The “Biggest” Big Board – Final 2017 NBA Draft Stock Evaluations

This is my final Big Board for the 2017 NBA Draft being held Thursday, June 22nd at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. I’ve highlighted the notable prospects that have seen their values rise, fall, or hold steady leading up to their possible selection tomorrow night. The full Big Board is available for your perusing at the very bottom with information on 147 prospects that made my final database.

The final Mock Draft will be released tomorrow morning!

Stock Up

Jonathan Isaac – From 9 to 4: Isaac is a prospect that keeps growing on me. At first glance, his game tape doesn’t blow you away, but multiple viewings solidify him as a relatively low-risk and high-reward player at the next level. Defensively there is very little concern that he can’t fill out his body and become a flexible small ball 4 or 5. His rebounding and defensive instincts are elite. Combine his length and smooth shooting form and the low end of the spectrum of possible outcomes is a legitimate 3-and-D player, while the best case scenario is a hybrid two-way star.

Donavan Mitchell – From 36 to 12: Mitchell has been a workout wonder over the past month, and there is plenty to like from him as a playmaker and athlete. His defensive effort and upside are really intriguing when considering his pro-ready body. There will be shooting concerns and he looks like a combo-guard right now, which isn’t always the best thing on offense. He should be able to guard most perimeter players, and if he develops a consistent three-point shot he could be one of the top 10 if not five players to come out of this draft. I’m still worried he may never carve out a key role in an NBA offense, which prevents me from having Mitchell crack my top 10.

Anzejs Pasecniks – From 30 to 20: Anzejs is tired of the lazy comparisons to compatriot Porzingis, but he looks to be a strong prospect in his own right. Defensively, his ceiling is much lower than Kristaps, as he lacks the same strength and explosiveness coming into this draft. Offensively, he should be a smooth operator out of the pick-and-roll and I really like his footwork and hands. Expect for him to develop into a very efficient offensive center and versatile rotation player if he improves his rebounding. Shooting corner 3’s is well within his ability.

Jordan Bell – From 58 to 21: I often resist the urge to overvalue 22 year-old upperclassmen, but Bell is an exception to the rule. He is blessed with extremely quick lateral movement for a big and makes up for his average PF/C height with good length and core strength. If, and it is a legitimate if, Bell develops a consistent jump shot his stock will go through the roof as a small ball 5 that can spread the floor and guard opposing bigs. He doesn’t have the playmaking skills of Draymond Green, but there is a universe in which he could develop into that type of player in the league.

D.J. Wilson – From 65 to 29: Wilson is a late-bloomer, which may explain why he is making a late push up draft boards.  The physical traits and intangibles for a rangy two-way big are there for D.J. One pleasant surprise was his improvement shooting the ball. Wilson was a major contributor to Michigan’s hot finish to their season – and if he can sustain his three-point shooting at the NBA level, the team that selects him in the first round will be patting themselves on the back. One concern is his rebounding effort, but that can be improved upon since he has the requisite length and strength.

Jonah Bolden – From 80 to 30: Bolden has had a very unique path to this draft, which also explains why scouts are jumping on his hype train very late into the process. Originally a highly touted prospect, he bounced around high schools before landing at UCLA – where he redshirted before eventually landing in Europe on Radnicki Basket in Serbia. Overseas he gained confidence in his abilities and shined brightly as a key member of his team. Bolden combines flashes of hot shooting from deep with length and strong rebounding traits. He can develop into a strong 3-and-D  player if he improves his lateral footwork and shooting consistency. The extremely low free-throw percent (59%) should raise some eyebrows though.

Frank Jackson – From 50 to 32: Frank has the kind of shooting stroke that leaves tongues wagging. He was marginalized as a “shooter” in Duke’s deep guard rotation this season, but there might be some playmaking ability there. He looks small and short but his measurements as well as 6-7 length may have taken everyone by surprise. Defensively, don’t expect much, but if Jackson becomes a reliable on and off ball shooter with gravity, teams will greatly appreciate his scoring off the bench.

Derrick White – From 88 to 34: White has carved out a unique path of his own – going from a D-II school to Colorado where he became the primary playmaker. White is on the older end as a prospect coming in to the league at 23 years old, but his experience should portend a strong start to his pro career. He has been turning heads ever since the pre-draft process began and beating up on the competition with solid shooting and playmaking skills plus a well-developed frame. Teams looking for immediate contributors at the PG position will look for this rookie to play up to his years and experience.

Ognen Jaramaz – From 89 to 44: Jaramaz became automatically eligible after initially submitting his name into the draft several seasons ago as an early entry. The past few years he has been almost forgotten but upon further review of limited game tape of him orchestrating the offense at Mega Leks, an intriguing potential has shined through. Jaramaz is a very aggressive offensive point guard that has the confidence to pull up, attack the rim, and run the pick-and-roll. His shooting looks streaky but he plays with swag and composure. Expect a team to stash him before ultimately deciding when he is ready to bring his energy over to the states.

Holdin’ Steady

Markelle Fultz – From 1 to 1: The consensus top prospect in this class will be the first one to walk up to the podium Thursday evening as the 76ers made the proactive move of trading up to obtain the rights to the first selection in the draft. Fultz would fit any roster, but in particular with Simmons already on the roster Fultz’s abilities on and off the ball should come to the forefront with this promising young core in Philadelphia. Trust the Process.

