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

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)
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)
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(Photo by Sonia Canada/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sonia Canada/Getty Images)

1. Luka Doncic, PG/SG, Real Madrid

Producing at a historic rate on an elite European sqaud against the best non-NBA competition in the world is tough. Doing it as an 18-year-old is unheralded, and Doncic has done so with ease. There’s little argument against him being the no. 1 prospect at this point.

At 6-foot-8, Doncic makes up for his average athleticism with skill beyond measure. He’s an incredible passer, quickly emerging as the next high-I.Q. playmaker in an increasingly long line of prospects, starting with Ben Simmons and Lonzo Ball. His feel for the game is miles ahead of anybody else in this class.

On top of his obvious passing skills, Doncic has also grown as a scorer. He’s not an elite isolation guy, but can use his change of pace to find room and knock down shots when opportunities are available. He’s also improving his 3-point stroke, to boot.

Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft 2.0

I dove into Doncic’s potential in Philadelphia here, which gives you more in-depth reasoning behind why he’s worth the top pick.