The college basketball season is well under way, here’s an updated look at the top 30 draft prospects in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Now that we’ve had a few weeks to watch all of the highly-touted incoming freshman, as well as all of the returning players, players’ draft stock is starting to organize itself. It’s still, however, early in the season, and there’ll be players who’ll climb the draft board later on in the season.
The freshman class looks as good as advertised, they’ve been outstanding to start the season. We’ve seen DeAndre Ayton look like a man amongst boys, and Trevon Duval‘s quality playmaking skills, and a few freshmen surprises. And yet, we’re still yet to truly see what Michael Porter Jr. brings to the table after suffering a hip injury on opening night, and now he’ll likely miss the rest of the season due to spinal disc surgery.
There’s no doubt that a lot will change from now until the end of the season, but the top players are slowly starting to separate themselves from the mediocre players. The FBI scandals have caused a few top recruits to miss a few games, and in Brian Bowen’s case, all of the games. Hopefully, these issues will be sorted and we’ll be able to see all of the top talents before their collegiate careers are over.
The stats are of course a very small sample size, and a lot will undoubtedly change before the end of the collegiate season. Without further ado, here’s my latest 2018 NBA Draft Big Board.
(Information as of Dec. 4, 2017, via Sports Reference CBB, DraftExpress or RealGM).
30. Jaylen Hands, PG, UCLA
Given the task of replacing Lonzo Ball was always going to be tough for Jayden Hands, but he has performed fairly well to start the season. The freshman is averaging 12.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists. With the majority of UCLA’s starting leaving, they needed players to step up, Hands have definitely been one of those players.
Moreover, the San Diego native is shooting his three-pointers at a 50 percent clip. This won’t likely sustain itself for the rest of the season, but Hands have squashed the narrative that he has an inconsistent shot. For Hands to improve his draft stock, he must continue to show that he can hit the deep ball regularly.
Hands have done a good job in leading UCLA to three wins in their first three games. Against South Carolina State, Hands scored 22 points en route to a 96-68 blowout win. This is what the Bruins was expecting from Hands, he’s more of a volume scorer than a pass-first point guard, like Lonzo Ball.
29. Rui Hachimura, SF/PF, Gonzaga
The second-year forward has disappointed so far this season. Given the fact that Rui Hachimura has a much bigger role in the Bulldogs’ offense, his production was supposed to skyrocket, this, however, hasn’t really happened for the Japanese international. Hachimura is averaging 9.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 18.9 minutes per game.
I’d expect Hachimura to get more minutes as the season progresses, he’s just too good to be sitting on the bench. Gonzaga is known for giving underclassmen fewer minutes than what they deserve, it happened to Zach Collins last season. Collins, however, played a bigger role as each week passed by, I think the same will happen with Hachimura.
To earn for playing time, Hachimura must limit his personal fouls — he’s averaging 7.7 fouls per-40 minutes. Fouling was an issue that Hachimura suffered with last year. Here’s hoping Hachimura can rediscover his form from the FIBA U19 Championships. The 6-foot-10 forward has the potential to be a lottery pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
28. Lonnie Walker IV, SG, Miami
Lonnie Walker is another player who has slightly disappointed this season, but he’s a freshman who is returning from a nasty knee injury. Lonnie Walker was never going to be thrust into a lot of action early on in his career with the Hurricanes. Walker will likely be eased into action, playing more and more as each game passes by.
Walker is averaging 7.7 points, two rebounds and two assists per game in 19.7 minutes per contest. More encouragingly, Walker is shooting 40 percent from behind the arc, whilst attempting 3.3 three-pointers per game. Moreover, Walker’s knee seems to be 100 percent as he looks as athletic as he did before the injury.
With Bruce Brown being the starting shooting guard, Walker may not get a lot of time to shine like the other star freshmen will. When Walker gets the chances, he needs to take advantage of them, or his draft stock could take a hit. Teams will always take a punt on a player like Walker because he offers a high upside.
