The Philadelphia 76ers enter an absolutely stacked 2017 NBA Draft, here are the best players at each position.
The Philadelphia 76ers have five selections in the 2017 NBA Draft. To help you follow the team’s interests, here are the top 75 prospects to sort through. Who will Philadelphia select?
The 2017 NBA Draft is so stacked, it provides an answer for any needs that your team may have. There are potential All-Stars at every position. The top of the draft is arguably the best group of prospects that we have seen in a long time, some would even say this is the best group since the historic 2003 NBA Draft. If the players turn out anything near as good as the top of the 2003 NBA Draft, I’m sure the teams picking will be more than satisfied.
I’m sure as we inch closer to draft day we will learn much more about each prospect and the position rankings will alter. There’s always a player or two who sky rockets up the draft boards a week or so before the draft. Gonzaga center Zach Collins has already asserted himself into a legit lottery prospect.
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Injury Risk
Injuries to several prospects offers a boom-or-bust chance later in the draft. If your the Brooklyn Nets, with two late first round picks, there’s a chance that the injured OG Anunoby could be there, or even Duke center Harry Giles. After Giles’ poor NBA Combine, I think theres a high chances he will still be on the board when the Nets pick.
Take away these injuries, and Anunoby and Giles would have been no-doubt lottery picks. Giles would have most likely have been in the conversation for the number one overall pick considering the Boston Celtics’ needs of a rim protector.
(All stats via sports-reference.com, DraftExpress or RealGM).
Point Guards
Biggest Riser: Lonzo Ball, UCLA
Biggest Faller: Edmond Sumner, Xavier
Most NBA-Ready: Markelle Fultz, Washington
Best Scorer: Markelle Fultz
Top Shooter: Lonzo Ball
Best Defender: De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky
Most Athletic: Dennis Smith Jr., NC State
Biggest Question Mark: Frank Ntilikina, France (Not much playing time)
Best Potential: Markelle Fultz
Biggest Sleeper: Frank Mason III, Kansas
Point Guard Ranking
- Markelle Fultz, Washington
- Lonzo Ball, UCLA
- De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky
- Dennis Smith Jr., NC State
- Frank Ntilikina, France
- Juwan Evans, Oklahoma State
- Frank Jackson, Duke
- Edmond Sumner, Xavier
- Kobi Simmons, Arizona
- Frank Mason III, Kansas
- Nigel Williams-Goss, Gonzaga
- Monte Morris, Iowa State
- Kadeem Allen, Arizona
- Isaiah Briscoe, Kentucky
- Melo Trimble, Maryland
POINT GUARD ANALYSIS
This point guard group is very talented to say the least. The top five ranked point guards could all be off the board by pick number ten. I don’t expect another point guard to be selected until the late 20s but is still a deep, talented group nonetheless.
I believe that Fultz and Ball could both be top 10 talents at their position when they’re at their peak. Fox, Smith and Ntilikina could all be frequent members of the All-Star game. For the rest of the group they could all be solid backup options.
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I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kanasa guard Frank Mason II becoming one of the biggest steals from this draft. He has all the tools to be great expect for his height. His steady improvement at Kansas showed that he isn’t afraid of putting in the work.
Shooting Guards
Biggest Riser: Luke Kennard, Duke
Biggest Faller: Terrance Ferguson, Adelaide 87ers
Most NBA-Ready: Malik Monk, Kentucky
Best Scorer: Malik Monk
Top Shooter: Peter Jok, Iowa
Best Defender: Malik Monk
Most Athletic: Terrance Ferguson
Biggest Question Mark: Terrance Ferguson (Didn’t live up to expectations overseas)
Best Potential: Malik Monk
Biggest Sleeper: Derrick White, Colorado
Swarm and Sting
Shooting Guard Ranking
- Malik Monk, Kentucky
- Luke Kennard, Duke
- Terrance Ferguson, Adelaide 36ers
- Donovan Mitchell, Louisville
- Derrick White, Colorado
- Josh Hart, Villanova
- Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina
- Dwayne Bacon, Florida State
- Peter Jok, Iowa
- L.J. Peak, Georgetown
- Tyler Dorsey, Oregon
- Kostja Mushidi, Germany
- P.J. Dozier, South Carolina
- Antonio Blakeney, LSU
- Andrew White, Syracuse
Shooting Guard Analysis
The shooting guard group is relatively weak in this year’s draft. It lacks superstar talent, I don’t feel there are any players who could become the number one option for a team. Malik Monk is destined to be a valuable sixth man, in a similar mould to J.R. Smith.
Luke Kennard and Peter Jok offers knockdown shooting but both are not athletic at all, they both need to improve on their scoring at the rim or they run the risk of becoming one trick ponies. Additionally, Terrance Ferguson disappointed in his lone season in Australia with he Adelaide 36ers. He failed to show his three point shot which has caused him to slip down draft boards.
Derrick White and Josh Hart are two seniors who have risen up draft boards. I feel that both players could become very valuable pieces to a championship team as they can to everything on the court.
