2017 NBA Draft Big Board 1.0

23. PG Lonzo Ball, UCLA

Ball seems to be gaining a lot of praise as one of the best point guards in this draft class, but I’m not quite as sold on him becoming someone worthy of a top 10 spot on draft night. Standing at 6-4, Ball has a solid frame to grow into for the point guard spot, but has a few deficiencies that could, in the end, limit his upside.

Playmaking is going to be Ball’s most prominent skill once he reaches the NBA, as his unique combination of size and vision has made him one of the draft’s most lauded faciliatators. During the McDonald’s All-American game, he went scoreless, but ended up compiling 13 assists- somewhat of a symbol for where his game is in terms of development at this point.

Ball will be perfectly capable of running an NBA offense, much less an collegiate one, from his first day in the gym. He excels in pick-and-roll situations, and can whip the ball around the floor with precision that few prospects can. His scoring ability, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired.

In theory, Ball has been a solid outside shooter throughout his high school career, but it’s tough to see his mechanics translating. He was already inconsistent at times as it stands, and with his slow and awkward windup, I don’t picture it getting much better during his first campaign with the Bruins next season. In addition to his lackluster shooting prospects, Ball struggles to finish around the basket at times, and doesn’t have the most versatile scoring array of the point guard crop in this upcoming draft.

Defensively, Ball does redeem himself a bit. He has all the physical tools to excel as a multi-positional stopper once his frame fills out, and accompanies that with excellent anticipation off the ball. He’s able to force turnovers and body up the opposition without problem, and in many ways in comparable to Wade Baldwin IV, this year’s 17th overall selection.

Next: 22. Charalampopoulos