Folks, here it is. My Top 100 players for the 2021 NBA Draft. If you’re looking to skim, I have a “conclusion” section at the end of each player in the top 30, so you can cut to that if you would like a more concise experience. Otherwise, enjoy the meaty analysis! After the Top 30, I basically just did a conclusion for each prospect with less coverage as I progressed down the board. If you enjoy what you read, I’d like to ask that you subscribe, which costs $0 but will help grow BaumBoards. You can also follow me on Twitter, @BaumBoards.
I am an amateur with a separate full time job, so I would like to give a shout-out to a few people and resources that I used to help fill in the gaps on players I didn’t get to watch as often, and people who also picked up on things that I had not noticed myself. I give them credit in the text, but wanted to give them kudos up top as well. A big thank you to people like THE KING OF DRAFT GUIDES himself, Sam Vecenie of Game Theory and The Athletic, plus his incredible guests on the show. Additionally, I’d like to give credit to Adam Spinella and his YouTube page The Box and One, and P.D. Web of Let’s Watch Film on YouTube. Lastly, a big thanks to data sites like Tankathon and Basketball Reference.
Cade Cunningham, 6-8, 19 Years Old, Chess Master with Size, Oklahoma State.
Cade Cunningham is exactly what a big primarily initiator in the modern NBA is supposed to look and play like. His size, passing ability, array of scoring tools, and versatility put him in a tier of his own.
Coming into the season, I believed Cade Cunningham to be the best prospect in this class, and he actually exceeded my expectations. Cade is a mastermind on offense. He often had slow starts to games, and would then rip the other team’s heart out in the second half. It was as if he would spend the first half trying to get his teammates going while simultaneously taking mental pictures of the opposing defense. In the second half, he would then use the data he had collected to dissect the other team. His ability to process the game and manipulate defenses is unparalleled in this draft class.
Cunningham’s shooting was the primary area of concern headed into the year, but he turned a possible negative into a giant positive, nailing 40% of his threes on 5.7 attempts per game. Between the massive sample size and the eye test, I buy that this is legitimate. His shooting stroke is pure, he hit several from deep behind the line, and many of these shots were well contested.
His size is another asset, as he gives you versatility to play big or small on both sides of the floor. His passing and playmaking are outstanding, and will likely allow him to act as a big point guard at the next level. His raw assist numbers of 3.5 per game sounds low, but his teammates were…let’s just say “not the best” offensively. The highest volume three point shooters on his team other than Cade himself shot 31.8%, 33%, 26%, and 27.1% from deep. He had to act as an initiator with no credible shooting threats around him, allowing opposing defenses to swarm him at all times. With better spacing in the NBA, I firmly believe you’ll see better assist numbers. His length also allows him to bully smaller defenders and finish over rim protectors. Defensively, his size allowed him to cover a wide array of positions and contribute 1.6 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.
On the intangibles front, Cade is a winner. He led one of the greatest high school teams in history during his senior year, and this season, he dragged a brutal Oklahoma State team to a 21-9 record. At the end of games, Cade clearly wanted the ball in his hands, and he performed well during big moments.
There are two big criticisms of Cade. The easier of the two to address is his turnover numbers in college; 4 per game. If you watched Oklahoma State this season, it’s far less bothersome. Because of the poor shooting surrounding him, the lack of spacing made it very easy for opposing defenses to cheat onto him when he was dribbling. Bigger ballhandlers in general tend to struggle with turnovers because it’s easier to dig into their handle; the same is true of Luka Dončić. I think better spacing will remedy much of this issue. The bigger issue, and it’s still not of gigantic concern to me, is his athleticism. Cade is more Harden/Luka than he is LeBron or Zion. His game is predicated on rhythm and processing rather than pure burst or athleticism. He isn’t a bad athlete, he’s still an above average one by NBA standards in my view. However, if there’s one thing that keeps him more in the Jayson Tatum range of stars rather than the LeBron James range, the athleticism will probably be why.
CONCLUSION: Overall, I see Cade Cunningham as both a high floor, high ceiling proposition. His shooting, decision making, defense, positional versatility, and passing make the idea of him being anything less than an above average starter hard to conceive. At best, he continues to grow defensively, keeps improving his shot, adds an arsenal of moves to his off-the-bounce game, and becomes the best player on a championship team.
Jalen Green, 6-6, 19 Years Old, Electric Scorer, G League Ignite.
Jalen Green took the road less traveled, entering the NBA’s new G League Pathway Program instead of attending college. I was slightly skeptical of this move; while the G League has historically been looked down upon as a minor league system, Green would actually be facing a higher level of competition on a night to night basis there than in college. While I will never fault a man for getting his bag, I also wondered whether the lack of visibility, combined with having to play against grown men every night, would do a number to Green’s perception as a top prospect. Similar to Cade Cunningham, Green surpassed my expectations.
Going into the season, one thing was clear about Green: he is a ridiculous athlete. He flies up and down the court at a blazing speeds, and he can jump out of the gym. Green seemingly floats in the air when he leaps up to throw down a big dunk. Even if the skills were going to be an issue, Green’s athleticism was going to allow him to hold his own.
Where Green surprised me was with his scoring ability, which translated seamlessly from high school. Green’s burst allows him to finish well around the rim and elevate over contests in the midrange. He also shot 36.5% from 3 on 5.7 attempts per game. Keep in mind, that is also from the actual NBA three point line too, not the closer college line. Green finished the G League season averaging 17.9 points per game, and he did so with efficiency. I have no doubt that Green will be able to carry his ability to score at all three levels to the next level.
Green’s burst also added a few other nice touches to his game; he can get out in transition for easy buckets, he can fly in to grab a few extra rebounds you may not otherwise get, and he can jump into passing lanes to get steals.
In a podcast interview with Chad Ford, his G League coach Brian Shaw raved about his work ethic. This felt genuine, as while he went to bat for each of his players, he had an enthusiasm for Green that really radiated out of him.There are a few drawbacks with Green. His frame is still pretty thin, and he may have a harder time converting at the bucket and defending at the next level for a while because of it. Defensively, he’s not always engaged and has some lapses, which isn’t uncommon for players his age who are also forced to carry a large offensive burden. His arms aren’t super long, so it’s hard to imagine him guarding anything beyond the guard positions, hampering his versatility.
CONCLUSION: I firmly believe that Jalen Green will be an awesome NBA player who scores the ball. Whether or not he becomes an elite NBA player will come down to what he adds to his game. Offensively, the biggest key to unlocking the door to superstardom would be to improve his distribution skills. Right now he can get buckets for himself, and he’s shown flashes with his passing, but if he can consistently make defenses pay for collapsing on him, he’ll be on another level. Additionally, he needs to add some counter moves to his game. Sometimes his attempts to penetrate would get cut off, so he would pull the ball back out, and then just try to penetrate again. Stuff like that will drive teammates and coaches crazy. Defensively, I think it’s largely a matter of effort and understanding. He needs to be more attentive, particularly when rotating and adjusting to screens. Still, the worst version of Jalen Green is a great player. I’ve seen comparisons to Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal, but he is way farther along than either of them were at the same age. There is a very real chance that he ends up having the best career in this draft class.
Evan Mobley, 7-0, 20 Years Old, Quintessential Modern Big, USC.
Evan Mobley was one of my favorite college players to watch last season. With long legs and a giant 7’4” wingspan, opposing players trying to get by him looked like they were confronted by the enormous spider robot thing from the classic film Wild Wild West. Mobley anchored one of the best defenses in college basketball last season, blocking 2.9 shots per game, stealing the ball 0.8 times per game, and doing all of this while somehow committing only 1.8 fouls per game. It is beyond rare for a center to be so dominant on the defensive end while still staying out of foul trouble. Where Mobley profiles most interestingly as a defender is as a switch big man. When gets low in his stance, it feels inconceivable that someone could get around him. He’s clever and reacts quickly, which when paired with his frame, gives offensive players few good choices when encountering him. Mobley’s ability to think a few steps ahead combined with his lateral and vertical athleticism make him one of the best defensive center prospects in some time; you can fit him into any scheme.
His offensive game already has strong building blocks, but also has a lot of potential. Mobley’s ability to elevate off the ground quickly makes him a strong lob threat. He does excellent work as a roll man, as he has a strong finishing package, but is also an outstanding decision maker with passing ability. In the short roll, if he senses the defense collapsing on him, he can find cutters or three point shooters for open looks. Mobley also saw success operating as a BALLHANDLER out of the pick and roll, which is totally bananas for a 7 footer. He’s truly one of the best passing big men to ever enter the league, averaging 2.4 assists per game. This number would have been higher had USC used him as an initiator more often. Mobley also shot a respectable-for-a-big-man 69.4% from the charity stripe and 30% from three. With his touch in the midrange and around the rim, I think it’s relatively safe to think he’ll be able to really shoot it at some point.
The potential problem areas for Mobley primarily revolve around his thin frame. If he is going to play center, big men like Joel Embiid are going to boss him around in the post. A common response to that is to say, “Embiid does that to a lot of people!” However, I think that downplays the severity of the problem, and won’t make his team feel much better when it’s happening. Mobley’s high waste allows players to throw their butt into him and knock him off of his spot. Tankathon grades out his rebounding as a small negative; again, this is because despite his frame, he can be easily moved. This can be a hindrance trying to finish plays on offense as well. If you have to play him as a 4 rather than a 5, a lot of the offensive tools also become a lot less interesting. Will he still have room to finish in the paint? If the shot doesn’t come along and he can’t play the 5, how much does the unique passing and ball handling ability really matter? He’s far less of a mismatch advantage at the four.
CONCLUSION: If everything breaks right for Evan Mobley, the ceiling is preposterous. He could be one of the best defenders in the league, a rare center who can’t be played off the court in the playoffs, with exceptional passing ability and a three point shot. No one like that has ever existed. However, there is also a less interesting path; one where Mobley never becomes strong enough to play the five full time, or one where he gains the strength to do so, but it hampers the mobility that makes him so intriguing. If the jump shot doesn’t come along, it will also someone take away from his threat to operate as a ballhandler and passer. While the center position is heavily saturated and I typically advise against taking centers high in the draft, I think Evan Mobley is absolutely worth the swing. Even if every single area doesn’t come along as well as you might hope, I think he’ll still ultimately become a big man that is difficult to scheme off the floor in the playoffs and contributes as a finisher and playmaker on offense, and that’s a valuable thing to have.
Jalen Suggs, 6-4, 20 Years Old, Intangible King Guard, Gonzaga.
As every commentator in college basketball reminded us 83 times during each Gonzaga game last year, JALEN SUGGS WAS A HIGH LEVEL QUARTERBACK IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND HE BRINGS THAT QUARTERBACK MENTALITY ONTO THE HARDWOOD! It’s worth bringing up that tired talking point because Jalen Suggs is indeed a high level athlete. The reason I find it most interesting is that there may be quite a bit of juice left to be squeezed, as Suggs was never truly focused solely on basketball until college. He’s a powerful guard, probably best off as a point guard considering he’s not super long, with a great first step, open court speed, and fantastic leaping ability.
Suggs’ potential to become an elite offensive player starts with his on-ball ability. He doesn’t have the deepest bag of tricks yet, but Suggs can score and create out of isolation sets due to his burst. Additionally, he has solid vision as both a scorer and ballhandler in the pick and roll. He shot a fairly pedestrian 33.7% from three, but he took them with confidence when teams tried to go under picks and prevent him from building up a head of steam. His best passes come in transition, however, as he’ll make some incredibly daring passes that few others would have the courage to throw, and they’ll be on the money. This gives reason to believe there is even more upside to his already strong half-court passing game. Suggs is also an outstanding rebounder for his size, averaging 5.3/game. On defense, Suggs gets after it. He’s feisty, has good feet, and equally willing to take risks when he sees the chance to jump into a passing lane for a steal. While he did have the luxury of being able to take more of a backseat on offense due to how stacked his team was last season, it’s still very impressive for such a high level prospect to bring that much intensity to the defensive side of the floor. That intensity is a part of why those around him tend to speak so highly of his character in the media. You get the impression that Jalen Suggs wants to win, he wants to be great, and he’s going to do everything within his power to make those things happen. His clutch plays in the UCLA game and the way he refused to quit despite his team taking an absolute beating by Baylor in the National Championship game are why he is The Intangible King.
Those intangibles are why many are willing to look past some of the problems with his game currently, as some feel that he will work hard enough to overcome them. That said, the problems are real, and worth touching on. For one, Suggs can be a bit loose with his dribbling. He’ll simply lose control of his dribble for seemingly no reason in a way that’s rare for such an otherwise great player. His daring nature as a passer and defender can also become an issue, as he’ll force things and create turnovers, or get burned trying to pick up a steal. His 2.9 turnovers per game start to look a lot worse when you consider how many possessions were run for Drew Timme, Joel Ayiya, and Corey Kispert. There is also reason to worry about his three point shooting ability. He started the season scorching hot, including a 7-10 from 3 performance against Iowa that had me convinced he would make the top pick on a conversation. However, from February 20th through the end of the season on April 5th, he was 12-41, or 29.3%. That’s concerning!
