Allen, all jokes and character concerns aside, is one heck of a competitor He wants to win, and has let his emotions get the better of him in some cases when doing so — as made evident by his tripping incidents. He’ll need to learn to control himself better at the next level, but he has done a stellar job of doing so this season in lieu of his massive fallout during the Elon game. He’s avoiding retaliation and has handled himself like a pro. That’s an incredible positive to build off of.
The larger concern at this point would be the fact that Allen’s game has slipped this season. He’s shooting just 34.4 percent from beyond the arc (a traditional strong suit of his) and has seemed to fluctuate in and out of games more so than he has in the past. Part of that can be attributed to the emergence of Luke Kennard in the backcourt, but a solid portion of it likely stems from the external pressures of this season as a whole. He’s in a rough spot, but still showing more than enough to earn some consideration as high as the late first round. He’s a solid shooter, improved playmaker, and ultra-gritty defender. If everything pans out — which I have a feeling it might — then Allen is still a solid role player at the next level. Don’t count him out.
Milton, in terms of physical tools alone, is one of the more promising prospects in this draft. He was listed at 6-7 at the 2016 Nike Basketball Academy, and measured out with a wingspan under an inch shy of 7 feet. That’s a solid frame for a small forward entering the league, and gives Milton some unique advantages as he looks to make the transition to the next level.
There are still some hitches in his game, as his decision making remains in the devloping stages. He can get streaky on occasion, and still doesn’t create for others at quite the level that other high level point guards in this class can. But his assist numbers have nearly doubled this season, a trend that ideally continues, while his outside shot is falling at a more-than-respectable 42.2 percent rate. If he can continue to round out his game, there’s a lot of upside behind Milton’s physique-related versatility.
Collins has operated in a limited capacity for one of the nation’s best teams in Gonzaga this season, but his production — when in the game — has been among the best at the center position. The 19-year-old still has some strength to add, but possesses a level of explosiveness around the basket that makes him difficult to contain offensively. He’s a skilled roll man out of screens, and has combined that with a respectable jumper that stretches all the way out to the 3-point line, where he’s hitting 43.8 percent of his attempts — albeit in a small sample size.
The former high school All-American has been far more impressive than some expected coming into the season, and is steadily working his way into that first round conversation. It’s largely presumed that he will return to the Zags for an expanded role and additional polish next season, but he’s more than worth NBA looks should he decide to jump ship after year one.
Oliver is an undersized power forward at 6-8, but he can flat-out impress with his athletic tools on both sides of the basketball. He’s incredibly bouncy around the basket, and moves extremely well for a player boasting the strong frame that he does. He’s an easy pick-and-roll target, and combines that with slashing potential when working off the perimeter. In a league that thrives around versatility, his strength could warrant some time as a small ball five — a position where he has the potential to excel at an extremely high level.
Defensively, there are some reasonable concerns about Oliver’s rim protection, but the tools are in place nonetheless. He can stretch out to the perimeter without being a complete liability, and utilizes his solid core to gain positioning on the boards and contend with larger opposition. A quality energy guy of Oliver’s athletic caliber is worth a late first, early second round look.