…And with the first pick in the 2006 NBA draft, the Chicago Bulls choose Matt Lombardi…
- Using their draft pick received in the trade with New York involving Eddy Curry, Chicago chose the defensive beast, Matt Lombardi.
Hailing from Australia, yet of Italian origin, Matthew Lombardi went relatively unsung during his first three years of college at Georgetown. He played off the bench for the majority of his first three years, before finally breaking out in his fourth and final year of college into becoming one of the premier defenders ever seen at his level. He could defend all positions effectively, having trouble only with the speed of smaller players, yet never the height of taller players.
Lacking strength in his upper body, many have doubted Lombardi’s ability to defend strong, powerful players in the NBA such as LeBron James. However, his defensive ability is what will make him big, with NBA scouts already seeing his defence comparable to that of Bruce Bowen, a lockdown defender with the ability to guard all players ranging from the quick and agile Richard Hamilton, to the seven-foot Dirk Nowitzki. Some scouts have gone as far to say his defence rivals that of the great Michael Jordan. Lombardi has an uncanny ability to block shots and steal the ball, allowing him to set up plays quickly in transition.
Measuring in at 6’9”, Lombardi has excellent hands, with the ability to see the court and plays before they develop both in offence and defence. Offensively, Lombardi lacks range in his jump shot and does not finish very well around the ring. He is a player who will look for a pass before taking the shot himself, mainly because his jumper is streaky at best. His free throw shooting has never been great, only around 64% over his four-year college career.
Over his lifetime, Matt has struggled with athletic problems mainly concerning his legs. When he was in third grade, he suffered from a bout of arthritis, which soon cleared up however presented problems in his legs for years to come. During his teen years, Lombardi once again had trouble with his legs, this time from shin-splints, a disease than would soon go away but at the time cause him to miss games, training and work-out sessions. Missing all this time forced Matt into slowing his athletic growth considerably, as jumping and running could cause too much pain and damage to his legs.
As the years past, he grew out of his problems and was able to concentrate on training and working out to further establish his foothold in the door that would be his NBA career.
Keep it up.