CONCLUSION: I’m still optimistic on Suggs, though I’d comfortably slot him a tier below the top three players in the draft. Still, I would put him in his own tier above the rest of the prospects. The ceiling here looks like it is that of a lead or secondary playmaker on a great team that is fun to play with, carries himself well, and defends like a madman. That is really intriguing for most teams! The floor is a bit dicier, an athletic point guard who defends and can set the table a bit, but opposing teams can sag off of. It’s hard to win as a point guard who isn’t a deep threat in the modern NBA. Thankfully for Suggs, he can remedy that a bit with his ability to get down hill. I’m ultimately in on Suggs. I think whatever his ceiling is, I firmly believe he will do everything in his power to get there, and I find that reassuring. I also find reassurance in his role at Gonzaga this year. Suggs was willing to be a complimentary player. There’s no ego here. Even if things don’t break well for Suggs, I don’t see him taking it personally when a team builds around another player, or in a nightmare scenario, asks him to come off the bench. Suggs “gets in,” and his desire to win, regardless of how much glory he receives for it, stands out.
Moses Moody, 6-6, 19 Years Old, Sweet Shooting Wing, Arkansas.
DIDN’T SEE THIS ONE COMING, DID YOU!?!? I don’t believe I’ve seen anyone else place Moses Moody this high. Part of his placement here is due to me being lower on a few of the other guys in the mix here, but also a genuine belief in Moses Moody being the type of player who will contribute to winning, regardless of whether or not he hits his ceiling. I believe him to be a safe proposition with underrated upside.
Moody’s biggest skill is his ability to score the ball. Moody led a great Arkansas team (25-7, ranked 10th in the final poll) in scoring with 16.8 PPG. Moody did this efficiently, tabbing that total on an average of 12.1 field goal attempts per game. Moody gets his points from two high value areas: the three point line, and the free throw line. Moody took 5.1 threes a game and connected at a 35.8% clip. He also got to the charity stripe a lot, taking 5.8 free throws a game and draining 81.2% of them. Moody is 6’6”, but has a 7’1” wingspan, which is why his mother nicknamed him “The Human Selfie Stick.” Moody’s long limbs allow him to initiate contact without having to flop or jump into opposing players; he’s just so wiry that opponents can’t help but get tangled up in his arms. His arms also help him get off his shot with ease, as even with a hand in his face, he’s unfazed and will merely shoot over the top of defenders. It also gives him a sleek put-back game as an offensive rebounder. His passing ability is solid but not spectacular, and his handle is nothing to write home about. Defensively, Moody posted strong block numbers for a wing, and he uses his length to stifle dribblers. As he gets older and grows into his frame, his technique and size will allow him to switch well. On the personality side of things, you only see great things about him. Eric Musselman has really put him over as a hard worker, he served on a student athlete advisory council, and had a 3.5 GPA, per Sam Vecenie’s draft guide.
The biggest knock on Moses is that he’s not the most impressive athlete. He doesn’t blow by defenders, he’s not a ridiculous leaper, and his thin frame causes him to struggle with contact at times. This was most evident on his drives to the basket, where at times he couldn’t finish through contact. Other times, he’d be too averse to it and give himself a worse look than he needed to. Defensively, he’s more solid than spectacular, and is a bit less disruptive than you’d like for someone with his wingspan. Moody also ended his season with a thud, going 4-20 against Oral Roberts, and then 2-10 against Baylor.
CONCLUSION: I completely understand worrying about the upside of a prospect who doesn’t profile as an elite athlete. However, I can’t shake Moses’ production in a power conference as an 18 year old. I also believe that similar to Suggs, he is going to put in the work. If he can just put some bulk on his frame so as to absorb contact better and add a few dribble moves, his offense could be off the charts. If it all comes together, he could be a Khris Middleton style player. Conversely, if he fails to adjust to the NBA three point line, the floor gets a bit hairy. At the end of the day, I’m buying the volume he scored with at a very high level at such a young age. At best, there is a chance he makes a couple of All-Star teams, and I think at worst he ends up as a positive role player.
Scottie Barnes, 6-9, 19 Years Old, Swiss Army Knife, Florida State.
A late riser in the draft process, I’m still a bit cooler on Scottie Barnes. I’ve seen him as high as third on the board of legitimate professionals in this field. Many have slid him into the fifth spot over Kuminga, and others have even had him fourth ahead of Jalen Suggs. I will get into why I’m lower than the consensus, but let’s start with the positives, because Scottie Barnes is a really cool player.
Similar to Patrick Williams, Scottie Barnes was a high level recruit who headed to Florida State, where he played under Leonard Hamilton. Hamilton is an awesome coach with an affinity for length who doesn’t simply had out minutes or starting spots based on reputation. As a result, Barnes only started 7 games, but he was great all year. Barnes had a 10-4-4 state line playing just under 25 minutes per game as a 6’9” point guard. Throw in 1.5 steals and half a block a game to boot, it’s easy to see why a do-it-all player at his height with a near 7’3” wingspan would be grabbing everyone’s attention. Barnes is a menace in transition, can guard almost every position seamlessly on defense, and causes opposing teams to make mistakes with the ball. He has a great, savvy passing game on offense that few men his size have, and he’s great at getting to the rim in semi-transition with a head of steam. There has been a great deal of praise given to his character and charisma.
My concerns largely stem from Barnes’ inability to shoot the basketball. This year, he was 27.5% from three and 62.1% from the free throw line, which is downright bad for someone playing a guard or wing position. The shot doesn’t pass the eye test, and quite frankly, it’s a nightmare anywhere outside of the restricted area. Barnes also doesn’t get off of the floor very well in traffic. This could partially be due to the fact that he hasn’t filled out his frame yet, but his leaping ability that looks phenomenal in transition just doesn’t translate when he’s bumping bodies in the half court. That lack of vertical pop may also prevent him from playing the center spot early on. His shooting will also make it difficult for his teams early on, as he will hamper their flexibility. You can’t have other non-shooters around him at this point, because he isn’t a threat from outside the paint. He also tends to get caught ball-watching in rebounding situations, which is frustrating.
CONCLUSION: I feel like I was really hard on Barnes here, a player I enjoy watching. Much of that stems from the “if he learns how to shoot” narrative that has surrounded him recently. There’s a reason players like Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler are outliers, and players like Stanley Johnson and Justice Winslow are far more prevalent, and that’s because it’s really hard to learn how to shoot. I think its a stretch to buy him as someone who will become a good or above average shooter. Still, because of his tools and versatility, I think that if he can scratch average, or even a hair below average as a shooter, he could be something along the lines of a bigger late-career Andre Iguodala, which is awesome. It’s easy to get caught up in the “what if” game with such a unique player, and I think people should guard themselves against that a little bit here. However, Barnes is still a fantastic defensive prospect with great passing tools, and that means something. On top of that, his work ethic leads me to believe he will maximize whatever opportunities he is given.
Jonathan Kuminga, 6-7, 18 Years Old, Intriguing Modern Wing, G League Ignite.
Jonathan Kuminga is, in my opinion, the trickiest evaluation in this draft class. He should have been a high school senior this past season, but instead, he reclassified and played professionally for the G League Ignite. After an impressive start, Kuminga struggled mightily.
Fans of Kuminga will point to his first few games in games in the G League Bubble as a reason to buy his stock. During those games, Kuminga was flying all over the court, draining threes, and making ridiculous passes. He is also going to be one of the youngest players in the draft. Kuminga fits what teams are looking for in a modern wing; he has length, and he’s an excellent athlete that projects to be able to guard multiple positions. He’s shown flashes of beautiful court vision in the half court, making reads to cutters. He’ll occasionally burn defenders with quick moves in the midrange and get to the basket. Kuminga’s size and athleticism should allow him to be a strong defender that can’t be picked on by opposing offenses.
The downsides of his game started to rear their head as the season progressed. Kuminga’s shooting came crashing back down to earth, and he finished the season at 24.6% from three. That may have been more palatable had he shown strength at the free throw line, but he was 62.5% there. Despite flashes with his passing, he ended up turning the ball over quite a bit. He has a bad habit of letting his dribble get really far away from his body when he goes to drive or operate from the elbow, allowing easy strips. Kuminga also would get tunnel vision at times on offense, seemingly deciding that he was going to shoot the ball regardless of whether or not he got to a good spot on the floor. The end result of that tendancy was a lot of highly-contested mid-range shots that wouldn’t fall. Defensively, he would fall asleep off the ball and close out too aggressively trying to recover.
CONCLUSION: Kuminga had a legitmately bad season in the G Leauge. That said, all of the tools that made him enticing are still there. It’s also really hard to know what a kid who was supposed to be a high school senior having a bad season playing against professionals is really supposed to mean, given that this is the first year of the G League Pathway program. Much of Kuminga’s trajectory will fall on the team that takes him. It’s easy to see him making steady improvements with a good developmental organization. Conversely, if a team selects him with a high draft pick and throws him to the wolves, it could get ugly in a hurry. Kuminga’s athletic tools should allow prevent him from getting feasted on, but he still doesn’t have a go-to signature skill that will guarantee him playing time. I love the athletic package, but it’s hard to buy or sell him given the unparalleled mystery that surrounds his situation.
Josh Giddey, 6-8, 18 Years Old, Playmaker with Size, Adelaide 36ers.
Josh Giddey followed in the footsteps of players like R.J. Hampton and LaMelo Ball, entering the draft after going through the NBL’s Next Stars program. The difference, however, is that Giddey is actually a native Australian.
Giddey did a fantastic job in the NBL, earning Rookie of the Year honors and leading the league in assists per game. His counting numbers were actually in line with the numbers LaMelo Ball put up last year. Giddey’s greatest skill is his vicious passing arsenal. He makes excellent reads, and can whip variety of passes at warp speed from a standstill or out of a live dribble. Giddey also competes on the glass, using his size to nab 7.4 rebounds per game. He also finished as the rim very effectively in a physical league, showed a mid-range pull up jumper, and greatly improved his three point shooting as the season progressed.
The reason Giddey isn’t higher despite being statistically comparable to Ball comes down to athleticism, as well as the fact that Ball was sleepwalking at times while putting up those numbers. Giddey doesn’t have a ton of wiggle to him, and will need screens in order to initiate offense. He isn’t someone you can isolate and let cook. Giddey’s frame is thin, but I don’t worry about that too much, as he still finished well around the cup and managed to put up strong rebounding numbers in an older, mature league. I do worry about his ability to slide his feet on defense, though. It’s hard to imagine him playing as a traditional point guard, because I can’t imagine him covering guards on defense, and he doesn’t have a long wingspan to cover for his feet. Giddey also only shot 29.3% from three.
CONCLUSION: Giddey’s production in Australia makes it harder for me to imagine him failing in the NBA. That said, he is likely going to have to do it in a slightly different way. He projects more to be a secondary playmaker on offense who plays on the wing. I can see him struggling on defense. Still, Giddey is a truly special passer with size at the age of 18, and he’s shown the ability to patch up his flaws, as shown by the improvement in his shot. He can already hit mid-rangers off the dribble, and he became confident pulling up from three when defenders went under screens. I believe Josh Giddey will end up being a high level role player, possibly a 3rd best player on a really great team.
Alperen Sengun, 6-10, 19 Years Old, Unique Offensive Big Man, Besiktas.
First off, as a fellow Massive Weight Loss Guy, I have a big soft spot for Alperen Sengun, who only a few years ago was tipping the scales at 270 pounds. Sengun actually won the MVP Award in the Turkish league last season, having an unprecedented season for a player his age. Despite the production, some worry about his fit in the modern NBA.
Sengun is a wizard with the ball in his hands. He can make excellent passes out to the perimeter, or whip the ball behind his back to cutters. Sengun also owns an impressively polished post move arsenal and a deadly spin move that gets him right to the basket. The pick and roll is another area of expertise for him, where he can finish or use his passing out of the short roll to find teammates for open looks. His offense extends to transition, where he has shown some Joakim Noah-style big man ball handling on the fast break after grabbing a rebound. Speaking of rebounding, Sengun is a monster on the glass, grabbing 8.7 boards per game.
Detractors will point to much of Sengun’s offense coming out of the post as cause for concern. Most NBA teams don’t start their offensive sets by dumping the ball down low in 2021. There are also concerns about his foot speed and vertical pop, which are enhanced when you factor in the fact that he doesn’t have the longest arms. This creates a positional dilemma, where he may not be able to play center due to his size. At the four spot, his athleticism and lateral quickness, along with the fact that he is currently not a threat to shoot it from three (20% last season), a massive problem. His jumper also needs to be re-worked, as it currently takes longer to shoot than an unloaded musket. Defensively, his athleticism could see him played off the floor by smaller lineups.
