1. Nerlens Noel (6’11” PF/C, Kentucky)
Noel is already an elite shot-blocker and defender. He’s really raw on the offensive end and will probably never be a first or second option on offense, but he still possesses the talent to be one of the best big men in the NBA in a few years, and his offensive game will only improve.
Player Comparison: Dikembe Mutombo
2. Ben McLemore (6’5” SG, Kansas)
McLemore is already an elite shooter and is incredibly athletic. He’s good at finishing around the rim and already has shown exceptional defensive skills for a shooting guard as he is a good rebounder and blocks a lot of shots for a two-guard. He needs to learn how to create better, but he has great upside.
Player Comparison: Ray Allen (Best Case)/J.J. Redick (Worst Case)
3. Otto Porter (6’8” SF, Georgetown)
Porter can do a little bit of everything. He is very athletic and has great length which allows him to excel as a defender and rebounder. Despite still being somewhat raw, he possesses great basketball I.Q. and can score from anywhere on the floor. He’s a good passer and has a very good feel for the game.
Player Comparison: Nicolas Batum
4. Victor Oladipo (6’5” SG, Indiana)
Oladipo is already an elite defender in all aspects. He can block shots, jump passing lanes and is a complete ball hawk on defense. While his outside shooting has improved, it still needs to get better if he wants to reach his full potential. His ball handling can also be shaky, but he’s a great prospect. At worst, you have a guy who can come off the bench and shut down almost any perimeter player when needed. His floor isn’t very low.
Player Comparison: Terry Teagle
5. Trey Burke (6’0” PG, Michigan)
Burke is a natural-born leader. He thrives in the clutch and has terrific handles. He’s a great distributor of the basketball and has very good court vision. His outside shooting continues to improve, and he’s a good on-ball defender. Due to the recent success of smaller PG’s such as Ty Lawson and Kemba Walker, Burke’s size shouldn’t hurt his draft stock at all.
Player Comparison: Tony Parker
6. Shabazz Muhammad (6’6” SG/SF, UCLA)
Despite scoring at a high rate (17.9 PPG) and being a very good rebounder considering the position he plays (5.2 RPG), Muhammad’s lone college season was still considered a disappointment. Shabazz still has elite athleticism, length and speed, and he demands the ball late in games. He can score from anywhere and has great three-point range, but he has to improve as a passer.
Player Comparison: Corey Maggette
7. Anthony Bennett (6’7” SF/PF, UNLV)
The issue with Bennett is his size. He may not be tall enough to defend some PF’s in the league, and he won’t be quick enough to stay on SF’s. However, Bennett is an outstanding jump shooter, has a great mid-range jumper, and is dangerous from three-point territory. Despite being undersized, he’s still very physical around the rim. Injuries are another red flag.
Player Comparison: Paul Millsap (Best Case)/Jason Maxiell (Worst Case)
8. CJ McCollum (6’3” PG/SG, Lehigh)
McCollum is a prolific, versatile combo guard who is a fluid athlete. He can create better than anyone in the draft and has a tremendous jump shot. As a junior, McCollum made 51.6% of his attempts behind the three-point arch, and he continues to improve when taking it into the paint. He needs to improve as a floor general, but he could very easily end up being the best scorer from this draft class. There is some Stephen Curry in his game; he can heat up quickly.
Player Comparison: Jason Terry
9. Dario Saric (6’10” F, Croatia)
Saric has more potential than anyone else in this draft class. He has a rare skill set as he can run the point effectively and can score from anywhere on the floor. He’s just really raw and seems like he’s probably a boom or bust pick. He’s shown flashes of being able to do everything, but he’s just really inconsistent. He probably won’t make an immediate impact; he should be approached as a project.
Player Comparison: Chandler Parsons
10. Alex Len (7’1” C, Maryland)
Len is a good center prospect who has good size and length. Despite still being somewhat of a work in progress, Len already has a lot of skills in his offensive arsenal. He has a solid face-up jumper, post-up game and turnaround jump shot in the post. He’s a solid rebounder and has a lot of upside. He still needs to add more strength to his frame and become more aggressive.
Player Comparison: Jonas Valanciunas/Spencer Hawes
11. Cody Zeller (6’11” PF/C, Indiana)
Zeller really hurt himself by staying, but in this weak draft, he still should be a lottery selection. He runs the floor well and has a great feel for the game. He has a variety of post moves and is very skilled when it comes to scoring around the basket. He’s active on both ends and is very athletic. He’s a solid passer and handles the ball pretty well for the most part. Zeller has one huge weakness though, and it’s very concerning: he simply lacks ideal strength in the post, as displayed by being shoved around too much last year.
Player Comparison: Brook Lopez (Best Case)/Andrea Bargnani (Worst Case)
12. Michael Carter-Williams (6’6” PG, Syracuse)
Carter-Williams is a very intriguing prospect thanks to his size and length. At 6’6”, he’s very bothersome on defense and is a great distributor of the ball. He excels in transition, and he’s at his best on offense when slashing to the lane. MCW has also established a pretty floater, and he’s the best rebounding PG in the draft. MCW’s outside shot is still much of a work in progress though, and he doesn’t have ideal strength.
Player Comparison: Poor man’s Rajon Rondo
13. Giannis Adetokunbo (6’9” SF, Greece)
Adetokunbo and Saric are very similar prospects. Like Saric, Adetokunbo is tell for a small forward (6’9”), yet contains the skills required to function as a point forward. He has very good court vision and continues to improve as a distributor of the basketball. In the 2012-2013 season, Adetokunbo averaged over 9 PPG and an even 5 RPG. He shot approximately 44% from the field and 34% from deep, so he also has displayed signs of being able to score from everywhere on the floor. He’s also very skinny (196 lbs). He needs to add to his frame if he wants to spend the majority of his time at SF in the NBA. Some scouts even project that he could enter the league as a PG. On the bright side, he has great length (7’4” wingspan).
Player Comparison: Better Thabo Sefolosha
14. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (6’6” SG, Georgia)
Caldwell-Pope has quietly been moving up draft boards and for good reason. Caldwell-Pope has ideal size and length to play SG, and he’s a natural scorer. He has great athleticism and looks very fluid on the hardwood. He has great upside and can take over a game when he gets hot. He can shoot from anywhere off the ball or with the ball and is improving as a finisher around the rim. He has a lot of confidence and isn’t afraid to take the final shot, but he’s still very young and has a lot of maturing to do.
Player Comparison: Dell Curry/Kerry Kittles
By Brian Emory
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