Bertrand Nkali brings veteran rim protection and old-school toughness to Houston
In the 2016 season, Bertrand Nkali gave Houston exactly what winning teams crave from a center: physicality, selflessness, and shot-blocking, finishing as the Cougars’ team leader at 1.2 blocks per game and ranking eighth in the American Athletic Conference. He’s a 6-9, 235-pound interior defender who plays hard, with Houston noting his toughness, size, and ability to protect the rim; he also battled back from a sports hernia redshirt year, which adds to the durability/resolve story. If you want a battle-tested big who can anchor the paint and do the dirty work, Nkali fits the bill.
