A lot has changed for Roy Hibbert in the past 13 months.
Last summer, the 7-2 center was a projected lottery pick after he helped Georgetown reach the Final Four and held his own against Ohio State's Greg Oden.
This summer, after an inconsistent senior season, he is viewed as a mid-to-late first-round pick.
"Sometimes people like to tell me I would have gone higher last year, but I don't think I was mentally or physically ready to go last year,"
Hibbert said Thursday after working out for the Indiana Pacers. "Obviously my stock was a lot higher last year after that Ohio State game. I feel like this year I'm more ready for the endeavors and the rigors of the NBA season."
Hibbert outscored Oden 19-13 in the 2007 national semifinal, but foul trouble plagued both and sabotaged their individual matchup. Greg Oden, who referred to Hibbert as "Big Roy,"
told reporters afterward that Hibbert "shot over me a lot of times and he showed what he could do."
Observers wanted to see more of the same last season.
Hibbert averaged 13.4 points, a career high, but scored just six points and fouled out of the Hoyas' second-round loss to Davidson in the NCAA Tournament.
Hibbert isn't a dominant force offensively and wasn't Georgetown's first option. He describes himself as an "all-around fundamentally sound player."
The Pacers draft 11th on June 26 and need a center, but Hibbert's offensive game appears to be better suited for the halfcourt, rather than coach Jim O'Brien's up-tempo approach. Hibbert said Thursday he can adjust to any style.
"I'm going to have to adjust,"
he said, "because if you don't want to adjust, somebody else is going to be coming and taking my spot."
What Hibbert lacks in offense he makes up for on defense.
Hibbert averaged at least 2.2 blocks a game in each of his final two seasons. His presence would be a welcome sign for a Pacers team that allowed 105.4 points per game, fifth-worst in the league.
Hibbert spent two hours Thursday banging with two other big men projected to go in the first round: Texas A&M's DeAndre Jordan and Nevada's JaVale McGee. Many mock drafts have Jordan being taken in the 10-14 range, followed by McGee, then Hibbert.
"In the Big East, you go up against seven-footers all the time,"
Hibbert said. "I'm used to that. (Jordan and McGee) are a little bit different than what I'm used to because they are more athletic and bouncy, but I'm used to going up against seven-footers."