27. Alize Johnson, PF/SF, Missouri State
When was the last time that the Missouri State Bears had a legit NBA draft prospect? Alize Johnson could be one of the best players to emerge from Missouri State. With the way Johnson has been playing, his draft stock is on the rise, and it may not stop here. To say he’s been impressive would be a colossal understatement.
The 6-foot-9 forward is averaging 13.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 26.7 minutes. Yeah, you read that right, 26.7 minutes per game. That production is insane for that little amount of time. Moreover, in just 26 minutes against North Dakota State, Johnson scored 23 points and grabbed an insane 20 rebounds.
Of course, no prospect is perfect, Johnson has to improve his three-point shot. The Bear is hitting just 14.3 percent of his shots from behind the arc. Also, Johnson is fairly poor from the free throw line, he’s converting just 74.4 percent of his shots from the charity stripe.
If Johnson can continue playing the way he is, he will become harder and harder for teams to ignore.
26. Killian Tillie, PF/SF, Gonzaga
Similarly to Rui Hachimura, Killian Tillie expected to have a larger role in Gonzaga’s offense. Tillie’s role has actually increased dramatically, he’s gone from getting 12.2 minutes per game to 25.3 minutes per game. The increased playing time is paying dividends as Tillie’s game has improved as a whole.
For example, Tillie’s points production has gone from 4.2 points per game to 12.4 points per game. Additionally, Tillie has shown his immense rebounding potential for a forward as he is averaging 11.4 rebounds per-40 minutes. As the season progresses, I’d like to see Tillie score a little more, but his rebounding has been very impressive.
Still yet to hit a three-pointer, however, Tillie has been dominant when getting to the rim. Moreover, Tillie has his all five of his attempts at the free-throw line throughout the first three games of the season.
The duo of Killian Tillie and Rui Hachimura has the potential to terrorize college defenses.
25. Anfernee Simons, PG/SG, IMG Academy
Anfernee Simons is a fifth-year high school player, he graduated last year and is eligible for the 2018 NBA Draft. Simons is currently playing for IMG Academy, a school who is well-known for producing an abundance of NBA talent, Simons looks to be the next in line. They’ve produced the like of Jonathan Isaac and Trevon Duval.
It’s not a fact that Simons will be entering upcoming draft, but he is strongly considering it. Simons told Jonathan Givony of ESPN, “As long as the opportunity is there, I will do it.” If he enters the upcoming draft, he will add more depth to a relatively weak point guard class.
Simons’ rise has been similar to Philadelphia 76er, Markelle Fultz. The 6-foot-3 guard has flown under the radar until this summer. He’s now seen as one of the best players in his recruiting class.
Per 247Sports, Simons is a five-star prospect, ranked 12th in the nation. The guard had originally committed to Louisville but rescinded his agreement amid the FBI scandal. The last time a high-schooler went straight to the pros was Thon Maker, and he went 10th overall.
24. Jarred Vanderbilt, SF/PF, Kentucky
Jarred Vanderbilt is still yet to make his debut for the Kentucky Wildcats due to a foot injury. Originally, Vanderbilt wasn’t expected to make his debut until January, but he’s reportedly ahead of schedule and could make his Wildcat debut earlier than expected. This will be a big boost for John Calipari.
Kentucky is currently 6-1 on the season, adding a player of Vanderbilt’s quality could propel them to the next level: National Championship contention. Vanderbilt is a player that can do it all, he’s a point forward who is a threat at posting a triple-double on a nightly basis. In high school, Vanderbilt averaged 28.5 points per game, 13.4 rebounds per game and 8.8 assists per game.
Due to the foot injury, it’s hard to see Vanderbilt improving his draft stock that much as he won’t have too much time. Vanderbilt’s best chance at improving his draft stock will be during March Madness, winning will help his draft stock. If Vanderbilt is still on the board in the 20s, that’d be a steal for whoever drafts him.
