The Warriors possess the No. 11 pick in this month’s NBA draft.
Who they pick with their highest selection since 2021 could hold the cards to not only the final years of Steph Curry’s career but also the future direction of the franchise.
This week, we are profiling five possible prospects GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. could target.
Age: 20
Position: Forward / Center
Height/weight: 6-foot-10 / 250 pounds
School: Washington
The Warriors got a taste of what it was like to have a dynamic big man last season. But with Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford’s futures up in the air, how about developing one of their own?
Steinbach will have been 20 for just over a month when his name is called on draft night, but the German big man already has experience as a professional overseas, as well as on the international stage. His domestic debut produced an eye-popping statistical freshman season.
Following in the footsteps of previous countrymen Detlef Schrempf and Christian Welp, Steinbach starred for the Huskies and lived up to his predecessors.
Steinbach dominated around the rim to the tune of 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, recording double-doubles in 22 of his 30 games — most in the nation.
His 353 total rebounds also led the country, and he has been described as the best rebounder in the draft class — an area of need for a Warriors team that didn’t have a player average more than six boards per game.
The last time the Warriors spent a lottery pick on a big man it didn’t go so well.
Steinbach, however, is more Kevon Looney (30th overall, 2015) than James Wiseman (No. 2 overall, 2020). He is not a rim runner or a rim protector and has nothing more than a nascent perimeter shot but comes as a ready-made rebounder with a relentless motor.
The Warriors have struggled to incorporate traditional big men into their offense, but Steinbach’s cutting ability could help him succeed in Steve Kerr’s motion system.
Playing professionally in Germany and competing for his country on the international stage — leading the Germans to the gold-medal game against Team USA in the FIBA U19 championships — makes Steinbach’s offensive game more mature than other amateur bigs.
However, he faced questions about how his size would hold up against NBA centers.
Steinbach helped assuage those concerns with a strong showing at the NBA combine, measuring in taller than 6-10 with a wingspan that adds another 4 inches. Most notably, he tipped the scales at 248 pounds after entering college at 220.
With a crafty offensive game, a physical frame and a magnet for rebounds, the NBA’s other successful European big men — Alperen Sengun being another — provide a frame of reference for the type of player Steinbach can become.
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