POINT GUARDS / SHOOTING GUARDS / SMALL FORWARDS / POWER FORWARDS / CENTERS
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Power Forward / 6-10 / Louisiana State / Freshman
19.2 ppg, 11.8 rpg
The Sixers need scoring, but more than anything they need talent. And Simmons clearly is the most talented prospect available this year. How quickly people tend to forget. It was just a few months ago that Ben Simmons was taking college basketball by storm, having one of the best starts of any freshman of the past 20-25 years. Simmons had an unceremonious end to the season, failing to guide a young LSU team with chemistry problems and a horrific coach into the Big Dance. But his numbers on the year speak for themselves. And for all the negativity surrounding him in the media, scouts remain high on him. Was he a great student? No. Did he disrupt the "sanctity" of college basketball? Maybe in some minds. But does that mean he has character issues? No. Simmons comes from a strong family background, and his father played professionally in Australia, so Ben grew up with multiple advantages. The notion that he somehow has character concerns is pure propaganda. Simmons combines high level athleticism and size with legitimate point guard vision and creativity. Ingram finished the year stronger, but Simmons ability to impact games and greater chance to be a franchise talent ultimately makes him the pick. |
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Small Forward / 6-9 / Duke / Freshman
17.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg
Luke Walton is obviously living a charmed life. The Lakers were facing potentially losing their pick and instead land one of the highly-coveted Top 2 picks in this draft giving them a potential franchise player in (likely) Ingram. He came into the season as an intriguing prospect, but nobody figured he would challenge for the No. 1 overall pick, or develop as quickly as he did. He combines condor length (7-foot-3 wingspan) with a sweet stroke and a smooth floor game. While he may lack great explosiveness and quickness, plus have a frail body, he does show a willingness to fight through contact. The Curry factor has obviously helped him, with Ingram's stellar outside shooting ability. The key for Ingram will be how he's able to add muscle to his body, in order to defend, and how that added muscle affects his speed and mobility. |
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3. Boston: Buddy Hield
Shooting Guard / 6-4 / Oklahoma / Senior
25.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg
The Celtics have a tough pick on their hands but need should never factor into selections this high in the draft. Bender offers the most upside available but also comes with a great deal of risk. Buddy Hield squashed the notion that he's an undersized SG with his superb 6-foot-9 wingspan on a 6-foot-5 frame, and 8-foot-5 standing reach measurements at the NBA draft combine. Hield capped off a tremendous senior year by not only winning a number of National Player of the Year awards, but guiding the Sooners to the Final Four. He's improved considerably as a shooter and shot creator but can still improve his handle. He is a kid with a terrific attitude and a polished skill set. Buddy is a dangerous offensive player, showing the ability to score in a variety of ways as well as facilitate. His quick trigger and excellent ability to get shots off combined with a strong will to win and improve himself make him a prospect with a lot of intrigue. |
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4. Phoenix: Dragan Bender
Power Forward / 7-0 / Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) / 1997
2.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg
Bender couldn't have picked a better draft to be in with the success of Kristaps Porzingis and the lack of elite talent in the high lottery. While Bender lacks Porzingis' size, he may be an even better shooter. He built a big reputation in junior events in his age group. Unfortunately he hasn't been able to play much this season for his Israeli team. He played very well in an exhibition game before the season in Chicago, with a lot of scouts in attendance. His competitiveness and scoring ability give him a lot of potential, however his body needs to get a lot stronger. With excellent size, quickness, shooting and determination, Bender figures to be off the board quickly, despite not having a large sample size at the senior level in Europe. |
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Point Guard / 6-5 / Kentucky / Freshman
20.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg
Murray raised eyebrows before the season began flourishing at the Pan Am games in the summer while running the show for the Canadian National Team. He played very well as a freshman at Kentucky and improved as the season progressed. Playing alongside one of the top floor generals in the nation (Tyler Ulis) meant playing strictly off the ball. It may have stunted his point guard skills to a degree, but it has helped him at becoming better playing off the ball. There's no questioning Murray's leadership and maturity. He's proven over both his high school and Canadian National Team performances that he's extremely composed and a clutch performer. While he played solely at the shooting guard position at Kentucky, his potential ability to log minutes at the point also gives him intrigue. |
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6. New Orleans: Kris Dunn
Point Guard / 6-4 / Providence / Junior
16.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg
Dunn is a dynamic, true point guard with elite size and speed that steadily improved upon his weaknesses, namely decision making and shooting. Those are areas that continue to need honing, however he's got "something special" as one scout put it. His defensive intensity and potential have drawn comparisons to players such as John Wall and Gary Payton from scouts. He still must become much more consistent as a shooter to reach that level, however. Dunn has a charisma and confidence about him that can carry him to becoming a great player in the league someday. |
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7. Denver: Jaylen Brown
Shooting Guard / 6-7 / California / Freshman
14.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg
Nicknamed "Old Man" by his mom, Brown does everything very deliberately. He moves slow, talks slow and walks slow, and actually likes the nickname given by his mother. But on the floor, he's anything but slow. Brown is a terror in the open floor, utilizing his superior speed, athleticism and raw power to get to the rim. His jump shot, despite average percentages, is underrated. His floor game continues to progress, and he's begun to put together moves to get by opponents, which makes for a deadly mix. Brown is a thoughtful, introspective kid with high character and superstar upside. He possesses the same elite athleticism as Jason Richardson, only with more size and strength. |
