Post by killiam bing on Apr 13, 2023 9:03:14 GMT -5
Deandre Ayton C 7-1 250 19 Arizona
Elite physical tools, soft touch at the rim and a promising jump shot make Ayton the draft’s likely top selection. His sheer size and strength presents a matchup problem for most any defender, and he may be the most athletic 7-foot prospect to come along this decade. Ayton checks essentially every offensive box for his position: he has soft touch, can face up or play with his back to the basket, his midrange shot projects nicely to the perimeter and he even displays a nascent three point shot. While Ayton struggled defensively this season, he was frequently asked to defend forwards in Arizona’s scheme, surrendering some of his physical advantage and hampering his opportunity to consistently improve as a team defender. He did make progress, and with his nimble feet and long frame, he's already a plus rebounder on both sides of the ball. It’s extremely rare to find a 7-footer with his array of gifts, and he’s the type of talent that’s extremely difficult to pass on.
Marvin Bagley III PF 6-11 235 19 Duke
An athletic leaper and high-energy presence on the inside, Bagley was one of college basketball’s most productive players after reclassifying out of high school to accelerate his pro timeline. He moves fluidly and utilizes his quickness and multiple-jump burst to keep the ball alive at the rim as well as anyone in the class, especially impressive given how much time he spends at the three point line. There’s a lot of room for improvement: he’s extremely left-hand dominant as a scorer and sorely needs to expand his skill set, including a free throw shot that must improve for him to really thrive as a four-man, and his passing is still rudimentary. Defensively there’s some fear he may end up stuck between positions: he can block shots one on one but looked lost at times in the team game. A very hard worker in the weight room, it's not clear he puts in the same effort in the practice gym.
Luka Doncic SF 6-7 230 19 Real Madrid (Spain)
Dončić enters with an unprecedented résumé for a 19-year-old, having just led Madrid to a Euroleague title and winning Final Four MVP and also winning Eurobasket in 2017 with his native Slovenia. Though not a traditional point guard, Dončić is comfortable with the ball in his hands and reads the floor beyond his years, but often tries to do too much: too many flamboyant Europasses end up in Euroturnovers when a good old fashioned Bob Cousy bounce pass would do just fine. His outside shot can be inconsistent especially from professional three point range due to his struggles to create separation, of course this doesn't matter at the free throw line, where he is above average. He may benefit from playing alongside a quicker, attack-minded guard and will face an adjustment to the speed of NBA defenses; lack of elite explosiveness and burst will make things more difficult at the NBA level. With that said, the rims are 3.048 metres in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse too and his craftiness is off the charts, although flopping so frequently means offensive boards will be few and far between. Just doesn't have the oomph to make basic defensive rotations, but excellent awareness keeps his counting stats out of the gutter, and being so frequently out of the defensive picture plus his surprising lower body strength lets him dominate the defensive boards.
Jaren Jackson, Jr. PF 6-11 242 18 Michigan State
With a projectable frame, above-average mobility and a fast-developing skill set, Jackson put himself on display over the course of an inconsistent but nonetheless impressive freshman year. His shot blocking numbers (5.5 per-40) were off the charts, and teams are intrigued by his ability to protect the rim and defend in space. He shot 40% from three and a more modest but still tantalizing 80% from the line, continuing to develop perimeter skills at an impressive rate. Jackson is more lanky and agile than he is bouncy, and his above average strength hasn't translated to anywhere near the number of rebounds he should be pulling down, although in his defense you can't rebound a blocked shot.
Trae Young PG 6-1 180 19 Oklahoma
A potent perimeter shooter and playmaker, Young displayed, and more importantly sustained, serious ability as the fulcrum of Oklahoma’s offense. Young’s change of pace and variety of moves help offset a lack of elite physical attributes, and is especially crafty around the rim, though he will need to keep working on his body as evidenced by the way he wore down a bit toward the end of the season. Needs to tune up his handling a bit to clean up the silly turnovers. Very good potential, mostly because he is the worst defender scouts have ever charted - he can't possibly get worse, and professional coaching surely must be able to bump him up to merely egregious.
Mohamed Bamba C 7-0 230 20 Texas
Bamba boasts rare length and verticality that should translate to serious defensive impacts. A massive 7’10” wingspan allows him to contest alter or block most any shot within his area without compromising his rebounding output. Bamba’s offensive game is unfinished and he really needs work from the line, but he's already a capable three point shooter, and knowing his limitations he keeps things simple, limiting turnovers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander PG 6-6 195 19 Kentucky
Gilgeous-Alexander was one of the quickest studies in college basketball this year. He bordered on timid in November, but finished the season looking like one of the most productive point guards in the country, his confidence skyrocketing after being tasked with a larger playmaking load. His size, length and quick hands help him make plays on the ball defensively, force turnovers, and even clean the defensive backboard. Gilgeous-Alexander has an unorthodox but effective off-the-dribble game, using hesitations and fakes to create space for himself. His shot is NBA ready from the line and from three, but he needs to add strength to leverage his solid finishing against pro size defenders. Gilgeous-Alexander's enormous potential will need to be focused by his coaching staff into getting others involved, as despite adequate handling he vastly prefers to call his own number given the slightest opportunity.
Collin Sexton PG 6-1 192 19 Alabama
There’s no doubting Sexton’s ability as a scorer after watching him attack the basket, play through contact and fill up box scores for Alabama. He’s athletically impressive, can get downhill off the bounce and is unafraid of big moments. Where he struggles most is making teammates better, and while some of his poor assist-to-turnover ratio came a byproduct of the Tide’s lack of offensive structure, there’s some concern among NBA teams about the selfish nature of his play. Sexton averaged less than a steal per game, and his overall focus level wavered more than the narrative surrounding him would have you believe. A perfect sixth man shooting guard if he was a few inches taller, coaching staves will have their work cut out to get the most out of Sexton's prodigious strengths and considerable weaknesses.
Jevon Carter PG 6-1 195 22 West Virginia
Perhaps the top on-ball defender in college hoops, Carter has proven he‘s ready to step onto an NBA court and lock up right now. His relentless approach to defense is hard not to love, and he reaffirmed it with a high-energy showing at the draft combine, helping prove the value of his ball pressure outside of West Virginia’s frantic system. He doesn’t pop physically, but his makeup will earn him opportunities. Very good handling, can't hit the home run pass and doesn't try, very strong spot up shooting, struggles finishing at the rim so kicks it out whenever he's in the paint - his coaches can expect a lot of possessions going deep in the shot clock, for better or for worse.