CONCLUSION: Ultimately, I think the concerns around Sengun’s athleticism are slightly overblown. No one is going to mistake him for Giannis, but the guy threw down a 360 dunk in the open court this year. He’s also blown by fellow bigs on the perimeter several times. I don’t know that you can build your team around him, but I firmly believe in his production. Sengun’s creation out of the roll and dribble handoffs give him utility. He hit 79% of his free throws, too, giving optimism that he may develop a reliable jumper. There is a path for him to become a Domantas Sabonis type of player, and if you get that with the 9th pick, I think you’re happy.
James Bouknight, 6-5, 20 Years Old, Real Hooper, UConn.
After testing the draft waters last year, James Bouknight returned to UConn for a sophomore season. He was more productive on his second go-round, but there were still some issues with his game.
Bouknight’s signature ability is his scoring. He’s tremendous off of the bounce, and has a deep arsenal of moves and counters to keep opposing teams on their toes. He’s got great bounce and a strong first step, so he can take advantage of lesser athletes and get to the rim, where he is a strong finisher. Bouknight also rebounds well for his size (5.7 RPG), and has long arms that help him get steals on defense. He can throw clever, fast passes out of a live dribble on occasion.
Bouknight still struggled with his court vision, however. He had the ball in his hands a lot, and only averaged 1.8 assists per game. His tendency to jack up mid range jumpers over multiple defenders in lieu of slinging the rock to open teammates will not fly at the next level. He only shot 29.3% from three, though he did take a lot of them, and most were heavily contested. At times, he would get caught playing inattentive defense.
CONCLUSION: Bouknight can get buckets. However, he will need to hunt them less aggressively at the next level and look to find teammates. He has to also get used to playing without the ball in his hands, and he needs to improve his defensive habits. Despite the concerns, I feel that much of Bouknight’s issues were situational. He was counted on to do all of the scoring, and he was less willing to exert defensive energy because his team needed him to save it for offense. Given the publicly available intel seems to be that the UConn staff speak highly of him, I’m led to believe that he is a hard worker who will adapt positively when he’s surrounded by more capable teammates. I see Bouknight as a tertiary, possibly secondary scorer, or even an overqualified sixth man in the vein of Jordan Clarkson.
Franz Wagner, 6-9, 19 Years Old, Versatile Defender with Offensive Skill, Michigan.
Franz Wagner is an outstanding defensive player. At 6’9” with long arms, strong discipline, great feet, and solid strength, Wagner can switch onto almost anyone 1-4 and not be in real trouble. Most famously, he put the clamps on Scottie Barnes when Michigan sent Florida State packing in the NCAA tournament. His length and game processing allows him to create havoc as well through steals, and blocks stemming from help defense. Defense is his signature skill, and will instantly buy him opportunities for whichever team takes him. Franz also has some interesting offensive skills. Namely, he’s a crafty playmaker for his size who doesn’t turn the ball over very often. Wagner is selfless, looking to make quick skip passes on the perimeter, or pocket passes to the big out of the pick and roll. He was a respectable 34.3% from three, and 83.5% on free throws.
Wagner’s issues actually largely stem from his selflessness on offense. Is it truly selflessness, or is it a lack of confidence? He can tend to inadvertently stop the ball at times, taking a second to think about what he wants to do before doing it. NBA coaches often refer to “.5s,” or how you have about half a second to decide what you’re going to do once you get the ball. If you watched Michigan a decent amount this year, you’ll have noticed a few “2.5s” from Franz. He can second guess himself when left with room to shoot. Scouts and coaches who break down film such as the fantastic Adam Spinella over at The Box And One pointed out something I hadn’t noticed previously; he is almost an entirely different player when forced left. When playoff season rolls around, and teams are deep in film study, opposing defenses will absolutely catch onto that and force him left.
CONCLUSION: Franz’s defense is going to give him a bit of a leash. If he can be more decisive on offense and continue to improve his three point shot, he’ll be a high level starter. If he struggles to progress offensively, he profiles more as a back end rotation guy.
Jaden Springer, 6-4, 18 Years Old, Defensive Guard with Tantalizing Processing, Tennessee.
Jaden Springer is both an intelligent and athletically capable defender. He has a physically sturdy body at a young age, slides his feet well, and does a tremendous job navigating screens. His defense will be his calling card early on. Offensively, Jaden has shown flashes of fascinating skills. He reacts to the defense well and makes excellent finds to players on the perimeter, as well as interior passes to bigs for the finish. He rebounded well for a guard with 3.5 per game despite only playing 25.9 minutes per game. Combined with his length and strength, that will help him be an effective contributor when his team is playing small, as he can compensate for a few potentially lost rebounds. He shot a great 81% from the free throw line, and got their consistently. Tennessee wasn’t my favorite team to watch this season, as their offensive spacing was rough, but Springer took advantage of that by instigating contact and getting to the charity stripe. He also hit 43.5% of his threes. Springer was one of the youngest college players last season, and he was an important contributor for a winning team, leading them in scoring.
Springer’s red flags show up mostly on offense. He didn’t consistently show the burst or first step of a point guard, and despite his strong three point percentage, he only took 1.8 per game. The low volume of threes makes it hard to discern how “real” his outside shot is at this point. He also initiated much of his offense with DeRozan style slow dribbles and backdowns, which will undoubtedly be more difficult against better athletes. He also plays entirely off of two feet, which while it allows him to play under control, is also a slowing force that allows defenses to recover, and can make it difficult to finish due to the lack of suddenness.
CONCLUSION: I’m betting on Springer because I love the way he thinks the game. He reacts to the defense well and makes great finds. He may never be an isolation scorer and needs to add more ballhandling moves to his bag, but I think in a more pick-and-roll centered offense, his decision making will become more of a positive. He also competes on defense, and won’t get cooked the way a lot of rookies will. The biggest reason I like Springer, though, is that he is one of the youngest players in the draft, and we just saw him be one of the best players on an SEC team in college. The talent is there, the processing is there, and the game may look a little quirky, but I will comfortably bet on him to figure it out in the NBA.
Trey Murphy, 6-9, 21 Years Old, Late Blooming 3-And-D Wing, Virginia.
Hey, I’m as shocked as you are! Perhaps I’m getting a little too “lost in the pre-draft sauce” here, as I didn’t except to have Murphy here when I watched Virginia this season. However, now that we’re here, I feel pretty good about it. Murphy was a late bloomer who started his college career at Rice. After killing it there, he transferred to his dream school of Virginia. There, Murphy built on what he did best at Rice: draining three pointers. He hit 43.3% on 4.8 per game. Murphy also used his relatively newfound height (he was 5’8” as a high school freshman) to stifle opposing wings when he was on defense.
Murphy’s biggest holes right now come in how he scores, and his weight. In order to be more of a true 1-4 defender, he’ll have to put on some size. Right now, he’s going to get pushed around by fours. With regard to his scoring, he’s a great three point shooter off of the catch, but he needs to do more to be a true weapon. That means hitting threes coming off of movement, flying off of screens and converting, and also developing more of a pull up game to counter hard closeouts. He is also a very poor rebounder for someone with his length.
CONCLUSION: The reason I’m so high on Murphy is largely tied to the fact that he’s still physically developing. He’s made it reign from three over three years in college, so the sample size showing that he can knock down those shots is large. At the very least, he will be able to do a good job defending 2s and 3s. The upside comes from his athletic burst. If we can figure out how to attack closeouts and add strength, there’s potential for him to really punish opposing defenses if they close out on him too hard. At worst, I think Murphy is a shooter with solid defense who sticks around for a long time. But if he adds to his game, he could be an above average starter and elite role player.
Jared Butler, 6-3, 20 Years Old, Savvy Guard with On and Off Ball Skill, Baylor.
DISCLAIMER: Since we do not know the severity of the medical situation that saw Jared Butler have to be cleared by a Fitness to Play committee, I will be treating the clearance he was given as absolute, and not speculate on it.
Jared Butler is a winning point guard, and he’s younger than you’d expect for a multiyear college star. Butler dissects defenses when operating out of the pick and roll. If you go under the pick, he is going to shoot it, and he hit them at a 41.6% clip last season. He also does a wonderful job of finding teammates, whether that be a screener, an off-ball cutter, or someone else who is spotting up. Butler also does a wonderful job without the ball in his hands. He became a devastating catch-and-shoot weapon when MaCio Teague and Davion Mitchell handled the ball. He can hit them from deep, too, as per Sam Vecenie, he hit 48% of his threes from NBA distance. There’s simply no way he won’t shoot at the next level. One of my favorite anecdotes is that he also taught Sunday School while attending Baylor. He just seems like a great guy that you would want on your team.
Butler is a relatively solid player all around, but his size is probably the one thing that could get him into trouble. He doesn’t have a great wingspan, so if a team did what the Mavericks did in the playoffs this year and went huge to start a game, he’d struggle to deal with that defensively.
CONCLUSION: In general, I believe player floors tend to be far lower than most analysts are willing to project. However, I don’t see a world where Jared Butler is anything other than a rotation player. He’s too smart of a decision maker, and too good of a shooter. To me, Jared Butler is one of the safest bets in the draft. I doubt he’ll go this high, but if you look at the historical value of players selected 14th, I feel that Jared Butler will exceed that.
Corey Kispert, 6-7, 22 Years Old, Knockdown Shooter, Gonzaga.
Corey Kispert’s value is his shooting. Over the course of his college career, he took 662 threes and made 40.8% of them, with both the percentage and number of attempts per game increasing every single year. Last season, Kispert knocked down 44% of his deep balls on 6.5 attempts per game. What distinguishes Kispert from other shooters is how many ways he can hit them; he’s not just a stand-and-wait-to-catch-and-shoot guy. Kispert does a good job of moving to get open, and trailing for deep bombs in transition. His playmaking is limited to attacking the rim after defenders close out on him too hard, but he’s very good at that, and his muscular build allows him to finish at a strong clip.
Kispert’s Achilles heel may be his lateral quickness, which Baylor’s guards put on display during the National Championship game. He may be hunted a little bit on defense.
CONCLUSION: I saw a lot of draft folks really take a turn on Kispert after the National Championship game, and I can’t get on board with it. He’s an excellent shooter who can fill that role at the next level. Defensively, I wonder if his title game performance would have looked a bit better with a big other than Drew Timme behind him. I see Kispert becoming a passable scheme defender who can give his team a lot of space. He’s 22 and he’s probably not going to add any new wrinkles, but as long as he can do what he did in college, he’s worth a pick in this range.
Keon Johnson, 6-5, 19 Years Old, Ridiculous Athlete, Tennessee.
Keon Johnson is an outrageous leaper, breaking the NBA Combine vertical record and then subsequently sitting out the rest of the event. Defensively, he can use his athleticism to nab steals and blocks. He also moves well on that end and stays tuned in, which bodes well for him at the next level. While he’s not a real deep threat, he can jump and shoot over defenders in the mid range with success.
The offense gets a bit dicey. Keon was 27.1% from three on the year. While he has great vertical bounce, he doesn’t have the best first step to breeze past defenders for easy buckets. Though he’s a solid defender right now, he’s not so good at it that it can compensate for his lack of offense out of the gate.
CONCLUSION: I’m not wild about Keon. If he ends up being a skinny 6’5” guy that can’t make shots, he is going to have to be an All-Defense level defender to get playing time. However, I’m fairly optimistic about his shot. From February onward, he was 30.7% from three and 76% from the line. Those aren’t exactly Steph Curry numbers, but they give a more positive outlook, and demonstrate that he got better from three and the free throw line as the season progressed. His offensive game is still very raw, so it’s hard for me to see an All Star type of outcome unless he improves across several areas. However, his improvement last season convinces me that he’ll stick. For that reason, he ends up here.
Davion Mitchell, 6-2, 22 Years Old, Defensive Guard, Baylor.
Davion Mitchell will probably do the best job defending opposing point guards immediately out of the gate in this draft class. He takes an immense amount of pride in making his opponent have a bad game, which is incredibly cool to me. He also became a plus from deep this year, draining 44.7% of his threes on 4.7 a game. His blazing speed allows him to beat slower defenders off the bounce.
I worry about Davion’s translation to the next level. His three point percentage was way higher than last year, and I wonder if that level of improvement is genuine, or a bit of a flash in the pan. He’s a poor free throw shooter (65.7% for his career) for a guard. His lack of length means that he’ll probably have to play point guard in the NBA, and he doesn’t make reads well enough at the moment to be a primary ballhandler. In college, his go-to move was “run really fast to get by the defender,” which will be less effective against NBA defenders. He will be 23 when the season starts.
CONCLUSION: Davion isn’t perfect right now, and older prospects don’t typically improve as much once they get into the league. I still think he’ll be a good NBA player. I buy that shooting improvement is genuine, and I also see him as a player who will keep working to improve other areas as well. The ideal role for him is as a Pat Beverley type who acts as a pest on defense, but rather than be more of a perimeter guy like PatBev on offense, acts as more of an attacker.