Lonzo Ball – From 2 to 2: A certain second pick in the draft the moment the Lakers ended up with the second pick in the lottery, there were some smokescreens going around the league up until yesterday as to what Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka were going to do. Trading D’Angelo Russell makes everything clear. Lonzo is coming to the Lakers, and LaVar’s prophecy will officially become a reality.

Dennis Smith – From 4 to 3: Smith is one of my favorite prospects in the draft based on upside alone. As an offensive player he is able to do anything a modern NBA offense would want out of its lead guard. Smith is a capable shooter off the dribble and without the ball. He loves running the pick-and-roll offense. He is a strong and creative finisher at the rim, combining core strength with explosiveness and quickness. What he lacks in size and length he makes up for with intensity on both ends of the floor when engaged. That lack of consistent effort and focus is what may keep him from getting drafted where I have consistently ranked him in terms of value in the 3-5 range. It is hard to nail down his perfect fit, as the Celtics passed on Fultz presumably to draft a wing, and the Suns already have Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight. Wherever he lands in the lottery it will be interesting to see if he can prove all the teams silly that pass up on drafting him.

Malik Monk – From 5 to 5: Malik Monk is in the top 99 percentile of all prospects on offense for this class. His shooting is spectacular in terms of quickness in release, form, footwork, and movement off the ball. His gravity will be extremely valued in any offense. Also, he brings an added variable of being a solid secondary ball-handler as he played PG in high school and is a capable pick-and-roll initiator. His defense is suspect but concerns should be tempered by plenty of game tape where he put in good effort, contested shooters, and even won games with blocks. His size and length are average at best but he makes up for it with a quick first step and surprising athleticism.

Stock Down

Josh Jackson – From 3 to 6: Not a significant drop for a potential top pick going into the season. Jackson doesn’t have any real flaws as a basketball player, but it is his lack of elite skill that keeps him from making my top 5. Jackson will excel on a team that looks to run in transition where his rim running speed will result in highlight dunks and open jump shots. Speaking of jump shots, his college three-point percentage was nice in part to a strong finish to his season, but nobody can seem to reach a confidence level in his ability to extend to the NBA line. Defensively he has the tools to be effective and his energy and motor are non-stop. Reminds me of Marcus Smart on defense and skinny Harrison Barnes on offense, which is a valuable contributor to winning basketball, but not a superstar. T-Mac comparisons will have to stop.

De’Aaron Fox – From 7 to 10: Fox’s character and competitiveness make him a coaches pet, and I really want to fall in love with him too. Unfortunately, getting past his shaky jump shot is something I just can’t do. Fox doesn’t have the size or strength to overcome his inability to create shots for himself. As NBA defenses give him space all his other elite skills will be marginalized. Hopefully he can prove his skeptics wrong and continue to create offense by using his exceptional quickness to get to the rim. The reason he sneaks into my top 10 is that he has consistently surpassed expectations, in particular the domination of Lonzo in the NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen game stands out.

Isaiah Hartenstein – From 14 to 22: Hartenstein was once considered a true lottery prospect but his toiling in virtual anonymity with limited playing time in Europe has done his stock no favors. The intangibles of his size combined with ball-handling and play-making potential are intriguing, but he has yet to have a platform to showcase himself. Turnovers and inconsistent shooting are problems that will give him a short leash with NBA coaching, and unless he gets stashed Hartenstein could have a very rude awakening to his NBA career sitting at the very end of the bench. At 22 on my board he could still drop, but it’s just too early to give up on a 19-year-old with nimble quickness in a 7-foot package.

Terrance Ferguson – From 25 to 31: Another prospect like Hartenstein, Ferguson was expected to showcase lottery potential, combining scoring skills with top-notch athleticism. Unfortunately, results overseas have been inconsistent. Is he a scorer if he can’t shoot? Is he athletic if he can’t defend? Is he a top NBA prospect if he can’t earn consistent playing time in Australia? All of these questions are valid and un-answered which is what makes Ferguson’s floor as a prospect cave. Someone is going to take a flier on him but I have no clue if it will be in the first or second round at this point.

Josh Hart – From 21 to 33: Josh Hart is probably the quietest prospect in an NBA Draft that I can remember in some time who was actually arguably the best player in college basketball. We have seen guys like Adam Morrison overwhelmed with unrealistic pro expectations, while deserving lottery talents like Draymond Green drop into the second round. Josh is probably somewhere in the middle of these two college superstars in terms of NBA potential. He is the quintessential jack of all trades that can contribute as a playmaker and a scorer but will have a capped ceiling as a primary option in the offense. His shooting has improved incrementally every year but he is by no means an elite sniper. Defensively Hart puts in effort and is engaged but physically doesn’t have the tools to disrupt opponents. His high character and experience will make him a solid contributor at the next level and he looks to be an effective role player.

Jonathan Jeanne: This is a very unfortunate situation where his pro basketball career may be on hold for the foreseeable future, at least in the NBA. Jeanne was diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome during the draft process. This is the same genetic disease that Isaiah Austin was diagnosed with. Perhaps he may get cleared several years down the road but it might be too risky for any team to spend a pick on him. Health is the most important thing in life and Jeanne’s situation is a harsh reminder.