NBA Mock Draft Pick #17 - Gota Bitadze, Center, Republic of Georgia
SB Nation’s Atlanta Hawks blog Peachtree Hoops explains the pick:
Frankly, it was jarring to see Goga Bitadze on the board for the Hawks and it made the decision easy. Earlier, Atlanta added a pair of forwards to the mix and, from a nerd perspective, the Hawks don’t necessarily have their “center of the future” on the roster with John Collins acting as a primary power forward. With Bitadze, you add a lottery-level talent with the ability to function well on both ends and this is an ideal combination of the best player on the board that also fits on Atlanta’s roster.