Chris Duarte, 6-6, 24 Years Old, Scoring Wing with Help Defense, Oregon.
Chris Duarte is a ready-to-go shooter who knocked down threes at a 42% clip on 5.5 attempts her game. He can hit them off the bounce and off the catch, and the stroke is beautiful with a quick release. His offensive feel is strong too, and he’s a sneaky good cutter/lob threat because of his jumping ability. He’s a good team defender who covers his man while also keeping an eye on the ball, allowing him to make fantastic help plays when teammates get burned. Duarte averaged nearly two steals and a block per game, with the block part being insane for a two-guard.
Duarte is actually so old that he started playing before the invention of the three point line. I kid, I kid, but he is an older prospect, and as a result, there’s likely not much upside here. If he struggles early, it could be curtains for him rather quickly. His frame is a bit thin and he can get bullied on defense by bigger players. My biggest pet peeve with him is that he threw a few comically bad passes, some of the worst I saw from a real prospect this season. He needs to be more careful and discerning when making decisions at time.
CONCLUSION: I think Duarte is going to make threes and play good defense, which is a valuable skillset to have. If he wasn’t 24 and didn’t have the passing issues, he’d easily be a top five pick, but if wishes were fishes, the world would be an ocean.
Miles “Deuce” McBride, 6-2, 20 Years Old, On and Off Ball Point with Defensive Versatility, West Virginia.
McBride seems like a guy who would be a blast to play with; a real competitor with energy. Despite being 6’2”, he has a near 6’9” wingspan, which is going to give him versatility to guard up on bigger players, and allows him to be a great rebounder for his position. McBride isn’t a long bag of bones, either; he’s got real strength. He averaged 1.9 steals/game last year, so he can make plays on defense. McBride also showed real improvements from his freshman to sophomore season, going from 30% to 41% from deep. He also upped his assist total, and while he doesn’t have the deepest bag of passes, he’s smart and doesn’t make mistakes with the ball.
The biggest concern with McBride for me is that he doesn’t really attack the basket much or have a real finishing package at this point.
CONCLUSION: I dig McBride’s competitive spirit and the fact that he’s already visibly worked to get better. I think the best role for him would be as more of a secondary playmaker next to a big lead distributor like a LeBron, Cade, etc., but that’s true for a lot of players. I see him sticking at least as a back-up guard because of his shooting and defense. If he can start to read defenses better and improve on his rim finishing, he’ll absolutely be a starter.
Usman Garuba, 6-8, 19 Years Old, Defensive Menace, Real Madrid.
At this very moment, no one in this class defends better than Usman Garuba. The Spanish national team had him covering Kevin Durant in their exhibition against the U.S. He’s quick laterally and powerful, so it’s hard for players to get around him or through him. In P.D. Web’s fantastic Let’s Watch Film video on Garuba, he outlined how complex his role was for Real Madrid last season; they asked him to do a lot. Garuba already has a very strong body, and his giant wingspan should allow him to play center in smaller lineups. His most tantalizing offensive skill is his passing, particularly out of the pick and roll.
The concern with Garuba centers partially around fit, as he’s not a three point shooter right now. If you play him at the four, you need to pair him with a stretch five. As a five, he doesn’t jump that well, so despite his strength and length, you’re probably giving something up on the glass. He also needs to find more ways to put the ball in the basket in general, as he’s limited on that side of the floor right now, scoring 4.7 points in 17.2 minutes per game last year.
CONCLUSION: I don’t see Garuba ever becoming an offensive dynamo, but he was 36% from the corner on threes. If he can at least become a threat out of the corner, he could be a P.J. Tucker type of player. If the shooting doesn’t come along and he can’t hang as a five, things could be ugly, but he’s young enough that I think he’ll get there.
Jalen Johnson, 6-9, 19 Years Old, Defensive Distruptor with Playmaking Upside, Duke.
The counting numbers of Jalen Johnson were ridiculous last year: 11.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.2 BPG, and 1.2 SPG in 21.4 minutes a night. He was also 44% from three. WOWZA. The block and steal numbers in particular are the key. Johnson is a terror on defense. He processes the game well on that side of the floor, and will take advantage of less aware offensive players. From there, he can then act as a playmaker in transition, as both a scorer and distributor. He runs and jumps really well for his size.
Unfortunately we have to do the whole “cHaRaCtEr CoNcErNs” bit here, as Johnson opted out of the season mid-way through the year. He also moved around high schools a lot. Some pundits have found this to be concerning, or see him as a quitter. I don’t know the guy, and I don’t know anyone who knows the guy, so I don’t think it’s fair for me to have a take here. My concern is primarily what he does on offense in the half court. While Johnson is a good playmaker in transition, he struggles to do the same when the game slows down, and turns it over as often as he dishes out assists. Johnson was also a poor free throw shooter, his strong three point percentage came on low volume, and his shot looks stiff. A lot of his points came in transition. I worry about what he does in the NBA right away, as he doesn’t seem comfortable without the ball in his hands and he isn’t a threat to shoot.
CONCLUSION: I have no idea what is going to happen here. Johnson is such a great defender that it’s possible he earns a long leash and gets to figure out his offensive game. It also wouldn’t surprise me if he struggles to adapt offensively and falls out of the league because of it. Either way, I’m here for the chaos.
Kai Jones, 6-11, 20 Years Old, Athletic Big with Interesting Tools, Texas.
Kai Jones came to basketball later in life than most prospects, focusing more so on track and field until he was 15. You can see those skills in his game, as he runs the floor exceptionally well for a big man and can jump both high and long. Jones’ offense has the basics you’d want from a center; he can finish well out of the pick and roll and off of dumps and lobs. He’s shown flashes of some crazy stuff, though, like step-back threes off the bounce. He hit 38.2% on three, and while the volume was low, he hit 29.2% as a freshman, so I absolutely think there was real progression given that he’s so new to the sport. He’s very fluid and moves his feet on defense, so he doesn’t get killed in switches. His ability to stick with smaller defenders is huge, as it could allow him to be a big that can’t be played off the floor.
Kai may play himself off the floor in some games, though, as he fouls a lot. Because he’s so new to the sport, he misses some reads that NBA coaches won’t tolerate. Offensively, his rawness shows up with turnovers and a lack of assists. He’s not strong, so his rebounding numbers were disappointing, and it makes you wonder if he can really punish smaller mismatches.
CONCLUSION: Kai Jones presents a wide range of outcomes. If he continues to improve and gets more used to the game, he could be an athletic marvel who shoots from deep and also acts as a high level defender. If he ends up on a team without a good developmental staff and a coach that doesn’t let him grow, he might not see a second contract. I’m intrigued by Kai, and I think he just needs time in a film room with a good team. What he’s done in a short amount of time shows me that the work ethic is there, he just has to get the processing in order through experience.
Ziaire Williams, 6-9, 19 Years Old, Big Wing with Playmaking Potential, Stanford.
Ziaire Williams has the physical profile of an NBA player, being 6’9” with long arms. He’s a selfless player who reads the floor well and understands that he needs moves to create offense. Williams put up good blocks and steals numbers, and reads opposing offenses well. He is also smart, as they don’t typically let big dummies such as myself into Stanford.
The issue for Ziaire is that he had a very bad basketball season at Stanford. He was 37.4% from the floor and 29.1% from three. His Tankathon “Stat Strengths vs. Stat Weaknesses” box is mortifying. Williams is also rail thin and doesn’t handle contact well, so despite his length, he’ll be confined to guarding twos and threes for now.
CONCLUSION: If there’s anyone you could make excuses for, it’s Ziaire. He dealt with injuries, and Stanford was hit hard by COVID restrictions. He didn’t get a real practice environment for much of the season, and was forced to move around and live out of a hotel. Williams also had to deal with two deaths in his family that forced him to leave the team and then come back on each occasion. He still looks like an NBA player, the shot is pretty, and he was a highly touted recruit. If he washes out, it may feel like we should have seen in coming all along. However, I’m willing to place him here due to his tools, previous reputation, and the fact that his season was a whirlwind of unfortunate events.
Cam Thomas, 6-5, 19 Years Old, A Damn Walking Bucket, LSU.
Cam Thomas can score the basketball. He averaged 23 points a game in a power conference, which is absurd for a freshman. Thomas scores at all three levels. He uses dribble moves and rhythm to get to the ring, he can pull up in the mid-range, and he’s capable of nailing really deep threes. His three point percentage was only 32.5%, but he took 7.2 a game, and not all of them were easy looks. Thomas also got to the free throw line at will, taking a preposterous 7.6 per game and hitting 88% of them.
Cam Thomas can score the basketball. That said, he appeared to have little interest in doing anything else. He didn’t care at all on defense, and he’s a bit thin, so defenders could get by him or through him at will. His assist totals were atrocious, especially for how often he had the ball. He’s also not great vertically or laterally, so you have to wonder if his scoring ability will work as well against better athletes.
CONCLUSION: Cam didn’t show anything outside of scoring. Still, it’s hard to bet against a guy who scored so proficiently against great competition at 19. Usually 20-25 guys from a draft class stick around long term, so I’m placing Cam toward the bottom of that range.
Tre Mann, 6-4, 20 Years Old, Scoring Guard, Florida.
I love the way Tre Mann gets to his shots from deep, and how well he shoots them. He’s got good size, and though he isn’t the fastest or quickest player, he uses his step back to three to create ridiculous amounts of separation. Mann was 40.2% from deep this year, and his off the dribble game gives him on-ball upside. He only averaged 3.5 assists per game, but when I watched Florida play, I liked the way he saw the floor. Mann also uses his size and wiry frame to snake into the lane for rebounds, grabbing 5.6 per game.
Mann’s issues are positional. He turned the ball over a lot, which makes him a less than ideal point guard. He also has an even wingspan and is skinny, making him a less than ideal shooting guard. Unless he can reel in the turnovers, this could prevent him from starting unless he’s in a great situation with a big initiator leading the offense. Mann also isn’t an attacker or rim finisher, which limits his creation abilities. Defensively, he doesn’t bring much to the table. He can get lazy, and he makes a lot of mistakes as a gambler and poor recovery guy.
CONCLUSION: Tre Mann’s step-back three is one of my favorite moves anyone in this draft class has, period. However, it’s hard to him imagine him even becoming a neutral defender given the severity of his issues on that side of the floor, combined with the positional dilemma. I see Mann as a bench scorer.
Sharife Cooper, 6-1, 20 Years Old, Ridiculous Playmaker, Auburn.
I believe Sharife Cooper to be the best passer in this class. He can throw lightning bolts with either hand out of a live dribble, and his vision is unparalleled. During Auburn games, there’d be a few times where he’d make a pass leading to an open bucket so fast, that you’d think, “Wait, what the hell just happened?” He see things well before they happen, and has the ability to put the pass there the most efficient way possible. Cooper also has ridiculous burst in a straight line, and had no problem getting into the paint. Cooper is also unafraid of contact, allowing him to take a preposterous 8.6 free throws per game. Sharife also nailed his free throws at a 82.5% clip. Despite being small with an even wingspan, Cooper also finds his way to the boards well for a point guard. His dribbling is almost as good as his passing.
The negative aspects of Cooper’s game are terrifying. There’s the obvious size issue, and the hit rate on small point guards is very low. Cooper was an abysmal 22.8% from three this season. His defense was bad, and his size makes it hard to believe he will ever be good, even when he’s more engaged.
CONCLUSION: Cooper is a player who, should he fail, it will be a “well yeah, of course” type of thing. There are several big things he’s going to have to overcome: the shooting, the size, and the defense. I’m skeptical about the shooting, we know he can’t do anything about the size, and with the defense, it is going to be ridiculously difficult to get to a near-league-average level. Still, I think there’s something here. He will immediately be one of the best passers in the league, and he’ll be able to contribute from the jump as a transition playmaker. I don’t know that he is ever an elite contributor on a playoff team, but I think about someone like Ish Smith, and Cooper could absolutely be “Ish Smith but with elite passing,” and that’s a really nice player.
Neemias Queta, 7-0, 21 Years Old, Drop Coverage Terror with Passing, Utah State.
Neemias Queta is an absolute force on the defensive end, and I like him more than any other player in this draft as a drop coverage big man out of the gate. Queta averaged 3.3 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. He will protect the rim, but he can also read defenses and intercept predictable passes. Quea has a 7’4” wingspan, and he moves really well for his size, both vertically and laterally. There were a few plays this season where he stole the ball and then ran the length of the floor to finish. The motor never stops. Queta’s also strong, and he knows how to use his body to control the glass. Queta does a great job finishing lobs and dunks, and has a solid post move package. My favorite of Queta’s is his passing, averaging a tremendous 2.7 assists per game last year. A performance that was emblematic of why I see so much in him was his tournament game against Texas Tech, where he was a massive intimidator defensively, and on offense, he made them pay on doubles by finding cutters and shooters, tallying 6 assists.