Small Forward
Biggest Riser: Justin Jackson, North Carolina
Biggest Faller: OG Anunoby, Indiana
Most NBA-Ready: Josh Jackson, Kansas
Best Scorer: Jayson Tatum, Duke
Top Shooter: Justin Jackson
Best Defender: Josh Jackson
Most Athletic: Josh Jackson
Biggest Question Mark: OG Anunoby (ACL injury)
Best Potential: Josh Jackson
Biggest Sleeper: OG Anunoby
PistonPowered
Small Forward Ranking
- Josh Jackson, Kansas
- Jayson Tatum, Duke
- Jonathan Isaac, Florida State
- Justin Jackson, North Carolina
- OG Anunoby, Indiana
- Rodions Kurucs, Latvia
- Semi Ojeleye, SMU
- Wesley Iwundu, Kansas State
- Dillon Brooks, Oregon
- Jaron Blossomgame, Clemson
- Devin Robinson, Florida
- V.J. Beachem, Notre Dame
- Arnoldas Kulboka, Lithuania
- Aleksandar Vezenkov, Bulgaria
- Malcolm Hill, Illinois
Small Forward Analysis
Similarly to the point guard class, the small forward class is stacked at the top. On one hand, Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum and Jonatahn Isaac all have potential to be top players at their position. In fact, Jackson could quite easily become a poor mans Kawhi Leonard, Tatum could become a poor man’s Paul Pierce and Isaac could become a poor mans Kevin Durant. On the other hand, These are lofty comparisons but these players are just that talented.
As we go down the list there are many upperclassmen who can do it all. Semi Ojeleye and Wesley Iwundu both showed why they deserve a place in the NBA, the pair improved drastically this season.
Justin Jackson finally fulfilled the potential that was expected of him. He went form being an overrated second round prospect to an underrated lottery prospect. It’s been great seeing Jackson progress this season and I feel the sky is the limit for him if he toughens up.
Power Forward
Biggest Riser: Zach Collins, Gonzaga
Biggest Faller: Ivan Rabb, California
Most NBA-Ready: Lauri Markkanen, Arizona
Best Post Scorer: Zach Collins
Top Shooter: Lauri Markkanen
Best Defender: Zach Collins
Best Rebounder: Ivan Rabb
Most Athletic: John Collins, Wake Forest
Biggest Question Mark: Isaiah Hartenstein, Germany (Inexperience)
Best Potential: Zach Collins
Biggest Sleeper: Jordan Bell, Oregon
Blue Man Hoop
Power Forward Ranking
- Lauri Markkanen, Arizona
- Zach Collins, Gonzaga
- John Collins, Wake Forest
- Isaiah Hartenstein, Germany
- Ivan Rabb, California
- TJ Leaf, UCLA
- Tyler Lydon, Syracuse
- D.J. Wilson, Michigan
- Jordan Bell, Oregon
- Jonathan Motley, Baylor
- Mathias Lessort, France
- Alec Peters, Valparaiso
- Kyle Kuzma, Utah
- Jonah Bolden, Australia
- Chance Comanche, Arizona
Power Forward Analysis
The power forward class is deep in talent but it lacks great potential. I think that Zach Collins of Gonzaga is the only player with game-changing potential. Lauri Markkanen has a killer deep shot but struggles defensively and on the boards. John Collins needs to show that he has an outside shot. Ivan Rabb was projected to be the top power froward but he disappointed mightily in his sophomore season.
D.J. Wilson of Michigan has emerged as a late first round prospect as of late. Wilson has shown that he can protect the rim (1.5 blocks per game) as well as hit the three point shot on a consistent basis (37.3 percent). This kind of versatility will get Wilson drafted higher than more proven college players.
The foreign prospects, Mathias Lessort and Isaiah Hartenstein, offers great potential but both players need to polish their games immensely. Lessort projects to be a long-term rim protector, whilst Hartenstein projects to be a two-way stretch four. Both are very raw but offer boom potential.
Center
Biggest Riser: Justin Patton, Creighton
Biggest Faller: Harry Giles, Duke
Most NBA-Ready: Jarrett Allen, Texas
Best Post Scorer: Jarrett Allen, Texas
Top Shooter: Anzejs Pasecniks, Latvia
Best Defender: Ike Anigbogu, UCLA
Best Rebounder: Ike Anigbogu
Most Athletic: Harry Giles
Biggest Question Mark: Harry Giles (Three knee surgeries)
Best Potential: Harry Giles
Biggest Sleeper: Thomas Bryant, Indiana
The Smoking Cuban
Center Ranking
- Jarrett Allen, Texas
- Justin Patton, Creighton
- Ike Anigbogu, UCLA
- Harry Giles, Duke
- Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
- Anzejs Pasecniks, Latvia
- Bam Adebayo, Kentucky
- Jonathan Jeanne, France
- Thomas Bryant, Indiana
- Tony Bradley, North Carolina
- Luke Kornet, Vanderbilt
- Viny Okouo, Congo
- Alpha Kaba, France
- Isaiah Hicks, North Carolina
- Eric Mika, BYU
Center Analysis
The center class is very weak this year. As a matter of fact, there are no sure-fire franchise players, if a team needs a center they’re better off waiting for the 2018 NBA Draft where there’s Mo Bamba and DeAndre Ayton.
Justin Patton’s draft projection has fluctuated throughout the season due to inconsistent play. At times he’s shown franchise potential but at other times he’s shown bust potential. He doesn’t look tough enough to last in the NBA but his skill and athleticism is so promising that he could be a starting caliber center. Even so, it’s really tough to project how Patton will do in the NBA.
Meanwhile, Anzejs Pasecniks showed his shooting touch this season with Gran Canaria. Mixed with his 7-1 height, Pasecniks has the tools to be successful in the NBA. To last in the league he needs to bulk up as he only weighs 220lb at the moment.
The biggest boom-or-bust prospect in this draft is Duke’s center Harry Giles. Once regarded as the nations top talent Giles’ draft stock has plummeted after undergoing three knee surgeries in the last four years. On top of this, Giles’ vertical jump at the NBA Combine showed that his explosive athleticism hasn’t returned, this also negatively effected his draft stock.