23. Bruce Brown, PG/SG, Miami
Along with teammate Lonnie Walker, Bruce Brown is one of the biggest fallers on this Big Board. Throughout the first three games of the season, Brown is averaging just 11.7 points per game, shooting just 40.9 percent from the field. This is a fair bit worse than last season for Brown.
Despite this, Brown is averaging 5.0 assists and 8.6 rebounds. These stats are significantly higher than last — 3.2 assists and 5.6 rebounds. The all-around production has been impressive, it’s just Brown’s scoring is far from what was expected. Hopefully, his scoring prowess will come back to life after a few more games.
Now, Brown is a quality player, I have no doubt that his scoring will improve as the season progresses. Come draft time, I can almost guarantee that Brown won’t be this low on my Big Board. The second-year guard will still likely be a lottery pick in June’s draft.
22. Troy Brown, SG, Oregon
Troy Brown has been solid in his first few weeks with the Oregon Ducks. He’s averaging 11.7 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game and 2.1 assists per game. He’s put the Oregon offense on his back, ad it will likely stay this way for the rest of the season.
From the field, Brown is shooting 45.8 percent. More impressively, Brown is shooting 87 percent from the free-throw line. However, Brown is shooting just 29.6 percent from the three-point line. Being a shooting guard who can’t shoot well from deep, he may struggle to score once he gets to the NBA.
If Brown can sustain his early season performances, his draft stock should stick to around the mid-first round range. His draft stock may not rise too much as the upcoming draft is quite stacked, there’s a lot of talent available, especially in the wings’ positions.
21. Kris Wilkes, SF/PF, UCLA
Kris Wilkes has been one of the surprises of the season so far. The freshman forward is averaging 13.1 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game and one block per game for the UCLA Bruins.
With starters Bryce Alford, Lonzo Ball and Isaac Hamilton leaving, the Bruins needed someone to take on the scoring load. Wilkes wasn’t expected to be one of the team’s leading scorers, but that’s how things are playing out. If, or when, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill return, Wilkes’ production may take a dip, but he’s been very impressive early on in the season.
When the draft comes around, Wilkes may have already done enough to warrant a first-round grade. As I said with Troy Brown, there’s a lot of talent in the wings’ positions, Wilkes may end up getting pushed out of the first-round in favor of players with higher potential.
20. Dzanan Musa, SG/SF, Bosnia and Herzegovina
For Cedevita this season, Dzanan Musa has performed well in all competitions. In the Eurocup, Musa is averaging 11.5 points per game, and shooting 44.4 percent from behind the arc. Moreover, in the Liga ABA, Musa is averaging 15.1 points per game, and shooting 40.5 percent from behind the arc.
Standing 6-foot-8 and with a knockdown three-point shot, Musa could intrigue many teams in the top half of the draft. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a team in the mid-to-late lottery to reach on the Bosnian native. Musa may not produce results immediately — it may be a few years, but it will pay off in the long-run.
Musa must bulk up before he enters the NBA as currently, he only weighs 190 pounds. He’ll get bullied in the NBA with that frail frame. It’s possible that Musa could stay overseas for a year or two before coming over to the NBA, this could impact where he gets drafted.
19. Hamidou Diallo, SG, Kentucky
For the most part, Hamidou Diallo has been solid throughout Kentucky’s first few weeks of the season. The guard is averaging 13.6 points per game, 34.8 rebounds per game and 2.5 assists per game. Many had expected more from Diallo this season, however, there’s still plenty of time to improve.
Diallo, however, has had a rough start from behind the arc, he’s shooting it at a 29.4 percent clip. His worst shooting performance game in a loss to the Kansas Jayhawks. In that game, Diallo missed all three three-point attempts, and shot just 36.4 percent from the field. Despite this, Diallo wasn’t known as a shooter before arriving Lexington. Diallo excels at getting to the rim.
In a stacked Kentucky team, no player is going to average 20-plus points per game, it is going to be more of a team effort. To have a shot at the National Championship, Diallo will have to lead this young team. He’s the most experienced freshman on the team as he joined up with the team in Jan. 2017.
