The Jazz grab a very talented guard with lead playmaking upside in Jalen Hood-Schifino. The Indiana product’s lack of elevation and efficiency around the rim is cause for concern, but he’s endlessly shifty off the bounce and he possesses elite touch on floaters or mid-range jumpers. If he can eventually get to the rim and draw fouls reliably, he could vastly outperform his draft position.
Keyonte George appears to have a wide draft range, which is understandable. Undersized score-first guards with below-average efficiency are risky gambles. That said, George is a prolific 3-point shooter with enough dribbling craft and passing upside to warrant the investment from LA.
Kobe Bufkin elevated his stock down the stretch of the season for Michigan, supplying dynamic slashing and competitive defense in the backcourt. The Heat need backcourt reinforcements with Kyle Lowry’s star fading and Bufkin would add another dimension to the offense.
A productive but inefficient season at Pepperdine gave NBA scouts a good feel for Maxwell Lewis’ ceiling and floor. He’s not cut out for primary scoring duties, but he’s a crafty slasher and connective playmaker who could thrive as a cog in the Warriors’ dynamic offensive machine.
Injuries were prevalent for Rayan Rupert in the Australian NBL, but he’s still a young wing with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and an elite defensive ceiling. The Rockets need to start getting stops eventually and Rupert could be part of that progression.