Jakob Poeltl is a skilled Austrian center, renowned for his elite interior defense, high-percentage finishing, and basketball IQ, currently anchoring the middle for the Toronto Raptors. Born in Vienna, Austria, on October 15, 1995, Poeltl played college basketball at the University of Utah before being selected 9th overall by the Raptors in the 2016 draft. After a stint with the San Antonio Spurs, he was re-acquired by Toronto, where he has become the defensive linchpin. The 7-foot center, wearing number 19, is a master of verticality, a superb screener, and an efficient scorer around the basket. With a salary of $19.5 million, Poeltl's value lies in his fundamentally sound game that doesn't always show up in flashy stats. At 30, he is one of the most underrated big men in the league, essential to his team's defensive structure and offensive flow.