Jared Sullinger was one of the most productive frontcourt players of his generation, combining strength, rebounding, and polished post skills to dominate at the college level. His ability to score inside while controlling the glass helped him carve out a successful professional career both in the NBA and overseas.

Here’s the information on Jared Sullinger:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Jared Sullinger Sr.
  • Nationality: American
  • Date of Birth: March 4, 1992
  • Hometown: Columbus, Ohio, USA
  • Height: 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
  • Weight: 268 lbs (122 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
  • Shoe Size: Size 16 (US)
  • Number: Primarily wore #7 during his NBA career
  • Position: Power Forward
  • High School: Northland High School (Columbus, Ohio)
  • College: The Ohio State University (2010–2012)
  • NBA Draft: 2012, Round 1, Pick 21 by the Boston Celtics
  • Teams Played For:
    • Boston Celtics (2012–2016)
    • Toronto Raptors (2016–2017)
  • Championship Rings: None
  • Kids: Jared Sullinger is married and has children.
  • Siblings: Two brothers, J.J. Sullinger and Julian Sullinger, both of whom played basketball collegiately.

Player Archetype / Play Style

Jared Sullinger’s player archetype is that of a polished old-school power forward, an archetype built on post scoring, rebounding, strength, and interior craft rather than explosive athleticism. At 6-foot-9 and roughly 265 to 268 pounds with a 7-foot-1.25 wingspan, he had a thick, powerful frame that let him establish deep position, seal defenders, and play through contact on both ends. Defensively, his role fit as a physical interior rebounder and positional frontcourt defender who used strength and anticipation to battle in the paint, even if questions about lateral quickness and vertical pop limited his ceiling as a switch defender or high-end rim protector. Offensively, he operated as a back-to-the-basket scorer, second-chance threat, and efficient interior hub whose footwork, touch, and feel made him one of college basketball’s most refined low-post weapons, which lined up with his 17.2 and 17.5 points per game seasons at Ohio State. The overall play style was bruising but skilled: Sullinger won with leverage, timing, rebounding instincts, and advanced post polish, giving him the profile of a productive interior focal point who relied more on power and technique than flash. (NBADraft.net)

Scouting Report

Jared Sullinger never relied on overwhelming athleticism because he rarely had to. He understood leverage as well as almost any big man of his era, carving out deep post position before the entry pass arrived and using outstanding footwork to keep defenders guessing once he caught the ball. What stands out is how composed he remained when help defenders came. Instead of rushing into contested shots, he’d pivot, keep the ball protected and find the open shooter or cutter if the double team arrived from the wrong angle. His offense wasn’t confined to the block, either. He could step into mid-range jumpers, facilitate from the elbows and keep possessions alive with relentless work on the offensive glass, where anticipation often mattered more than vertical explosion. The trade-off came defensively. He read the game well, boxed out with exceptional discipline and held his ground in drop coverage, but quicker lineups that forced him to defend repeated pick-and-rolls in space or recover to stretch bigs could expose his limited foot speed. That’s simply not where he was built to thrive. I’ve always thought one of the most overlooked parts of his game was how often he dictated the physical tone of a possession before anyone even attempted a shot. Opposing bigs had to fight for every inch of space, and that accumulated over the course of a game. His ideal role was as a skilled interior hub surrounded by shooting and downhill guards, allowing his rebounding, passing and low-post scoring to create matchup problems while more mobile teammates covered extra ground defensively. His game shared obvious similarities with Zach Randolph because of the combination of strength, touch and rebounding instincts, while elements of his passing and methodical offensive approach also echoed David West, particularly when operating from the elbows and making quick, uncomplicated reads.

Sources:

NBADraft.net — Jared Sullinger
Sports Reference — Jared Sullinger College Stats
Tankathon — Jared Sullinger 2012 Draft Profile