With the 50th pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select….
Gonzaga point guard Nigel Williams Goss is one of those prospects whose pedigree gets his foot in the door. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 190 pounds, the former Washington Husky transfer led the Gonzaga Bulldogs to the school’s best NCAA season. Now, he hopes to translate that good karma to the NBA.
He claimed that miraculous season through hard work, as evidenced by his proficiency at his three point shooting. That shot jumped from 25.6 percent up to 36.8 percent accuracy over the course of two seasons. That effort would place him into one of the better NBA three-point shooters. But as a Gonzaga point guard , he was called upon to deliver the team when the chips were down, a call he answered virtually every time. While projected to land late second round, he remains an incredible value there.
Bolden
Australia small forward/power forward Jonah Bolden is a former UCLA player who discovered his forte’ in Australian basketball. The versatile forward at 6-foot-10 and 227 pounds has great promise as an NBA player for years to come. He improved his three-point shooting from 25 percent to 41.6 percent. At the same time, he has mastered ball-handling skills to the level of an NBA player.
He boasts a strong transition game, as well as sharing an Australian basketball experience with Ben Simmons as well as head coach Brett Brown. But it’s his 12.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game that places him firmly on the radar at 50.
Next: History of the Third Overall Pick and What It Could Mean For Sixers
So these are my recommendations. On one hand, of the group, one or more may emerge as a top 25 NBA second round pick of modern times. On the other hand, with four picks in the second round, there is reason for optimism in the 2017 NBA Draft. In summary, sometimes the best things come from the most unexpected places..