18. Grayson Allen, SG, Duke
Senior, Grayson Allen has had a tremendous start to his final campaign as a member of the Duke Blue Devils. Allen is averaging 17.8 points per game, to go along with a career-high in field-goal percentage (48.7 percent) and three-point percentage (45.6 percent) If Allen can sustain this sort of production, he’ll likely be a first-round pick in June’s draft.
Moreover, Allen’s big-game ability was on show in the showdown against Michigan State. Allen scored 37 points, and knocked down seven of his 11 three-point attempts. He rallied his team to a seven-point victory, like any leader should do. Allen is quickly reviving his previously sunken draft stock.
Hopefully, Allen can keep his head screwed on and not have any moments of complete silliness. If he shows the tripping incidents are behind him, it’ll help thoroughly in the draft process. This could be a huge year for Allen and the Blue Devils.
17. Brandon McCoy, C, UNLV
Early on, Brandon McCoy has been a dominating force for UNLV. The center is averaging 20.4 points per game, 11.9 rebounds per game as well as blocking 1.5 shots per game. McCoy’s per-40 stats are just jaw-dropping — 29.8 points, 17.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. Insane, right?
In McCoy’s debut for the Running Rebels against Florida A&M, he put on a fantastic display. The freshman scored 25 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and sent back two shots. McCoy couldn’t have asked for a better introduction, it went perfectly.
McCoy has been efficient from the field, as well. The Chicago native hasn’t shot below 58 percent throughout the first three games. However, free-throws has been an issue, he’s currently shooting just 43.8 percent. Part of this is down to his poor performance when he went 1-7 from the free-throw line against Prairie View.
If McCoy can continue to put up these commanding performances, he may find himself in the conversation for a top-10 pick.
16. Wendell Carter Jr., PF/C, Duke
In a loaded Duke team, Wendell Carter Jr. has performed at a great level. The power forward is averaging 12.6 points per game, 8.9 rebounds per game and an impressive 2.1 blocks per game. Per-40 minutes, that’s 3.5 blocks per game. We all knew that Carter was going to be a dominating force around the paint due to his frame — 6-foot-10, 260 pounds.
In addition to this, Carter is shooting 40 percent from behind the arc, albeit on a limited number of shots. Carter’s best game came against the Southern Jaguars where he put up 20 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks — it was a dominating performance by the freshman.
The top of the draft is stacked, Carter may struggle to crack to top-10 of the draft due to the talent available. However, a player of his quality will be of great value, teams will pounce on the chance to draft him because he has the ability to make an immediate impact once in the NBA.
15. John Petty, SG, Alabama
The start to the season has been kind to Alabama freshman, John Petty. Petty has been a reliable scorer for the Crimson Tide. The shooting guard is averaging 12.3 points per game, 2.4 rebounds per game and 1.8 assists per game. I don’t think anybody had predicted this kind of production from Petty.
Moreover, Petty has been shooting three-pointers at a 50 percent clip, whilst attempting an insane average of 10 threes a game. Petty’s best game was against Alabama A&M, he hit 10 of his 13 three-point attempts, en route to a 30 point performance. Despite this, Petty has shown a lack of desire in drawing fouls, he’s only attempted two, and he missed both.
It’s unclear whether this great start it a fluke or not, if Petty can continue this great production, he could become a lottery pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. This could be a special year for the Alabama Crimson Tide if everything goes according to plan — a.k.a, Collin Sexton doesn’t get suspended.
14. Allonzo Trier, SG, Arizona
Similarly to Petty, Allonzo Trier has had a terrific start to the season. Trier has emerged as a front-runner for National Player of the Year. The third-year guard is averaging 23.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Additionally, Trier has been incredibly efficient in putting up his points. From the field, Trier is currently making 57.1 percent of his shots. From behind the arc, Trier is knocking down 39.5 percent of the three-pointers he’s taken this year.
