Looking at the top 14 prospects of the upcoming draft.
Before GMs fall in love with a guy because of their ‘brain type’ or some other weird reason, before team needs are taken into account, and before trades make future millionaires change hats more than Pharrell (seriously Pharrell, Ranger Smith wants his lid back), here are the top 14 talents that should be taken June 26th.
1. Andrew Wiggins, G, Kansas
So the hype train didn’t exactly knock off anybody’s hats when it rolled into station in his one year at Kansas. It doesn’t really matter. He has gonzo athleticism, shown the ability to defend stoutly, showed enough offensive flashes once Embiid went down and perhaps most importantly: There is a serious dearth of SGs in the NBA today. This well behaved Canadian kid could very well be the next big thing.
2. Jabari Parker, F, Duke
He’s probably the most NBA-ready player right now. He already showed a gift for getting buckets and scoring is generally a major problem for lotto teams. Heck, it’s a problem for some playoff ones. He quelled injury concerns by looking sneakily athletic, flashed a diverse skill set, and is a natural leader. His position on defense is questionable but he is such a potential culture changer that it shouldn’t matter.
3, Joel Embiid, C, Kansas
He’s not the next Olajuwan and he’s not the next Mutombo either. Even if he’s a rich man’s Dalembert, that is enough to be one of the best centers in the NBA from day one, such is the nature of the position. Athletic, polished, and nice timing for blocking shots, Embiid looks like a beast in the making, especially considering his limited basketball life. The back issues will probably hurt his stock but he could easily go first overall.
4. Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky
Talent wise, he is still very much in the cream of the crop. Along with Wiggins, Randle’s game should really blossom in the better spaced NBA. He is quite athletic and fairly skilled for his size and didn’t display much of a lack of basketball IQ outside of trying too hard to score in traffic. He is potentially a match up nightmare on offense for PFs, especially if he improves his shooting range.
5, Dante Exum, G, Australia
Point guard skills in a shooting guard’s frame never hurts your draft stock. Tall points are always en vogue and Exum looks like another good one. He might be a bit of a project but Exum has enough flashes to disrupt an NBA defense from day one. Looks to be as safe as a pick as an enigmatic foreign player can be. Probably more Mike Conley-tier than Westbrook-tier but who is going to turn that down in the draft?
6. Aaron Gordon, F, Arizona
He’s not Blake Griffin athletic but honestly, few people are. Still, Gordon combines very good athleticism with high basketball IQ, creating one of the best team basketball players in the draft. He doesn’t have the skills, namely jumpshot, to be a star but he should be a super role player with his high motor, knack for hockey assists, rebounding and weakside defense.
7. Doug McDermott, F, Creighton
Yeah, he’s an unathletic white guy from a small school and in-between positions, but in today’s increasingly position-less NBA that is becoming less of a problem and McBuckets might be the most skilled player in the draft. His offensive repertoire is Dirk-lite and he is a tireless, smart worker. A good coach can hide him on defense and feature him on offense and his showing at the USA mini camp really quelled doubts over whether he belongs on the floor with the NBA’s best.
8. James Young, SG, Kentucky
One of the few guys without question marks about his position and he has talent to boot. After a good tourney showing, he’s a consistent 3-ball away from being one of the better SGs in short time. Good combination of size, athleticism and handles for his position. A crafty lefty that can create his own shot is quite useful and Young should adapt to the NBA fairly well as long as he isn’t relied on too heavily.
9. Marcus Smart, G, Oklahoma State
Honestly has more intangibles going for him than translatable NBA skills and even the intangibles took a hit as Smart did his best Artest imitation this year. However, the streaky combo-guard is still a match up problem on offense and one of the best defenders in the draft. He doesn’t have the decision making ability of a good PG or the shooting of a SG but he makes up for a lot of this with strength, good athleticism, and work ethic.
10. Zach LaVine, G, UCLA
A tall point guard from UCLA with great athleticism and a pretty stroke. He is another candidate for the “Game better suited for the Pros” list as a lump of clay begging to be shaped into an elite guard. I see more Jamal Crawford than Austin Rivers and he could be a terror if he develops good IQ. Needs to get stronger but then again Steph Curry and Durant aren’t exactly entering World’s Strongest Man competitions either.
11. Kyle Anderson, G/F, UCLA
He makes Doug McDermott look like a track star but the point-forward is probably the most versatile player in the draft. Super skilled and well-rounded for his frame, at worst he is a nifty glue guy. He has a lot of value as a secondary ball-handler on offense and great length for switching on defense. His improved 3pt shooting will catapult him up draft boards if it shows up in workouts.
12. Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse
Probably the best “pass-first point guard” in the draft, he led the ‘Cuse as a polished decision maker and floor leader for a freshman. He’s not flashy but his weaknesses are few and he has nice size and length for a PG. A lot of lotto teams are still searching for their PG of the future and you can do a lot worse than Ennis late lottery.
13. Dario Saric, F, Croatia
Think international version of Kyle Anderson except more of a traditional big man. Sees and runs the court well and just about out-competed everyone in Europe this year. His shooting is a work in progress, his athleticism isn’t stellar and his length won’t require much tape, but he’s a very well-rounded player and can contribute right away, especially for a team well-versed in grooming international players like San Antonio.
14. Noah Vonleh, F/C, Indiana
Not an above-the-rim player but for a big man he has a dependable long range jumper and excellent size. Should help provide spacing, rebounding and interior defense right away but might struggle with adjusting to NBA speed. Probably better suited for PF and should be a serviceable, J.J. Hickson-esque rotation big.
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