The downside for Queta largely boils down to his lack of touch and versatility, as well as some turnover issues. I don’t worry about the turnovers; he was stripped on post ups a bit in college, but he’s not going to be posting up much in the NBA; he’ll be setting screens, diving to the basket, and finishing in the dunker spot. Queta was a 70% free throw shooter last season, but I don’t think he’ll ever stretch the floor; the jumper is stiff and slow. He did okay on switches and knows how to make himself big, but smaller lineups will be tough for him.
CONCLUSION: Queta is going to be able to play drop coverage at a high level immediately. However, as more teams go away from that, he may lose utility. Still, there aren’t a ton of switchable big men, so someone is going to have a need for what he does. He separates himself from the other bigs in this class with his maturity and ability to read the floor as a passer. Queta’s polish extends to his ability to stay out of foul trouble, something many other bigs in this class struggle with. He’s plug and play, but he’ll likely never be an All-Star without a miraculous reworking of his jump shot.
Isaiah Jackson, 6-10, 19 Years Old, Athletic Shotblocker, Kentucky.
Isaiah Jackson was something of a stabilizing force on a bad Kentucky team this year. Despite being 19 years old, one of Jackson’s best traits is that he knows how to play within himself on the offensive end. A lot of prospects are hungry to “get theirs” and try to show off a whole range of stuff to scouts. Instead, Jackson did what he did best: he showcased his excellent hands and finished with explosive dunks. The hands are phenomenal; he doesn’t lose passes, can catch lobs with one hand, and rarely has to come back down to recover. That was a problem area for James Wiseman last season that ate into his efficiency. Jackson has shown flashes as a passer. The shot blocking is what you’re really here for, though, 2.6 per game in just under 21 minutes a night. Jackson does a good job of helping when a teammate gets beat and sending the ball back to where it came from. He also got .8 steals a game, showing that he can make reads off ball. The upside with Jackson is that he can also get into a stance and move exceptionally well laterally, meaning he could be a dive-and-dunk rim finisher who can’t be played off the floor defensively.
Jackson’s biggest issue at the moment is that he’s a bit undisciplined and sloppy as a defender at times. Unlike on offense where he is controlled, on defense, Jackson has a bad habit to seek highlight plays, bite on pump fakes, and get into foul trouble. He averaged 5.2 fouls per 36 minutes, truly an abysmal number. If he is put onto a “win now” team that needs him to play a bigger role, he’ll drive his coaching staff insane with that type of stuff. He hit 70% of his free throws, but is still a complete non-threat with the ball on the perimeter at the moment. Jackson also needs to pack on some weight, as he doesn’t make sense as a 4 right now, but will be one of the thinner, weaker centers.
CONCLUSION: If Isaiah Jackson can show the composure on defense that he does on offense, he’ll instantly be one of the more useful big men in the league. If he could add a shot, he’d be in the top tier of centers in the league, but I don’t see that happening. I think Jackson could be a high-end role player, but is likely more of a standard one.
Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland, 6-3, 20 Years Old, Off-the-Bounce Scoring Threat, VCU.
Nah’Shon Hyland picked up the “Bones” nickname due to his thin frame. He has a ridiculous off-the-bounce scoring game. Bones can pull up off the dribble from deep behind the line, and it’ll be a good shot; that’s the type of scorer he is. The release is fast, making it hard to prep for and contest when he takes one from Curry Range. He has really long arms, which also help when he needs to pull up in the mid range or finish at the rim. The length also allows him to get a ton of steals, nearly two a game last year.
Right now, Bones’ biggest limiting factor is the very body that gave him his nickname. He needs to pack on size, or else other players will bully him when he’s on defense, and he’ll have a harder time finishing. He also needs to get better at reading the floor on offense. Hyland gets brutal tunnel vision. For a 6’3” player who handled the ball so much, his 2.3 assists per game to 3.1 turnovers is a problem. He’ll miss open players, and he’ll also miss opposing defenders coming to help, leaving him vulnerable to get stripped.
CONCLUSION: Hyland will have to face a problem a lot of rookies are confronted with; how are you going to react when you are no longer the best offensive option on the floor? If he can transition into being more of a secondary playmaker, seek out teammates more, and become a positive off-ball player, there is no reason Bones can’t be a contributor. If he beefs up a bit, the wingspan will go a long way in allowing him to compete defensively. Right now, I see Bones as more of a bench scorer than a starter.
Joel Ayayi, 6-5, 21 Years Old, Guard Who Can Dribble, Pass, Shoot, and Rebound, Gonzaga.
I’m higher than the consensus on Ayayi, but he has a lot of valuable skills that I weigh heavily. Ayayi was actually really successful for Gonzaga in situations where he handled the ball and passed out of the pick and roll, giving him combo guard potential. He’s a phenomenal rebounder for the two-guard spot, getting 6.9 boards a game last year. Ayayi hit 38% from three last year, and he knows how to play off the ball to get into good positions. He does an outstanding job at the rim, shooting 69.8% there per Sam Vecenie. Defensively, he’s solid, knows how to move his feet, and knows where to be.
Ayayi is more of an acceptable athlete than a great one. He’s skinny, and hasn’t done much to add to his body during his time at Gonzaga. His wingspan isn’t long either, so it’s hard to imagine him covering anything other than the guard spots from the jump. He’s not an inattentive defender, but there were some plays where he’d be chasing someone around off ball, and the effort was not where you would like it to be. There isn’t a ton of upside here.
CONCLUSION: I see Ayayi as a winning player. The Atlanta Hawks really displayed how valuable guys who can dribble, pass, and shoot are when the playoffs come around. He’s a three level scorer who is completely content to play a role, and an excellent rebound for a guard. The defensive and athletic issues will likely prevent him from being a starter, but there are never teams that couldn’t use someone with his offensive tools and willingness to take a back seat.
Joe Wieskamp, 6-7, 21 Years Old, Three Point Shooter with Athleticism, Iowa.
Joe Wieskamp really shot up draft boards after his athletic testing at the combine, where he also showed off his 6’11” wingspan. Good athletes with long arms are always valuable, especially when they shot 41.2% from three over their college career, and 46.2% in their most recent season while launching over five a game. Wieskamp is really great off of actions and movement, and can relocate while his defender is distracted by the primary initiator handling the ball. He used his length and leaping ability to rebound well too; 6.9 per game last year. The problem area for him is his defense. Despite the length and athleticism, he just isn’t very good. He can get beat in a straight line, and his motor isn’t high on that floor, which is concerning given that he didn’t have the biggest offensive burden on his team last year. It’s also strange that he tested so well athletically, but you never thought, “Wow, what an amazing athlete!” during games; he needs to integrate his tools into his play. Even if the defense doesn’t come around, he should serve as a bench sniper.
Quentin Grimes, 6-5, 21 Years Old, Shooter with Defensive Instincts, Houston.
Quentin Grimes is a cool story, a highly recruited player who had a disastrous freshman year at Kansas, then completely changed his game and had a resurgence at Houston. Grimes does a great job laterally on defense, and contests opposing jumpers well. He’s a good positional rebounder. Grimes’ rise in stock this year mostly stems from his range; he canned 40% of his threes on 248 attempts this year. He fits the 3-And-D archetype that teams are constantly looking for. Grimes isn’t a great athlete, however, and this past season he didn’t do much of anything inside the arc. He doesn’t have anything off the dribble, and he won’t make opposing defenses pay if they close out on him too hard. Grimes’ three point shot will ultimately determine his success; if he keeps hitting, he’ll hang around.
Ayo Dosunmu, 6-5, 21 Years Old, Defensive Guard/Wing with Playmaking Tools, Illinois.
Dosunmu tested the draft waters last year, but went back to school. The main knock on Dosunmu was his three point shooting, and while his percentage went up this year, the number of attempts decreased, so it’s hard to get too excited. Ayo has a 6’11” wingspan, so he should be able to guard both up and down line ups. He has a good mid-range game and does a great job of finding the roll man when navigating screens. Coaches at U of I raved about him in interviews. He’ll have to adapt to being an off-ball player, which is tricky, because as someone who watched a lot of Illinois last year, it often felt like he vanished when he didn’t have the ball. The shot is going to be the swing skill; but if the shot comes along, he’s going to be a tremendous 4th starter or bench player type because of his ballhandling, length, and defense. I’m just not totally sold on the jumper.
Josh Primo, 6-6, 18 Years Old, Shooting Wing with Upside, Alabama.
Primo will be one of the youngest players in the draft. His numbers at Alabama read as pedestrian; 8.1 PPG on 38% shooting from three and .6 steals in 22.5 minutes per game. Why is he so high on boards? There are a few reasons; one, Alabama was awesome last season, so it’s not like he was a role player on just any team. Primo is also thought to have creation upside, which combined with his length, could make him a 3-And-D threat with ballhandling, which makes him a coveted prospect. I’m ultimately a tad lukewarm on Primo. I thought he was good at Alabama and had pro potential, but it’s hard for me to buy into what I haven’t seen. But, what I have seen is a good young player who has a great jump shot and is going to buy into a role in order to win, and that’s still enticing.
JT Thor, 6-9, 18 Years Old, Athletic Marvel, Auburn.
A favorite of Draft Twitter, JT Thor is a marvelous athlete. He blew his athletic testing out of the water at the combine. It’s next to impossible to find guys who are as tall and long as Thor that are also as fast as some of the speediest point guards. On defense, he’s already able to put a lot of those tools into practical use, as he does an amazing job of staying in front of, and swallowing up, smaller opponents. He only played 23 minutes per game, and still averaged 1.4 blocks and 0.8 steals. Thor is chaos, and he makes things happen on that side of the floor. Offensively, things aren’t as cohesive yet. He was better when Sharife Cooper was deemed eligible, but saying, “He was better when Sharife Cooper was passing to him” is like saying, “My nephew got a free toy with his happy meal.” He’s best in transition for now, but he can also catch lobs and attach closeouts. The jumper is weird, as he contorts his body into an “S” shape prior to launch. He hit 74% of his free throws, so if he re-works it, I’d be more willing to buy in. He’s currently a bad passer. He’s likely too thin to be a full-time five for now, so the shot needs to be credible for him to work at the four. He also fouls quite a bit on defense, and could stand to play more under control. Another one of the youngest players in the field, Thor is something of a ball of clay; he’s got absurd tools, and in the right system, he could become the steal of the draft. However, there is still a lot of little things that need fine tuning, and more often than not, players in that predicament do not become stars. I think Thor settles somewhere in-between.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, 6-9, 20 Years Old, Disciplined 4-Man, Villanova.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl reminds me a lot of Grant Williams, who was also regarded as a high character guy who excelled on a great college team, played good defense but wasn’t a great athlete, and had questions about his ability to extend his range to three. Robinson-Earl is more of smart defender than an athletic one, reading offenses well and using positioning to his advantage. He did a great job when switching on screens. His offense was a tad mid-range heavy, but he did well attacking as a roller and lob threat, can attack a closeout, and right now he can make threes from the corner. Athletically, Robinson-Earl will be at a deficit, which raises questions. Will he still be as switchable defensively? How much of his offense works against more athletic defenders? Can he hit threes from places other than the corner? The jumper will be the swing skill. I don’t buy the argument I’ve seen that he can be a smallball five; he doesn’t have the jumping ability, he isn’t exceptionally strong, and he has an even wingspan. He will need to become deadly from the corners or expand his three point repertoire. If he can do that, I could see him starting or being a high level bench player. If he can’t, he suddenly feels very dime-a-dozen.
Rokas Jokubaitis, 6-4, 20 Years Old, Crafty Offensive Minded Guard, Zalgiris.
Jokubaitis is really good as a passer. NBA Draft Junkies YouTube channel actually had a video of him from LAST YEAR’S draft class that features some ridiculous assists. He can sling the ball across the floor and to screeners. He uses his size to finish well at the rim, and he has a good outside shot. It looks like he’ll be able to play the 1 or 2 offensively because he can work off-ball well. Defense is the reason he’s lower; he doesn’t have a set position on that side of the floor, and he’s slow for a guard. Jokubaitis’ ability to adjust to the speed of the NBA game on D will be what decides his fate.
Kessler Edwards, 6-8, 20 Years Old, Prototypical 3-And-D Wing, Pepperdine.
The selling point is simple: Kessler Edwards hit 39.5% of the 380 threes he attempted in college, and he’s 6’8”. Edwards is a savvy defender one-on-one, but can be caught off balance when the ball is rotating. He’s also relatively slight and didn’t rebound at an above average level in a smaller conference, so he won’t be play the four at first. 3-and-D is all the rage, but I worry that if he slips in either of those areas, he doesn’t have a lot of ancillary skills to make up for it, as he’s an iffy passer and subpar dribbler.
Brandon Boston Jr., 6-7, 19 Years Old, Highly Touted Wing Prospect, Kentucky.