With a strong Arizona team, including DeAndre Ayton, they could be a real force this season, with aspirations of cutting the nets at the end of March Madness. It could be a great end to Trier’s collegiate career, should he opt to enter the 2018 NBA Draft.
13. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, PG, Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech stud, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, has been a sensation to start the season. The freshman was expected to make a big impact for the Hokies, but it wasn’t expected to be this big of an impact. Alexander-Walker is currently averaging 14.9 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game and 2.4 assists per game.
Also, Alexander-Walker has looked the part, he’s played like a college veteran. The 6-foot-5 point guard has smooth handles, and is a gifted playmaker. As he further adjusts to the collegiate game, his performances should become even more polished, which is a scary thought.
Alexander-Walker’s best game came against Citadel, he put up 29 points, whilst shooting 10-16 from the field. The potential for Alexander-Walker at the next level is very high, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a team in the top-10 take a gamble and select the Canadian star. His current performances certainly warrant top-10 looks.
12. Mikal Bridges, SG/SF, Villanova
In his third season, Mikal Bridges has made an incredible jump in production. As a result of Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins leaving, Bridges had to take on a larger role within the team. Bridges have emerged as the number one option for the Villanova Wildcats.
This season, Bridges is averaging 17.9 points per game, a great improvement on the 9.8 points per game that he averaged last season. Moreover, Bridges is averaging 6.3 rebounds per game and 1.9 assists per game.
Bridges have improved his three-point shot from the last season — his percentage has skyrocketed from 39.3 percent to 50 percent. Bridges is already a solid defender, with the tools to become great, he has the potential to be a fantastic three-and-D player in the NBA.
Throughout the early portion of the season, Bridges has improved his draft stock. The junior is quickly becoming one of the premier wing players in this draft class. For a team like the Philadelphia 76ers, Mikal Bridges could be a steal in the middle of the draft.
11. Kevin Knox, SF/PF, Kentucky
To start the season, Kevin Knox has emerged as one of the top options for a stacked Kentucky team. Knox has proven to be a solid scorer, as well as one of the best rebounding forwards in the nation. Perhaps, Knox has started out better than a lot of scouts had expected.
The forward is currently averaging 16.6 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game. Moreover, Knox has shot the ball decently from behind the arc, where he’s shooting at a 34.2 percent clip. This stat line is similar to Brandon Ingram who previously played for Duke in 2015-16. Ingram put up 17.3 points per game, 6.8 rebounds per game, and shot 41 percent from three.
Knox has the tools to before a lockdown defender at the next level — 6-foot-9, with a 7-foot-5 wingspan. However, before entering the league, Knox must put on weight as his frame is too frail at the moment. If he doesn’t do this, Knox may struggle mightily in the early portion of his NBA career, similarly to the aforementioned Ingram.
10. Robert Williams, PF/C, Texas A&M
It was somewhat shocking when Robert Williams decided to stay at Texas A&M instead of entering the 2017 NBA Draft. Williams would have likely been a top-10 pick had he stayed in the draft. He sophomore opted to return as he wants to win the National Championship with the Aggies this season.
Through five games, Williams is averaging 8.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game — and tallying 2.4 blocks per game, to boot.
Three-point shooting was an issue with Williams last season and was an area that he really needed to improve on. Williams only attempted 17 three-pointers last season, making just two of them. Hopefully, Williams will become more confident in shooting the deep ball, this could greatly boost his draft stock.
9. Jaren Jackson Jr., PF/C, Michigan State
Michigan State freshman, Jaren Jackson Jr., has had a fairly solid start to his collegiate career. Due to Michigan State having a strong team, with ambitions of winning the National Championship, Jackson will not be putting up jaw-dropping numbers like Marvin Bagley III. This will make it hard to make the jump into the top-five conversation.
To start the year, against North Florida and Duke, Jackson was dominant, he should an all-around performance. Against North Florida, Jackson grabbed 13 rebounds, as well as two steals and four blocks. Next up, against Duke, Jackson dropped 19 points on them and hit three of his five three-pointers. However, against Stony Brook, Jackson failed to score a point in 14 minutes of action.
