Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet is expected to be a top pick in next month's NBA Draft, and has become a hot topic around the league.

"It's going to be hard to pass on that," said Celtics guard Ray Allen, who also played at UConn. "Everyone preaches defense, and for a team that hasn't made the playoffs, their building blocks have to start on the defensive end. If you can start with a big body, you better get a body that's a shot-blocker.

"You haven't seen too many Dikembes in this league. If you can get someone on your team like that who can be around the league for 16-17 years, you've got to take a look at that."

An NBA scout says that Thabeet is a true center, a rarity in the game today.

"Dwight [Howard] is a hybrid center who is really a power forward," the scout said. "[Thabeet] is a true center. You're not going to find one in our league more athletic, agile, and coordinated with shot-blocking instincts."

The scout believes that Thabeet will compete with Ricky Rubio to be the second pick behind Blake Griffin.