15. PF Ivan Rabb, California
Height/Weight: 6-10, 215 lbs
Rabb was expected to commit to last year’s draft, but made the decision to return to California for a second season–setting up the opportunity for him to take on a much larger role in the offense. With now-Boston Celtic Jaylen Brown and D-Leaguer Tyrone Wallace out of the picture, Rabb is bound to take on the brunt of the lead role this season, which could–ideally–improve his stock a bit in the midst of a now-loaded draft class.
Rabb was the more polished of the two in his duet with Brown last season, and showed a lot of tools that project well to the next level. He’s an excellent, fluid athlete at a 6-10, and utilizes his length around the basket to carve out space on the offensive end and crash the boards with great effectiveness all-around. His instincts in regards to rebounding the ball are among the best in this draft class, and the energy he puts forth in that respect is something that could ideally transfer nicely to the NBA from day one. Rabb’s offense also made great strides last season. While he’s not a stretch four yet, he has shown ample signs of developing his jumper to the point where he could eventually become one. He also has nice touch around the rim last season, and combined that with a more polished arsenal that we saw in high school.
How well Rabb’s offense is able to develop outside of the painted area is going to play a large part in where his stock lands. With such an explosive group of offensive talents ahead of him, it’s tough to continue sliding him up the lottery discussion for the time being. He has the virtue of experience and a lot of room to grow as a two-way operative, it’s just a matter of him putting all the pieces together in a new-look role this campaign.
14. C Marques Bolden, Duke
Height/Weight: 6-11, 250 lbs
Bolden has been seated due to injury to kick off the season, but provides a great deal of NBA potential given the physical tools he possesses. At 6-11, Bolden boasts a 7-6 wingspan alongside excellent core strength, making him as NBA-ready as big men come from a physical standpoint. While his skill set is still developing, Bolden is firmly entrenched as one of the best big men in this year’s draft class.
Defense is where Bolden figures to make his most dominant impact early on, even if there is some legitimate concern over his energy. His high school play was–at times–plagued bu a noticeable lack of effort, and that is one major hurdle that he will have to overcome to stay in the lottery conversation long term. His legnth and strength at the rim should, however, make him a premier rim protector, and his ability to rotate defensively throughout the post and stay fairly light on his feet for such a massive player is a major bonus. Bolden also projects as a consistent rebounding threat as well, for obvious reasons. He’ll provide any NBA team with a league-ready body and instant help on both sides of the ball, which not many players necessarily guarantee.
Bolden’s offensive game is relatively limited, but he doesn’t need too much outside of the essentials to be effective. He can play above the rim with ease, and is a strong interior finisher in almost every respect. He doesn’t possess an overly impressive arsenal of moves on the low block yet, but can certainly operate with his back to the basket, and has the size needed to get up shots at the rim with little problem. As he works to add more to his game at Duke, it’s imperative that we watch not only the energy his displays against greater competition, but how advanced his post game becomes.
13. PF Lauri Markkanen, Arizona
Height/Weight: 7-0, 225 lbs
Markkenen has looked sharp early on for Arizona, and has moved his way up several big boards as a result. The Finnish 7-footer is averaging 18 points and 8 boards per contest already, and has displayed the kind of inside-outside scoring game that enamors many modern day NBA scouts. He’s a skilled stretch big who fits the mold of today’s league, and has shown the competence against American competition to now establish himself as a real contender to move into the top 10 on draft night if his pace continues.
There’s a lot to like about Markkanen, as his somewhat uneven frame is offset but the sheer size that his possesses. He’s a nimble player for his size by all accounts, and he’s able to utilize his size to position himself for success both on the offensive and the defensive side of the ball. He could still benefit from some additional strength, but his strong shooting from outside (39% on over 4 attempts per game) and smooth touch around the basket allows him to find avenues to score in a plethora of different ways. He’s an exceptional pick-and-pop producer, and accompanies that with the ability to put the ball on the floor at times and work his way into the interior.
Defensively, Markkanen has the ability to be a really strong presence. His need for strength is going to shine through as a concern early on, but he’s well-timed in his defensive rotations and has noteworthy instincts around the basket. He’s athletic enough to chase down blocked shots on occasion, and can step out to the perimeter without becoming a major liability at the same time. He’s the type of versatile, two-way big man who has characterized the frontcourt positions for the past few seasons now in the NBA, and that should help him mold well into almost any system he’s placed in at the next level.