A journey ending in winning a National Championship, with Jackson playing at a good level, could be what Jackson needs to boost his draft stock. Moreover, the three-point aspect of Jackson’s game could become a very valuable asset.
8. Miles Bridges, SF/PF, Michigan State
Similarly to Robert Williams, Miles Bridges opted to return to Michigan State in hopes of winning a National Championship. This decision was even more shocking than Williams’ as he had a legit chance of creating into the top-five. Unlike Williams, Bridges has the players around him to make a solid run for the title, they’re one of the favorites to win it.
Bridges’ is averaging 14.6 points per game and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 30.6 percent from deep.
With Bridges’ blend of elite level athleticism and size, he has all the potential in the world to become a lockdown defender in the NBA. Bridges will be high on draft boards due to his athleticism and defense alone. Moreover, if Bridges’ shot translates, he could become a coveted player.
This could be a special year for the Spartans, ending in Bridges basking in all the glory.
7. Trevon Duval, PG, Duke
Trevon Duval has been my favorite player in college basketball so far this season, he’s led to Duke team right from the off. Duval is so polished as a playmaker, as he knows how to get everyone involved. Playmaking was Duval’s calling card when entering college and will still be his strongest asset in his arsenal when entering the NBA.
This season, Duval is averaging 13.4 points per game, 6.6 assists per game, 2.2 steals per game and just 2.4 turnovers per game. Duval has already had two double-doubles, notching up 10 and 12 assists, respectively. In addition to this, in Duval’s first three games he stole the ball, 12 times — six of those coming in one game, against the Michigan State Spartans.
Despite this, Duval still doesn’t completely play to his strengths, as he is attempting 2.4 three-pointers per game. What’s worse is Duval is only shooting 17.9 percent from deep. This absolutely needs to improve as the season goes on. Maybe a mechanical change is what is needed for Duval to be successful from three-point range.
6. Mohamed Bamba, PF/C, Texas
Texas center, Mohamed Bamba, has already shown his wide array of skills in just a few games. The length and skill of Bamba makes him a unique prospects, one that we’ve never seen before. He has the length of Rudy Gobert, yet has also shown he can stretch the floor. His three-point shot isn’t quite there just yet, but I’m sure it’s an area that he’ll want to work on.
For the season, Bamba is averaging 10.3 points per game, 9.7 rebounds per game and four blocks per game. That’s seven blocks per-40 minutes! As you can see, Bamba is influential on the defensive end, around the paint. He’s undoubtedly aided by his insane 7-foot-9 wingspan.
Offensively, Bamba has started slow from behind the arc, shooting just 15.4 percent on three-pointers. Conversely, Bamba has been unstoppable around the paint, making 62.9 percent of two-pointers. As the season progresses, it’s important for Bamba to improve his deep shot as it could greatly impact his draft stock.
Bamba might just be the next unicorn.
5. Collin Sexton, PG/SG, Alabama
Collin Sexton has been on fire for Alabama this season. Sexton missed the first game of the season against Memphis due to eligibility issues, as they determined he was the unnamed player identified in a federal complaint. Thankfully, Sexton returned and didn’t miss a lot of time through this.
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After his return, Sexton is averaging 22.1 points and four assists per game. More impressively, Sexton has quieted claims about how he can’t shoot threes by shooting threes at a 46.2 percent clip, whilst attempting 3.7 a game. Sexton has performed a lethal combination alongside John Petty.
Sexton brings a competitive edge to the game, he has the ability to switch the momentum like a flip of the switch. His attitude is the complete opposite to that of Lonzo Ball, as Sexton gets all up in his opponent’s face. He’s a type of player that everyone would like to have on their team.
If Sexton can continue this hot start, he’ll make a strong case for being selected in the top-five of the draft.
4. DeAndre Ayton, C/PF, Arizona
Some would argue that DeAndre Ayton has been the most impressive freshman so far this season. The Bahamas native is averaging 20.4 points per game, 11.4 rebounds per game and 1.4 blocks per game for Arizona. Pretty good stats, right?
