Why Is Thomas Sorber the NBA’s Last True Bully in the Paint? The Data Doesn’t Lie — And He’s Just Getting Started

The Bully Who Doesn’t Need to Shout

I’ve seen 27 centers in this draft class. Most are athletes first, thinkers second—if at all. Thomas Sorber flips that script. At 6’10”, 255 lbs, he doesn’t dominate because he’s tall. He dominates because he remembers where to be.

His best ten games: 19.0 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.2 BPG—with a 63.8% FG rate. His worst ten? Still above league average—11.2 PPG, but with only 40% shooting and zero range creation outside the paint.

That’s not a flaw.

It’s strategy.

The Quiet Footwork of a Mountain

You expect him to lumber like Moses on the block—slow, clumsy, heavy.

He doesn’t.

Watch his first step after securing an offensive board: low center of gravity, lateral slide into position before the defender even blinks. No wasted motion. No wasted energy. Just geometry.

John Hollinger once said: ‘The best interior players don’t score—they rearrange space.’ Sorber does that without touching the ball. He is space itself.

Hand Skills That Defy Scale

His touch? Soft as silk on backdoors, hard as iron on putbacks. The myth is that big men can’t handle small spaces—but Sorber thrives there. In one sequence against Providence College, his left-hand reverse layup over two defenders wasn’t just made—it was choreographed at half-speed because they thought he couldn’t change direction faster than their hips could turn. He did it anyway.

The Guard Who Won’t Chase Blocks—Until They’re Dead Wrong

People ask: ‘Does he protect the rim?’ Yes—but not how you think. The greats jump early to show up—their ego on film.Sorber waits for you to commit—to lure you into his wingspan like baited fisherman waiting for one last tug: i saw him fake-drop his weight, baited two drives with shoulder fakes, thens snap-jump through both arms—a double block in one play—one possession—two defensive possessions destroyed by silence and timing alone!

Why You Should Care About an Injured Giant

He tore his foot in February.And missed four months of pre-draft workouts.Now? The scouts didn’t leave their notes.They updated them—with higher conviction than ever before.Drivers aren’t buying height anymore.They’re buying structure.Energy.Precision.A silent bully who turns defense into offense without ever saying ‘I’m here.’ The game changed around him—and now it’s chasing him.