Brandon Boston had the harshest drop from pre-season expectations to current projections. He was 35% from the field and 30% from three on the year after being hyped as an elite scoring prospect. Boston is also skinny, and he had a hard time with physicality and finishing at the college level, which is scary when you’re trying to project him out as an NBA player. Still, I can’t quit Boston. He’s solid with the ball and has some nice moves to create space and get his jumpers off. If you take out his miserable first three games where he didn’t hit a three, he’s closer to 34% from there for the year, which is more palatable. Boston is also long and can read passing lanes. This season couldn’t have gone worse for him, and if he struggled with the physicality of the college game, I would absolutely plan on giving him time in the G League out of the gate rather than throwing him to the wolves his rookie year. If he can regain his confidence and get his shot going again, there is a lot to like, but this is sort of a human rebuilding project.
Isaiah Todd, 6-10, 19 Years Old, Smooth Shooting Big, G League Ignite.
Isaiah Todd was not a particularly good player in the G League, but there is one thing about him that is going to give him a lot of opportunities: he is 6’10”, and he can shoot the three. Todd took three triples a game, and hit 36% of them, which is really impressive when you consider that it was from NBA distance, and against professional competition. Todd has a real smoothness to him, and while he still far from being a polished scorer, he seems to understand the moves he needs to do in order to become one. Where Todd loses me a bit is with his rebounding and his defense. His frame isn’t mature yet, so he’s liable to get pushed around on the glass. He’s also not exceptionally long, making him the dread 4/5 tweener. It’s not that he isn’t a good enough athlete to play the 4, it’s more that his general defensive acumen isn’t there. If he can develop the same fluidity he has on offense into his defense footwork, he’ll be golden. The shot will buy him opportunities, but in order to stick in the league long term, he has to find a position to play on defense.
Vrenz Bleijenbergh, 6-10, 20 Years Old, Giant Passer and Defensive Pest, Antwerp.
I don’t know that Vrenz Bleijenbergh is good, but I do know that he’s interesting. Long and lengthy, Vrenz is constantly poking the ball away from ballhandlers. He’s also a prodigious passer for his size, both in transition and out of screens. His jump shot looks good and his release is lightning quick. However, the idea of Vrenz may be better than the reality. He has a hard time with physicality, and despite the eye test and volume, his three point percentages are merely average. His rebounding and finishing ability are way below where they should be for his height because of his frame. It’s hard to look at a guy like Vrenz and not want to take a shot on him, especially at this point in the draft. If the shot becomes as good as the eye test, he could be a monstrous role player. If it doesn’t, I’m not sure that he’s an NBA player.
David Johnson, 6-5, 20 Years Old, Multifaceted Guard, Louisville.
Here’s my big take on David Johnson: everyone wants to call him a point guard; I don’t think he’s a point guard. He can dribble well and has good assist numbers, but turnovers have been an issue. However, he’s a dynamite catch-and shoot threat who has a 6’11” wingspan. 6’5”…6’11” wingspan…has the frame to defend up the lineup…and he’s deadly off the catch more so than off the dribble…BAH GAWD, THAT’S A SHOOTING GUARD! I think if a team tries to fit him into the point guard box, his ceiling will be lower. I’d have him higher if I trusted his decision making more, but if he’s off the ball, that will be less of an issue. I don’t believe he has quite the dynamism required to be a starter, but he could be a real solid bench player that does a lot of things well.
Josh Christopher, 6-5, 19 Years Old, Athletic Scorer, Arizona State.
Josh Christopher was highly touted recruit who was unfortunately stuck on a messy Arizona State team with too many guys who liked to have the ball in their hands, and then shoot the ball without passing it to someone else. Christopher had that issue as well, but I wonder how much of that was a “hey, no one else is going to pass me this thing, I better do something with it while I have the chance” deal. Christopher is a great athlete and he’s really strong. He wants to be a guy who creates offense for himself, but he wasn’t efficient in that capacity last season. He only made 30% of his threes, and I hate how his jumper looks off the catch, with a cross-body hip dip. What I like about Christopher is that he has an NBA ready body, and he really competes on defense, specifically on-ball. He does a great job of getting low into the dribbler’s handle, and you can’t overpower him. His best bet is to get by on his defense while he figures out how to become an effective off-ball player.
Jay Huff, 7-1, 21 Years Old, Drop Coverage Big with Shooting, Virginia.
Jay Huff was a player who I felt consistently had less buzz than he should have had. If Huff can patch up a few things, he could be a Brook Lopez-lite type of center. He does a great job swatting shots in drop coverage, 2.6 per game last year. Huff also hit 38.6% of his threes during his four years at Virginia, and he also has craft when it comes to converting at the cup. Huff’s issue will ultimately be the one that plagues most drop bigs; he can be heavy on his feet and will get killed in space. He’s also not as strong as you might expect, and stronger players can push him around a bit. If he ends up in the right scheme and adds strength, there’s a lot to like.
Herbert Jones, 6-7, 22 Years Old, Defensive Nightmare, Alabama.
Herb Jones is a fantastic defender. Averaging 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks, Jones was a legitimately GOOD defender 1 through 4. A lot of guys can switch and not get destroyed, but Jones can switch onto anyone and eat their lunch. Jones has also shown a propensity to improve his problem areas, coming into school as a disastrous three and free throw shooter, and exiting on a year with 35% from three and 71% from the line. If I was totally sold on the three ball, Jones would be first round guy for me, but I’m just not there. He took under two a game, and many of those were of the, “we’ll let him take that” variety. If he can even get to consistently average from there, this take will age like milk. However, I just don’t see the shot getting there, and without it, it’s tough to see him being effective on offense, even though he’s a good passer.
Filip Petrusev, 6-11, 21 Years Old, Scoring Big Man, Mega.
Filip Petrusev comes to the NBA from the Adriatic League after beginning his college career at Gonzaga. Petruseve was Adriatic MVP last season, largely due to his ability to score at all three levels. He’s strong out of rolls, has a bit of off-the-bounce junk he can use on other bigs, and became a fantastic top-of-the-key and corner three shooter. Petrusev has solid lift, but his arms aren’t that long. Defense will be the swing skill, as he knows where to be, but he isn’t a rim protector or a good switch defender. He also lacks the strength to deal with powerful bigs and explosive drivers. If he can be okay on defense, there is a path.
Day’Ron Sharpe, 6-11, 19 Years Old, Rebounding Big with Passing, North Carolina.
I’m lower on Sharpe than the consensus, but that’s largely just based on how I feel about non-shooting bigs that don’t look switchable. There is still a lot to like. You won’t find a many people who play harder. I also really appreciate that he was on a team loaded with veteran big men, and he still worked like crazy and managed to carve out a role for himself. Sharpe is a fantastic rebounder, using his body to give himself space and keep others at bay. He averaged a hysterical 14.2 board per 40 minutes. Sharpe also made some really impressive passes for a man his size. That said, he also had turnover issues because he can get a little too daring with his passes at times. Sharpe also wasn’t a particularly good converter at the basket, ending the year with a 51% field goal percentage that feels awful when you consider his role. He also shot 50.5% on free throws. Touch is clearly an issue, and I don’t see it being fixed. Sharpe can rebound and pass, but I don’t know that it’s enough when there are so many other bigs available around the league at all times.
Greg Brown, 6-9, 19 Years Old, Preposterous Athlete, Texas.
If you only saw his highlights, you would think Greg Brown is a top five pick. He’s big, he’s fast, he can jump, he throws down monstrous dunks, he swats shots, and he can shoot it from three. If you only saw his lowlights, you’d never want to gamble on him. He fails to see wide open teammates and bowls over defenders at full speed as if he didn’t see them right in front of his face. Brown went 11 games in a row without an assist at one point early in the season. On defense, Brown does a good job of helping when teammates get beat off the dribble, but he also fouls like crazy. For every positive, it feels as if there is a massive negative. Brown is such a great athlete, and he appears to have shooting touch for a big as a 33% three and 70% free throw shooter. It feels tough to pass on him at a certain point. However, so much needs to be patched up, and it’s hard to imagine NBA coaches trusting him early in his career.
Jason Preston, 6-4, 21 Years Old, Intelligent Distributor with Range, Ohio.
Jason Preston has one of the most inspiring stories in the draft, as he was a marginal high school player who ended up getting a division one scholarship to Ohio after attending Central Florida as a normal student through a series of events that would feel too improbable to believe if it were a Disney movie. Beyond the story, Preston has some real tools. He is a really great game processor on offense who makes outstanding reads and throws perfect passes. Preston isn’t an explosive player with a lot of shake, but if you put him in a pick and roll, he can make magic. He hit a lot of threes from way behind the line, leading me to believe in him as an NBA shooter. Preston isn’t a great athlete, and will likely see himself picked on defensively. His fundamentals aren’t good on that side of the floor, and while his long arms may buy him a bit of help, he’s slow footed and not strong. He was also a strangely bad free throw shooter at 59.6% this year. There could be more development from him because he was such a late bloomer physically, but it’s unlikely that he comes a good enough athlete to be a starter level player. If he can build is body to be stronger and quicker, he could be an outstanding back up point guard due to his processing and shooting.
Juhann Begarin, 6-6, 18 Years Old, Combo Guard with Potential, Paris.
Juhann is a bit of a mystery box guy. He’s really athletic, he’s long, and he’s shown passing chops that show combo guard upside. His body is NBA ready too, he’s not a string bean. The shooting was great in his most recent season at 36.4% from three, but he’s been in the low 60s for his free throw percentage over the last two years, which makes it hard to get too excited about. Despite his frame, his converting at the basket and defense are way below where they should be. I’m intrigued by Begarin, and if he pans out, he could be awesome. If the shot isn’t real, and he can’t convert at the rim or defend, the athleticism and frame don’t mean much. I’d love him as a home run swing for a rebuilding franchise or as a draft-and-stash for a contender.
Charles Bassey, 6-10, 20 Years Old, Rim Running Shot Blocker, Western Kentucky.
Charles Bassey was really productive at Western Kentucky, which is what you want for a guy coming from a smaller college program. He’s strong, he’s awesome rolling to the basket, he rebounds, and he blocks shots. He hit 30% of his threes this year, and if he can keep improving the jumper, it will drastically raise his ceiling. He is another big guy who will need to play in a drop defensively. Occasionally he’d jack up some bad shots, but I don’t think he’ll do that when he isn’t the best player on the floor all the time. Bassey’s trajectory will largely come down to the three ball, as that could differentiate him from the other myriad of similar players available around the league.
Isaiah Livers, 6-7, 22 Years Old, Shooting Forward, Michigan.
Livers is strong, he’s a good decision maker, and he hit 43% of his threes on five attempts per game last year. He also has solid vertical pop and won’t get bullied by bigger players at the 4 even though they may have height on him. Livers is older, though, and he doesn’t make defenses may when they close out too hard. He doesn’t have much off the bounce. His footspeed is iffy, so it’s hard to imagine him becoming a Redick-style “run around to get looks” guy, and guards may blow by him on defense. He has a chance to make it if he’s in the right situation where he can spot up and cover 4s.
Jericho Sims, 6-10, 22 Years Old, Hyper-Mobile Big, Texas.
Jericho Sims is a rock solid pick and roll big. He knows that he’s limited offensively, and he’s a powerful dunker, so his field goal percentage is pristine. Sims is an excellent athlete for his size, so he does a great job in switch situations, meaning he could stay on the court and punish small lineups. Unfortunately, he’s a bad free throw shooter, so you probably don’t want him on the court at the end of games. Set a lot of moving screens, which he will absolutely get called for at the next level. The tools are all there, but he still makes mistakes that you shouldn’t see for a player his age, and the free throw shooting is a problem.
Moses Wright, 6-9, 22 Years Old, Athletic Defender with Burgeoning Shooting, Georgia Tech.
Moses Wright is big and strong, but he moves well vertically too. He’s steadily improved during his four years at Georgia Tech, at really caught my eye during a 23 point, 7 rebound, 6 steal game against Florida State. Strong STOCKS numbers, 1.5 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. Developed his outside shot and went 41% from three this year, but only took a little over one a game. He’s not the most switchable defensively, and is stuck as a 4/5 tweener on that side of the floor as a result. If the shot clicks, he could work as a small ball five in the right setting. Otherwise, his lateral movement will hinder him.
Aaron Henry, 6-6, 21 Years Old, Defensive Wing, Michigan State.
Henry’s calling card will be his defense. He’s a sturdy 6’6” with a near 6’11” wingspan, posted good blocks/steals numbers, and doesn’t allow ball handlers to get by him. Like a lot of Michigan State prospects, he has a solid passing game for his position and can operate with the ball a little bit. His NBA viability will boil down to his ability to hit threes. He was 33% on relatively low volume across three seasons. The rest of his offensive game isn’t enough to compensate for that number, which will make finding minutes tricky if the shot isn’t there.
Aaron Wiggins, 6-6, 22 Years Old, Well-Rounded Wing, Maryland.
Aaron Wiggins is a jack-of-all trades wing prospect who produced well over three years at Maryland, but was never dominant. He can shoot pretty well off the dribble and catch, but at 36% for his career, he’s not exactly a specialist. Wiggins uses his long arms to defend well, but he isn’t elite at it and isn’t a high level athlete. Significant improvement in any one area would make him much more appealing, but right now there are a lot of players in his same mold.
