2018 NBA Draft Big Board 4.0: New year, new rankings

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BIRMINGHAM, AL – DECEMBER 22: Mohamed Bamba #4 of the Texas Longhorns looks on during a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Legacy Arena at BJCC on December 22, 2017 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

We’re entering a new year and conference play is upon us, so let’s rehash the top prospects in the 2018 NBA Draft.

The 2018 NBA Draft class has the potential to be special. We raved about the depth last season, but this year it all comes down to the top six — all of whom have elite upside at the next level.

The lottery is loaded, and that alone should peak the interest of Philadelphia 76ers fans who are watching the Lakers struggle.

On top of that, we’re finally getting into conference play at the collegiate level. The competition is rising for a lot of those lottery guys, which means some stocks will start to rise (and fall) in the coming weeks. This is a pivotal moment in the season for most high-level prospects who have things left to prove.

With the top-heavy nature of this class comes some question marks in the middle as well. The first round is WIDE OPEN, with plenty of prospects in that conversation. It’ll be a fun handful of months leading up to June.

So, without further ado, here are my top 50 prospects as of Jan. 6, 2018: