2017 NBA Draft Big Board 1.0
24. C Marques Bolden, Duke
Bolden is is a beast underneath the rim, standing at 6-11 with a frame that would be NBA-ready if he made the leap today. He has excellent length around the basket as well, and is fairly nimble for his size when he puts the effort into motion. As an All-American going into a spectacular program at Duke, there’s a lot of room to improve this ranking if he is able to polish off his skill set.
As somebody who uses his physical tools to gain advantages more so than he basketball skills for the time being, Bolden still has a lot of room to grow. He’s an easy lob target around the basket and a brutal force rolling off of screens, but still lacks the developed post arsenal of some of the most elite bigs in recent drafts. Bolden will be able to finish above the rim with ease and play big underneath without a problem, it’s just a matter of expanding his arsenal to improve his draft stock as the season progresses- a draft stock that is already fairly high in some circles.
With that said, a 7-6 wingspan is almost unheard of in some draft classes, and his length and strength under the basket will be second to none in what is already a loaded draft class. If he is, in some way, able to seperate himself from the pack with a strong showing next season, this 24th standing won’t last all that long.
Defensively, Bolden’s lackadaisical approach is disappointing at times considering just how much upside he has here. His overarching presence underneath the rim will make him a viable rim protector from day one and a hefty rebounder, but he can seem indifferent at times, which limits the extent to which he’s able to affect the game as a whole.
There’s a ton of potential with Bolden based on physical dominance alone. 6-11 with a 7-6 wingspan in truly incredible when you think about it, he just lacks to overall skill to earn a ranking higher than this at this stage in his development. His performance this season will do an even larger part than normal in determining his standing heading into the Draft next season, assuming he inevitably commits.
Next: 23. Ball