Sandro Mamukelashvili, 6-11, 21 Years Old, Dynamic Playmaking Big, Seton Hall.
I anticipate that Sandro Mamukelashvili will go much higher than this in the actual draft, because his package of skills is very unique. He runs and moves like a much smaller player, in ways both good and bad. He can operate as a ballhandler in transition, and not in a, “oh, that’s cute the center thinks he’s a point guard!” way. He’s a legitimately devastating passer. He hit 43% of his threes as a junior, but only made 33.6% this year. He had to play next to another traditional big a lot because he isn’t a great rebounder, his arms are short, and he can’t jump to protect the rim. Defends like he’s 5’23” rather than 6’11” when he needs to contest at the rim. He runs north-south well on the break, but doesn’t slide his feet well. Was really frustrating to watch when he’d have to move a lot defensively. I don’t think he’s good enough defensively to play the five without getting lit up, I don’t think he can cover fours, and the three ball is too iffy to cover for that. If the shot gets there or he can become a crafty defender (I won’t put that past him given his offensive processing ability), he could fill a role.
Santi Aldama, 6-11, 20 Years Old, Skilled Big, Loyala Maryland.
This is a bit of a tough evaluation for me, as I am not a big Patriot League viewer. Aldama profiles as a stretch big, hitting 36.8% from three this year. He also had 1.7 blocks, which is expected given his size in a smaller conference. He moves pretty well but doesn’t look like a ridiculous athlete. My foremost concern for him deals with his physicality. Aldama is rail thin and used to playing against a much lower level of competition, especially down low. His numbers were good, and I don’t think it would’ve made sense for him to go back for another year at Loyala, but it’s hard for me to buy in without seeing him up against better competition.
Justin Champagnie, 6-7, 19 Years Old, Phenomenal Rebounding Small Baller, Pittsburgh.
Justin Champagnie is one of my favorite quirky players in the draft. He averaged 18 PPG, and he did it in a way that you don’t typically see from a player his size; by controlling the glass. Champagnie averaged over 11 boards per game. He is a monster with a nose for the ball on the glass. On top of that, he’s a good defender who plays hard and averaged 1.2 steals and 1.3 blocks. The shooting isn’t great at this point, but it is improving, from 26% to 31% on threes from his freshman to sophomore season. He’s also been around 74% on free throws, so it’s plausible the three point game comes around. Champagnie is all motor, and could be a monster in smallball lineups, especially if the shot gets there. Effort isn’t everything, unfortunately, and the fact that he’s short for what he does and more of a function athlete than a great one slots him here.
MaCio Teague, 6-3, 24 Years Old, Deep Threat with Defensive Tools.
When draft season rolled around and I saw MaCio Teague entirely absent from most people’s draft boards, I was reminded of the classic film Zoolander, when Mugatu said, “I FEEL LIKE I’M TAKING CRAZY PILLS!” Teague is 6’3” with a 6’11” wingspan, so he gives your positional versatility. He thrived as an off-ball player at Baylor, averaging nearly 16 points per game as a third offensive option, so you won’t have to deal with an ego adjustment. He hit 40.8% of his threes over his four seasons playing in college. He doesn’t have a ton of juice as a creator, but he’s smart, can make basic reads, and doesn’t turn it over much. I know that he’s 24, and I don’t expect him to be a start or anything. But to me, Teague is a competitor who can shoot, defend a few positions, will play his tail off, and not make mistakes, which is exactly what I want when filling out the back end of my roster.
Marcus Zegarowski, 6-2, 22 Years Old, Offensive Point Guard, Creighton.
Zegarowski can shoot the ball; 42.3% across three seasons on 508 total attempts from deep. He’s also a solid game manager as a point guard with a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio. His wingspan is 6’3” and he’s not a great defender, so he’ll be fairly limited in terms of his ceiling. Zegarowski’s best bet is to catch on as a back-up point who can hit threes and play off of other creators as a spot up threat.
Sam Hauser, 6-8, 23 Years Old, Deep Range Threat, Virginia.
Hauser spent three years at Marquette before heading to Virginia, a school known for their defensive scheme. Unfortunately, he didn’t improve much on that end of the floor, and looks like he will be a liability on that end at the next level. Still, there is hope, as he has an incredible signature skill as a shooter. Hauser made nearly 44% of the 704 threes he took in college. 704! Hauser is a real sniper, and if he can work himself into good enough shape to just not get roasted on defense, he’ll have a role.
McKinley Wright IV, 6-0, 22 Years Old, Lead By Example Point Guard, Colorado.
McKinley Wright feels like a leader on the floor. He plays with a fire that you can see gets his teammates going. He was productive at Colorado, 15.2 PPG, 5.7 AST, 4.3 RPG. Wright is a player coaches will trust; he plays at a good pace and doesn’t force anything, and he tries hard on defense. Wright always felt in control of the game. He will be limited due to his stature, along with the fact that he shot 32.8% from three over his career and never showed any real improvement in that area. There isn’t a ton of upside, but his work ethic and savvy should earn him some opportunities.
Luka Garza, 6-11, 22 Years Old, Scoring Big Man, Iowa.
Everyone knows the deal with Garza; insanely productive college player who isn’t an elite athlete with a game that isn’t suited for the modern NBA. I actually think he could work offensively as a stretch big. His release is really fast and he can hit 3s at a strong level. I just do not buy him defensively at all. He gets killed out in space and can’t cover the pick and roll, which is a staple. Even when he showed up to the combine in better shape, he still tested poorly, and looked like he was about to topple over as he slid laterally during drills. He just doesn't have the balance or footspeed to be even a slightly below average NBA defender. He’s still really skilled and could catch on as a back-up if he develops excellent defensive technique.
Aamir Simms, 6-8, 22 Years Old, Strong Force with Touch and Savvy, Clemson.
Simms is a stretch 4 with a big body who rebounds well. He’s been 40% from three the last two seasons. Like many others, Simms is stuck in the 4/5 tweener predicament. He’s not a particularly good athlete vertically and doesn’t move well side-to-side, so it’s hard to see him covering people at the next level. The ability to shoot and rebound could buy him chances, and if he can find a spot on defense, he’ll have value.
Jordan Schakel, 6-6, 23 Years Old, Three Point Shooter, San Diego State.
Jordan Schakel is a one dimensional player, but that dimension is a critical one in the league: three point shooting. Schakel was 46.1% from behind the arc last season on 6.4/game, and hit 90.8% of his free throws is well. He can shoot the ball, and at 6’6”, he’s at least long enough to stay afloat even if he’s not particularly good defensively.
RaiQuan Gray, 6-8, 21 Years Old, Human Tank with Quick-Thinking Playmaking, Florida State.
I love RaiQuan Gray’s game. He is a massive human being who often times lined up as a guard for Florida State’s basketball team, even though he could probably do it for their football squad if he wanted to. Gray makes great, fast decisions and is a fantastic passer for his size. There’s a world where he’s able to guard 1 through 5 because he’s so powerful, but also still light on his feet. The two problem areas are his shooting and his conditioning. Gray was a 26.2% three point shooter over three years at Florida State. He came into the combine heavy than his college weight at 268, and also had a body fat percentage of 17.3, which is very bad. If Gray can develop his shot (he’s always been a decent free throw shooter) and stay in shape, he could be a tremendous role player, but the early signs were not encouraging at the combine.
AJ Lawson, 6-7, 21 Years Old, Athletic Wing with Shooting, South Carolina.
Lawson did A LOT at South Carolina last year, so his numbers look weird. He scored 16.6 points per game, but he took 14 shots a game, going 39.4% from the field and 35% from three. The three numbers are good when you consider that he took a ridiculous 8 per game. That is not a typo. Lawson is thin but flies all over the place defensively and can get steals. I think it’s intriguing to see what he would look like as a role player with better teammates around him. If he can add some mass and shoot better on lower volume, he’s definitely an NBA player. If he can’t adjust to a smaller role, I’m not sure what he is.
Austin Reaves, 6-6, 23 Years Old, Combo Guard, Oklahoma.
Austin Reaves started his college career as a two-guard at Wichita State, where he excelled in role player minutes as a deep threat. He transferred to Oklahoma and excelled as a playmaker, but his shot betrayed him, going about 26% and 31% from three during that time. Theoretically there is a combo guard in here, but it worries me that he has never both made plays and shot well in the same season. I’m also uncertain about who he can cover defensively.
Matthew Hurt, 6-9, 21 Years Old, Sniper, Duke
Matthew Hurt is an amazing three point shooter for his size, knocking them down at a 44% clip last year. Hurt will also take smaller defenders into the post, where he has a legitimate set of moves to punish them. Those two combos are fantastic, but the other end of the floor is a big issue. Hurt has a +1 wingspan, can’t jump, and is really slow. He’s going to get punished badly in space, and he doesn’t have the length or strength to deal with centers. The shooting is so good that if he can stay on the floor at all defensively, he’ll be worth a roster spot, but I don’t see it right now.
Mitch Ballock, 6-5, 23 Years Old, Deep Range Terror, Creighton.
Ballock is yet another shooting specialist. He was 39.8% on 773 attempts during his time in college. The percentage isn’t totally eyepopping, but the way he hits the three is, as he has limitless range. Ballock can hit them off the dribble, off the catch, and off of movement, all with a quick trigger release. He’s a negative athlete for the NBA and will not be a good defensive player, but the shooting is otherworldly and could get him some looks.
EJ Onu, 6-11, 22 Years Old, Wildly Intriguing Stretch Big, Shawnee State.
EJ Onu flew under my radar all year, as my cable package didn’t feature many Shawnee State games. Onu was dominant in Division 2, the question is how much of that is scalable to the NBA. He has a 7’8” wingspan and hit 40% of his threes last year and he blocked 4.6 shots per game, so the idea is that he could be a 3-and-D big man. I’m definitely interested, but I have seen so little of him, and there is no reference of him against high level competition.
Yves Pons, 6-6, 22 Years Old, Defensive Ace, Tennessee.
Yves Pons is an incredible defensive player who looks like he was chiseled out of granite. He has all of the physical tools you want in a defender, and he averaged 1.8 block and 0.7 steals last year. He’s quick enough to cover guard, and strong enough with long enough arms and great leaping ability to deal with some bigs. Offensively, the outlook is more grim. He’s not a scorer in any meaningful way, and he has career percentages of 31.8% from three and 65.3% from the line. If he could become average from three, he’d be a menace, but we’ve been saying that same thing for years now.
M.J. Walker, 6-5, 23 Years Old, 3-And-D Wing, Florida State.
M.J. Walker plays great defense, because of course he did, he went to Florida State and played under Leonard Hamilton. He also made 42.3% of his threes last year. On paper, that makes him profile as a perfect 3-and-D wing, but the rest of his offense is lacking. He can’t do much of anything off the bounce, and his percentage this year is an outlier over past seasons. Last year’s numbers feel much better than saying, “Here’s a 23 year old who over four seasons averaged 9 points per game and shot 36% from three.” It is going to come down to his shot, and how well his game holds up when he isn’t always one of the better athletes on the court.
D.J. Stewart, 6-6, 22 Years Old, 3-And-D Wing, Mississippi State.
I really liked D.J. Stewart heading into draft season, but his apparently subpar performance at the G League Elite camp had me a little concerned. Then I realized that despite technically being a sophomore, he was already 22 due to a redshirt season. Still, there are things to like. He has fantastic length and was 34% from three on 4.6/game. What stuck out to me during the season is how well he reads the game on defense, allowing him to take advantage of lazy passes for steals and transition opportunities. He’s certainly worth keeping an eye on, as if the shooting ticks up a bit, he’ll be worthy of a roster spot.
Isaiah Mobley, 6-9, 21 Years Old, Skilled Big, USC
The younger brother of elite prospect Evan, Isaiah Mobley is also GOOD AT BASKETBALL. He’s similar in stature, long and thin. He hit 43% of his threes this year, but didn’t take a lot of them. His stock shot up during the pre-draft process, as it looks like he may be able to do more than he was allowed at USC. He averaged .9 blocks, .4 steals, can switch defensively, and is a solid rebounder. Isaiah has the look of a prototypical stretch four/smallball five, we just need to see him in a more featured role.
David Duke, 6-5, 21 Years Old, Shooting Threat, Providence.
David Duke has proven in his two most recent seasons at Providence to be a good three point shooter and a great positional rebounder. His arms are long and he’s powerfully put together, making him a good defender. He’s always been plagued by turnovers, and he is a strangely poor offensive player inside the arc. In three seasons, Duke was over 40% on 2s one time, at 40.9% during his sophomore campaign. There’s a world where Duke hits as an off-ball shooter and defender, but his inability to do anything inside the three point line despite his frame is a massive turnoff to me. If he struggled with those things at Providence, I don’t buy them turn around in the NBA. Still, he’s a shooter with a high motor, so you can’t write him off.
