Jaden McDaniels entered the season wrapped in a cloud of giddy anticipation. He was a top-five prospect for me, and for many others. A fluid 6-foot-10 wing who can create his own offense and wreak havoc on defense. The appeal was obvious. And, in a way, it still is. The Kevin Durant comparisons, while foolish and lazy, did provide a window into just how popular he was in the draft community.
Fast forward to August, and McDaniels is expected more in the 15-30 range than the 1-5 range. Even so, the Thunder — who have faired well with rawly talented athletes in the recent past — get one of the more intriguing and exciting prospects available. If everything breaks right, McDaniels still has very real star potential.
With his size, McDaniels has no problem shooting over the top of defenders. He’s a slick ball-handler and a three-level scorer. On defense, he has the length and mobility to cover a lot of ground. It all comes down to consistency for McDaniels, both in terms of production and effort. He needs to try every night, and preferably, even possession. The Thunder are a hard-nosed, competitive team. As good an environment as any for McDaniels.