big with a reliable three point shot! The volume is low, granted, due to Kalkbrenner’s heavy diet of post offence, and that’s still likely to continue in the NBA, but shooting from deep is already in Kalkbrenner’s bag and it’s something he can continue to work on. The stroke, while slow, is repeatable and clean, projecting an upward development for Kalkbrenner’s floor spacing ability (cough Brook Lopez cough).
The good news is he’s very effective in the post, and one of the most efficient bigs in Division 1 in general (on almost 12 attempts, over double that of Khaman Maluach who has slightly higher efficiency numbers). In fact, Kalkbrenner outright beats Maluach in rim efficiency despite much higher minutes, volume, and usage.
It’s one thing to be an effective post big, but Kalkbrenner has silky smooth hands and elite body control which allows him to either jam over opposing players or finish ambidextrously around the rim. Kalkbrenner ranks in the following finishing percentiles on Synergy:
98th percentile in transition,
90th percentile on post-ups,
86th percentile on putbacks,
83rd percentile as a roller.
He’s going to be an efficient play-finisher, no way around it.
Kalkbrenner can keep the ball moving and he’s smart with finding his teammates, but I’m less optimistic about his ability as a playmaking hub compared to say, Thomas Sorber, Derik Queen, or Michigan’s Danny Wolf. I think he’ll just be fine in that regard, nothing outstanding and he won’t burn you.
The Defence
4x Big East Defensive Player of the Year should speak to Kalkbrenner’s abilities.
If I can direct your attention to Kalkbrenner’s shot blocking (2.7 per game) and fouling (1.4 per game!!!!) numbers, you’ll see that not only is he one of the most lethal rim protectors in college basketball, he defends the basket with such discipline that he practically never fouls given how often he swats opposing shots away.
Kalkbrenner doesn’t move all that quickly. In fact he’s very slow. A team using him as a defensive anchor is going to want him married to the paint at all times. That said, if he is pulled away, his massive wingspan and defensive instincts can allow him to recover for a block if he gets blown by. Kalkbrenner’s hand speed is very different from his foot speed in this regard, and he’s no stranger to blocking shot attempts much farther outside the paint.
Kalkbrenner’s rebounding numbers are solid (at an 18.6% rate), though he will need to get stronger if he wants to rebound against the NBA’s best. There were times at Creighton where he was pushed out of position by stronger players who fought harder for boards.
The Fit
As a backup big on the Raptors I don’t believe there’s a cleaner fit in the class. Kalkbrenner comes into the league providing everything that a team wants from a rotational big man, and can be a real defensive anchor for the Raptors – he projects as one of the team’s most valuable defensive assets immediately. An efficient play finisher, Kalkbrenner allows the Raptors offensive options on the wings to look for his monstrous interior presence to finish plays if shots aren’t falling and gives them a reliable post option.
Is he a superstar diamond in the rough? No. But he works – and fits seamlessly.
The Conclusion
As an older prospect, it’s expected that Kalkbrenner will fall down draft boards due to a lack of perceived high ceiling. Despite that, his floor as a contributor on both ends of the court practically guarantees that he’ll stick around for a long time in the NBA… and those two-way abilities are super valuable.
Expected Pick Range: 25-40. There’s smoke that suggests Kalkbrenner’s range really starts with Boston at 28, but there is a reality where he’s in range of the Raptors’ 39th selection due to other players potentially falling.
Brendan’s Big Board: I’ve had Kalkbrenner graded as a firm first rounder in the past three classes, and that won’t change this year. I have Kalkbrenner in the 19-21 range on my big board as of this writing. One of my ideal drafts for Toronto, assuming no trades, would involve a guard (Jakucionis, Fears) or forward (Bryant) at 9 followed by Kalkbrenner at 39.
Did I mention he had a 49 point game?
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