BABCOCK HOOPS · SCOUTING REPORT
Motiejus Krivas
HT / WT
7'2", 260 lbs
TEAM
Arizona
POSITION
Center
CLASS
Senior
BIRTHDATE
December 1, 2004
PLAYING HISTORY
Zalgiris II (Lithuania) · Intl.
HOMETOWN
Kaunas, Lithuania
NATIONALITY
Lithuania
PLAYER OVERVIEW
Motiejus Krivas is a physically imposing, old-school interior big man who does his damage inside — and, increasingly, protects everything around the rim. After testing the 2026 draft process and returning to Arizona for his senior season, he enters 2026-27 as one of college basketball's premier defensive centers and a 2027 draft prospect.
His value starts with size, strength, touch, and functional screening and roll-man IQ, but it's his rim protection that carries the profile: he was named First Team All-Big 12 and to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team this past season, and opponents shot the lowest field-goal percentage in the country with him on the floor. He's not a spacing or switchable center right now, and at 7'2", 260 he'll be scheme-dependent on the perimeter. But as a drop big who anchors the paint, rebounds, sets real screens, and punishes smaller lineups inside, his role should translate.
Krivas is a traditional big man whose interior presence and soft touch for a player his size make him a legitimate NBA prospect, and his rim protection is what really sells it.
— Matt Babcock, NBA Draft Analyst
EVALUATION
STRENGTHS
Rim Protection: Elite deterrent at the basket. Uses length, timing, and verticality to wall off the paint; opponents shot the nation's worst clip with him on the floor.
Size and Length: Legit 7'2" frame and wingspan that change matchups the moment he steps on the court.
Physicality: Strong base, plays through contact, and wears on opponents inside over the course of a game.
Hands and Touch: Catches everything cleanly and finishes with a soft touch, especially on hooks, and shots around the paint.
Screen Setting: Sets solid, physical screens that create separation and open lanes.
Roll-Man Utility: Reads spacing and timing as a dive big and consistently finishes the plays that develop.
Processing and Passing: Makes quick, simple reads when the defense collapses; connective decision-making for a player his size.
Rebounding: Productive on the glass and plays with a consistent rebounding motor.
CONCERNS
Mobility and Foot Speed: Slow-footed and can be exposed when pulled away from the paint.
Explosiveness in Traffic: His rim protection comes from length and timing more than pop; limited lift shrinks his margin as a vertical finisher through contact.
Coverage Versatility: Most comfortable in drop, with real questions about surviving in switch- or blitz-heavy schemes.
Spacing Value: Low-volume shooting profile makes it hard to project him as much of a floor spacer.
Pace and Conditioning: NBA tempo and constant movement will test his stamina and recovery.
Matchup Dependency: May need the right environment and opponent types to stay on the floor consistently.
BOTTOM LINE
Krivas is a big, strong, old-school center with soft touch, screening value, and quick processing as a roll man and a defensive anchor whose rim protection is his calling card. He projects as a drop big who will need some protection in space, but his rebounding and overall interior presence should translate enough to earn a role at the next level, with the upside for more if his mobility takes another step.
