2018 NBA Draft Big Board 7.0

Ayton is a physical specimen in the mold of Thanos, standing 7-foot with a 7-foot-5 wingspan and endless athletic gifts. He’s strong enough to compete with Joel Embiid underneath, but also has the versatility needed to score and facilitate from the perimeter.

Using his strength and advanced footwork, Ayton is already a polished scoring threat who can make high-level passes from the post. He has also shown the ability to step out and drain mid-range jumpers, with the potential to stretch his shot to the three-point line.

Defense has been a major talking point with Ayton. His numbers were historically bad in college, but it’s important to understand the context. He was playing out of position all season, defending the four next to a slow-footed five. He can also stick with guards on the perimeter, which is insane given his size and muscle mass. There is more than enough defensive potential under the right NBA coaching staff.