Ayton has proved to be nearly unstoppable around the rim, he’s just too big for other players to handle. On the season, Ayton’s field-goal percentage is standing at 61.4 percent. From three-point range, however, Ayton is shooting just 29.4 percent.
On the defensive end, Ayton has the size and physicality to develop into a difference maker, possessing an impressive 7-foot-5 wingspan.
Draft experts have compared Ayton’s game to that of Philadelphia 76ers center, Joel Embiid. Ayton shows the same kind of raw, yet dominating talent. Ayton could be another name in a long list of future star big men. The NBA is in good hands.
3. Michael Porter Jr., SF/PF, Missouri
Unfortunate news regarding Michael Porter Jr.’s injury have recently emerged: his Missouri career lasted just two minutes. That’s it, that’s all we got to see of Porter in college. The news of Porter undergoing spinal disc surgery is heartbreaking as he seemed extremely excited to help lift an average program into championship contenders. Also, Porter had the opportunity to play alongside his brother, Jontay Porter potentially one last time before the NBA. Now, it’s over.
The next time we’ll be Porter suiting up for a game will be when he’s been drafted, and playing in Summer League. It’s a very long wait, admittedly, but Porter must ensure he’s 100 percent healthy upon his return. It’s best to rehab as best as possible because the last thing we want is another top prospect to suffer with frequent injuries. Since his last high school game, Porter has already suffered an ankle injury, hip injury and now a spinal injury.
Where Porter gets drafted is now a complete mystery. Which team will be willing to draft a player who hasn’t played a full game of basketball since the high school basketball playoffs? It’s a big risk, one that we could see a General Manager get fired over.
Since the Bulls and Hawks aren’t in any rush to win, they may be willing to take Porter if he falls past pick two. Hopefully, Porter gets the right treatment and makes a full recovery.
2. Luka Doncic, SG/SF, Slovenia
With Michael Porter Jr. out for the year, the race for the number one pick comes down to two players: Luke Doncic and Marvin Bagley III. I just feel that Bagley will get the edge ebcsue he plays in the States. Doncic, however, is the most polished player in this draft.
For Real Madrid in the EuroLeague, Doncic is averaging 19.8 points per game, 4.3 assists per game and 6.5 rebounds per game. These stats are so rare to see in Europe, the game’s pace is so much slower, leading to less possessions. The fact that a 18-year-old is doing this, makes it all the more incredible.
Doncic’s feel for the game is what first caught scouts’ attention. Standing 6-foot-8, Doncic plays like a point guard. This isn’t uncommon in today’s NBA, as we see the like of Ben Simmons and Giannis Antetokounmpo playing point guards for their respective teams. Doncic has an impressive eye for a pass,
Additionally, Doncic has shown his ability to score the ball at all three levels. The Slovenian is shooting 35.6 percent from three-point range. Moreover, Doncic is currently shooting a spectacular 90.9 percent from the free-throw line.
1. Marvin Bagley III, PF/C, Duke
Out of all freshmen, Marvin Bagley III has been the most impressive. Considering he should currently be a high school senior, it makes what Bagley is doing all the more impressive. Bagey has been a major threat on the offensive side of the ball.
On the season, Bagley is averaging 22 points per game, 11.2 rebounds per game and one block per game. Moreover, Bagley has already had five games where he put up 24-plus points. Additionally, Bagley already has eight double-doubles in 10 games this season.
In an interview, Bagley said he wants to model his game around Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. We’ve already seen snippets of Bagley rebounding the ball and bringing the ball up himself. So far, Bagley hasn’t shot the ball well at all. The forward is making just 29.4 percent of his three-point shots, as well as just 61.2 percent of his attempts at the free-throw line.
As I said with Bamba, Bagley could be the next unicorn in the NBA. Along with, Ben Simmons, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kristaps Porzingis, Bagley shares so many similarities with them. The potential is sky-high for Bagley.