Lasme a 'Warrior' in more ways than one

Men's Basketball
Eli Rosenswaike

The hard work put forth by former UMass star Stephane Lasme has paid off in a big way.

The 6-foot-7 forward -- who is the career blocked shots record-holder for the Minutemen -- was drafted in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. Lasme was selected 46th overall -- the 16th pick in the second round.

Lasme joins an uptempo offensive team in desperate need of defense. While the draft experts all agree he needs to vastly improve his offensive game, nobody questions his ability to defend and alter a contest with his shot-blocking prowess.

The Warriors ranked third-to-last in points allowed per game, and Lasme has a chance to possibly come off the bench to help improve Golden State in that clear problem area.

Lasme was a fan-favorite at UMass -- mostly due to his intensity, hard work and impressive numbers. He recorded four triple-doubles in his senior season, something only two players have ever done at the college level; Jason Kidd was one of the others.

ESPN.com's draft expert, Chad Ford, describes the 24-year-old and his fit with the Warriors: "Lasme is one of the better shot-blockers in the draft. He's a little undersized, but he makes up for it with length and athleticism. Another good fit for Golden State."

On Lasme's draft report card, Ford has a lot of praise for the former UMass star: "Long, athletic jumping jack. Dominant defender. One of the best shot-blockers in college basketball. Excellent rebounder. Aggressive. Strong. Excellent quickness for a big man."

However, experts site his lack of size for a forward (6-foot-7, 213 pounds) as a major question mark. They also mention his inferior offensive game and his rawness as a basketball player (he hasn't been playing basketball for all that long).

Lasme averaged 13.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.1 blocks per game in his last season under Travis Ford. He improved his numbers across the board in every season (including points, rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage) for the Maroon and White, culminating in his career season.

Golden State is sorely lacking any kind of defensive presence in the middle, and it has only a few players at the power forward position -- both of which add up to Lasme having a real possibilty to see serious minutes. But it will take time, as Lasme is 'raw as a player' and has a lot to learn.