Marcus Garrett, 6-6, 22 Years Old, Aggressive but Controlled Guard, Kansas.
Marcus Garrett does his best work on defense, where he uses his +4 wingspan to swallow up guards and force mistakes. He’s also fast and can dart into passing lanes well off the ball. Offensively, he’s best attacking the basket, and always has a good assist-to-turnover ration, as he makes simple reads, controls the ball well while maintaining aggression, and he doesn’t make mistakes. The question mark is his shooting, as he came into college a dreadful free throw and three shooter, but got to 34% from three and 80% from the line last year. If he can continue to make gains there, he’ll undoubtedly have an NBA career, but the sample size is so small that it’s hard to be totally sold, and he’ll have to deal with the NBA distance now as well.
Matt Coleman, 6-2, 23 Years Old, Well Rounded Point, Texas.
Matt Coleman is a really steady lead guard who isn’t exceptional in any one area, outside of maybe his finishing. That said, he is only decent athletically, so he may have a harder time getting there in the NBA. Coleman is doesn’t turn the ball over a lot, but he isn’t the most dynamic playmaker either, and he’s only average as a shooter. If the shooting takes off, he’ll have a place as a backup guard that you can trust, but the clock is ticking.
Chris Smith, 6-9, 21 Years Old, Versatile Wing, UCLA.
A young senior at 21, much of his game is more hypothetical than actual at this point. He’s never hit threes at an above average clip, except for this season where he was 50% on a very small sample before an injury ended his year. The eye test looks good, though. He’s a fluid mover, and at 6’9”, that will inherently give him value. He has some real optionality with the ball, and can use moves to get to the bucket, though he occasionally coughs it up. I’m not sold on him defensively despite the tools, as he falls asleep quite a bit. He needs the deep shooting to stick, but he could get by being average or just below it if he becomes a really engaged defender.
DeJon Jarreau 6-5, 23 Years Old, Playmaker and Defender, Houston.
I really enjoyed watching Jarreau at Houston. His ability to attack and get to the cup allowed Quentin Grimes to hang out on the perimeter and catch and shoot. He sees the floor well. Really feisty defensively. Was always more of a secondary than primary playmaker, and never was a major minutes guy. He’s never taken threes at a higher volume, and the percentage is a roller coaster over his four years. If he can become a steady shooter, even just an okay one, the defense and playmaking should keep him afloat.
Jose Alvarado, 6-0, 23 Years Old, High Motor Defensive Pest, Georgia Tech.
Alvarado is a guy you want to root for. He’s a non-stop nuisance on the ball defensively. Alvarado averaged a ridiculous 2.8 steals/game last year, and was a joy to watch. He was 39% from three this year, but that percentage has waivered over his four seasons. Basic passing/point skills. It’s exceptionally hard for guards his size to make it, especially when they aren’t outstanding scorers or passers, but he plays so hard that you can’t write him off. If he does catch on, he’ll be a fan favorite.
Derrick Alston, 6-9, 23 Years Old, Shooter with Length, Boise State.
Alston is 6’9” and hit 38.2% of his threes on 6.4 attempts per game last season. That’s the selling point. The reason he isn’t much higher is that he has a toothpick build, and he doesn’t do anything really well outside of shooting. He has the length you look for in a wing, but he has bad feet, so you can both bully and drive past him. If he bulks up and works on his D, he’s an NBA player, but those knocks have existed for a few seasons, and at 23, time is running out fast.
DJ Steward, 6-2, 19 Years Old, Aggressive Guard, Duke.
Steward does a great job of attacking, both in transition and as a half court finisher. He took a lot of threes and made 34% of them, which will likely need to be higher at the next level given his size. He’s tough but his frame doesn’t hold up great against stronger players at this point. His height is going to require him to play the point, and his creation for others isn’t where it needs to be yet. His best bet at the moment would be as a secondary, catch-and-shoot player next to a big initiator, but there are so many guys who can do what he does right now that will play better defense, and probably shoot better, too. He has a good mentality, and he’s young enough that things could break right, he’s just not quite ready yet.
John Petty, 6-5, 22 Years Old, Catch-and-Shoot Contributor, Alabama.
John Petty takes and makes a ton of threes; 38.2% on 814 attempts over four years at Alabama. He also had 1.3 steals and 0.6 blocks per game this year, demonstrating that he is a solid defender. The concern is that his three point percentage has oscillated quite a bit season to season. As one of the older players in this class, he’ll need to be hitting those shots to stick, especially given that the rest of his offensive game is nothing to write home about. His body also isn’t quite where you’d like it to be for a four year player. Guys who make threes always have value, though, so Petty has a real chance.
Daishen Nix, 6-5, 19 Years Old, Passing Wizard with Size, G League Ignite.
Daishen Nix was the one G League Ignite player who I thought really damaged his stock this year by taking that route. He was under 40% from the field and an abysmal 17.6% from three. The upside is that Nix still has a big frame for a point guard, and can make incredible passes. He had 5.3 assists to 2.9 turnovers, so he was still making mistakes, but he was also a 19 year old playing against professionals, so I’m more than willing to give him a pass on that. Young point guards in general struggle with that against pros, and I truly believe that will work itself out in time. The flashes of vision and precision are genuinely captivating. Nix also uses his body well to get to the glass and had an awesome 5.3 rebounds per game. He won’t get bullied at the next level. The problem is, right now he isn’t fast, he can’t create separation, and he has a very hard time putting the ball in the basket unless he’s at the rim. He also doesn’t project to get to the rim that easily based on his physical tools. Nix needs to improve his scoring ability to be an NBA player.
Scottie Lewis, 6-5, 21 Years Old, Athletic Defender, Florida.
Scottie Lewis received a lot of hype coming out of high school, but returned to Florida after a disappointing freshman season. To be honest, I’m not sure that he was much better this season. Lewis struggles to do much offensively. He has poor touch, and can’t score. Lewis went from 8.5 PPG to 7.9 this year, and he saw drops in both his free throw and three point percentage. Defensively, he fouls quite a bit as well and can be too aggressive at times. Still, his overall defense is a big positive. He’s got ridiculously long arms and moves really well. 1.0 blocks and 1.6 steals per game last season. He reads opposing offenses well and makes them pay for mistakes. Lewis never takes plays off. Currently, Lewis can’t do anything in the half court on offense, and his numbers getting worse after a disappointing freshman season are really discouraging. The defense is so good that if he could just not be a liability on the other side of the court, he’ll be a guy you can fit onto a roster.
Trendon Watford, 6-9, 20 Years Old, Offensive Play-Processor, LSU.
I wish I could have Trendon Watford higher on this list. He’s a really smart player who operates well as an attacker, despite being subpar athletically for an NBA prospect. There is a real craft to his handle, he converts around the basket, and makes reads well. He excels as a short-roll passer after setting screens. Unfortunately, Watford’s lack of athleticism is going to hamper his ability to succeed at the next level. He’s not strong or fast. Watford also is a subpar shooter, and doesn’t have a natural position defensively. If he can figure out the defense and shot, he could have a chance.
Matt Mitchell, 6-6, 22 Years Old, Defender with Strength and Some Shooting, San Diego State.
Matt Mitchell isn’t the longest, but he’s sturdy at 235 pounds. Should be able to cover multiple positions. Offensively, he dribbles a lot, and he’s not bad at it, but I don’t know how many teams are going to be into that. He went from 39% from three last year to 33% this year. He’s another player where the trajectory will follow that of his shooting.
Duane Washington Jr., 6-3, 21 Years Old, Scoring Guard, Ohio State.
Washignton was a player that I thought would be headed back to school, but he impressed at the various combine type camps and looks like he’ll at least get some serious looks. He took a lot of threes last year (7.7/game) and made them at a 37.4% clip. Washington is great at creating looks for himself, but doesn’t quite do it for others; more of an undersized 2 than a real point guard. He doesn’t do well defensively either, so if you’re bringing him in, you’re going to need him to score. He will have to defend better regardless, and unless the shot making continues to get better, he’ll have to work on his distribution skills.
JaQuori McLaughlin, 6-4, 23 Years Old, Savvy Lead Guard, UC Santa Barbara.
JaQuori McLaughlin broke out this year as a senior. Started off at Oregon State and was unremarkable in two seasons there prior to transferring to UC Santa Barbara. Did a tremendous job of both scoring and distributing last year, but doesn’t jump off the screen as an athlete. He’s 23, and will be facing a big jump in competition.
Carlik Jones, 6-1, 23 Years Old, Scrappy Point, Louisville.
Carlik Jones spent three seasons at Radford before transferring up to Louisville, and he was great last season on what should have been a tournament team. Jones brings great energy to the floor, is a pesky on-ball defender, and snakes his way through the defense to score and create for others. His 40.2/32.5/81.5 shooting splits aren’t ideal for any 23 year old, especially one with his frame. I’m rooting for him, and he’s reportedly an intelligent hard worker who will endear himself to coaches.
Eugene Omoruyi, 6-6, 24 Years Old, Powerful Forward with Expanding Range, Oregon.
If Eugene Omoruyi wasn’t 24, he’d be way higher on the board. His body is NBA ready. Covers several positions defensively. Shot 37.6% from three last year after barely taking any his first few seasons. If the three is real, there’s a chance he pulls a Freddie Gillespie and ends up on a roster by the end of the season. If he can’t hit from outside, he’ll struggle to get opportunities given his age.
Dru Smith, 6-3, 23 Years Old, Combo Guard, Missouri.
Dru Smith didn’t even start most of his games as a freshman at Evansville, and ended his college career as an All-SEC player. Smith really gets after it on defense and causes turnovers. He hit 37% from three over his college career. He’s not exceptionally athletic, and he’s more of a solid playmaker than a great one. Probably best as an off-ball 2 or a 1 next to a big initiator so he doesn’t have to carry the offensive load. He might not be handed any sort of NBA opportunity to start, but he’s shown that he can overcome that sort of thing in his college career.
Dalano Banton, 6-9, 21 Years Old, Stringbean Playmaker, Nebraska.
As a Midwesterner who watched a lot of Big Ten ball, it really took me by surprised when I saw Banton getting draft buzz. He’s definitely INTERESTING, but I’m not sure he’s good. Still, I don’t hate the idea of taking a flier on him. He is an absurd passer of his height and dribbles like a guard. Did a nice job of flying in for defensive rebounds. He was good for almost a block and steal a game because he processes the game well, but still left a lot to be desired in terms of consistent effort on that side of the floor. Banton also can’t shoot right now, with career splits of 40.8/23.7/63.1, and one of those years was at Western Kentucky, where he theoretically should have been much more dominant. Banton is also skin and bones at the moment. If he can somehow drum up a jumper, he’d be an NBA player, but there isn’t any evidence of it so far, and he can’t do anything without the ball in his hands currently.
Chaundee Brown, 6-6, 22 Years Old, Willing Roleplayer, Michigan.
Chaundee Brown was a role player for a great Michigan team last season. Good size for a wing, and he plays hard on defense. He’s more of a stable defender who controls and contests than one who creates plays and causes havoc. He shot 41.9% from three last season, but that was way higher than his past three seasons. If the shot is real, or if he can continue to build on it, there’s something interesting here, as he has no problem settling into a role and making winning plays.
Javonte Smart, 6-4, 22 Years Old, Scoring Guard, LSU.
Javonte Smart was a high level recruit out of high school. He scored 16 a game last season and hit 40% from three on 6.2 a game, but it was an outlier compared to his past two years. Occasionally makes really frustrating decisions. In their tournament game against Michigan, he threw a no-look, under his legs bounce pass to an inattentive teammate right before setting up the half court offense that went out of bounds just prior to Michigan’s comeback and subsequent win. He has a deep bag offensively as far as getting into shots. Defense comes and goes. Smart will be best served to scale back and play within himself more offensively while devoting himself on defense.
RJ Nembhard, 6-5, 22 Years Old, Slashing Wing, TCU.
Has long arms and is solid on defense. Not much of a shooter. Does a great job of knowing how to cut to the basket. He’s strong and has enough ball handling to get to the basket. Doesn’t to a great job of reading the defense and turns it over a lot. Had the ball a lot at TCU and will have to completely re-adapt how he plays while continuing to work on his shot.
Ethan Thompson, 6-5, 22 Years Old, High Motor Guard, Oregon State.
Ethan Thompson was the driving force behind Oregon State’s Cinderella run in the NCAA Tournament. He plays hard all the time. Pokes away steals. Okay at making reads. Decent shooter. He does a little bit of everything, and needs to improve his shot to be in consideration for a roster spot or playing time.
Amar Sylla, 6-9, 19 Years Old, Athletic Big, Oostende.
Amar Sylla is a name I’ve seen circulating for a few years due to his athleticism and physical tools. He’s still yet to have a really productive season overseas, but has a chance because he’s so young. Could be a name to watch in a few years, but he’s not ready for NBA minutes right now.
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-Maxwell