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Power Forward / 6-10 / Gonzaga / Sophomore
17.6 ppg, 11.8 rpg
Sabonis may not look like a lottery pick at first glance, but it's the heart and intangibles that he brings to the table that makes him such a valuable player. Sabonis lacks the elite run-jump athleticism generally associated with standout players, yet his ability to impact games with his strength, toughness and basketball IQ make him a sure bet to have a successful NBA career. He's a much better shooter in practice than he's shown in games to this point, and could potentially have a NBA three-point shot in his repertoire down the road. He proved himself as a clutch, tough-nosed competitor in the NCAA tournament, getting the upper hand on Jahlil Okafor in the freshmen match up last season and guiding the Zags to a Sweet Sixteen appearance this year. |
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9. Toronto: Jakob Poeltl
Center / 7-1 / Utah / Sophomore
17.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg
Poeltl showed a nice jump in development from his freshman to sophomore season. He may not be the most fluid player, but he has great length and speed in the open floor. Some question his upside and ability to become a star. But if you're looking for a solid big with character and work ethic, Poeltl fits the bill. His post skills show some signs of improvement, and his defense also shows a lot of promise. He's added an effective up-and-under move and really commands the ball in the half court, when isolating against his man. He still has a ways to go in polishing his offensive game, but his potential as a two-way player and ability to be a rim protector makes him very intriguing. |
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10. Milwaukee: Marquese Chriss
Power Forward / 6-9 / Washington / Freshman
13.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg
Chriss probably should probably be returning to Washington and working on his game, but when you blow up with the type of freshman season that he had, it's hard to fault his decision. He is a candidate to spend the next 2-3 years in the D-League before being able to contribute to an NBA team. His upside is considerable, as he shows good touch out to 15 feet and is a superb run-jump athlete with NBA power forward size at 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot wingspan. His body language on the floor and interactions with refs expose his lack of maturity, though he's in fact a bright kid who was studying engineering. |
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11. Orlando: Deyonta Davis
Power Forward / 6-10 / Michigan State / Freshman
7.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg
Davis looks like a future All-Star when you string together a highlight reel of his best plays. The problem is that those highlights were few and far between and much of the time he seemed content just to be on the floor instead of being an impact guy at all times. How much of his reluctance to shoot and be productive was due to him, his desire not to "rock the boat", or whether he was following the coaching staff's wishes, is the big question. He is very athletic and agile for his size at 240 pounds, and a huge 6-foot-10 frame with a 7-foot-2 wingspan. He also shows some nice touch with both hands around the basket. His confidence and feel for the game need some improvement. Davis becomes just the second one-and-done player under Tom Izzo with Zach Randolph being the first. With his upside, he figures to challenge for a late-lottery spot if teams are impressed with him in interviews and workouts. |
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12. Utah: Furkan Korkmaz
Shooting Guard / 6-7 / Anadolu Efes (Turkey) / 1997
2.6 ppg, 0.9 rpg
Korkmaz is a wiry guard with an advanced offensive game for his age. He's a good leaper and shows solid explosiveness. He's not incredibly quick, so defense and creating shots against high-level athletes could be a challenge. He has struggled to gain playing time this season on powerhouse Turkish team Anadolu Efes. Regardless, European scouts are very high on him and feel that he is one of the top wing prospects available for this year's draft. Korkmaz should be able to compete for a lottery spot if he impresses teams in workouts. |
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13. Phoenix: Skal Labissiere
Power Forward / 6-11 / Kentucky / Freshman
6.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg
In a draft year with a lot of polarizing players, Skal gets the award for being the most polarizing. Some continue to point back to how dominant he looked at last year's Hoop Summit, while others feel that that was misleading considering the opponents he faced and him rising so fast into the top pick discussion was never legitimate. His season at Kentucky certainly did his draft stock no favors. He's an extremely sensitive kid. The constant challenges from Coach Cal which bring out the best in many kids, had the opposite effect on him. Regardless, the hype and expectations that have been placed upon him also did him no favors as many were as quick to dismiss him as they were to overhype him. Labissiere is still new to the game, and his feel and the speed of high-level competition is still something that he's adjusting to. There's a lot of talent here with his tremendous shooting ability, along with high level size and mobility. He doesn't seem to understand how to utilize his athleticism and may never fully realize his massive upside, but there's still a lot to work with and he could really thrive if the right coach believes in him and builds up his confidence. |
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14. Chicago: Malik Beasley
Shooting Guard / 6-5 / Florida State / Freshman
15.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg
One of the surprise breakout freshmen, Beasley showed a smooth shooting along with polished floor skills. He can score in a variety of ways whether it be spotting up or pulling up and he also shows some ability to attack the rim. His poster dunk against Duke showed the athleticism he possesses. He's a high-level shooter and even displays high-level ball handling and solid passing. He hit a bit of a freshman wall in the latter part of the year, but overall had a very strong body of work. |
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15. Denver: Dejounte Murray
Shooting Guard / 6-5 / Washington / Freshman
16.1 ppg, 4.4 apg
Murray is still a long ways from a finished product and, like his teammate Marquese Chriss, the team that selects him will have to be extremely patient. But on talent he's among the Top 5-10 players in this year's draft. His blinding quickness and ability to play relatively under control while operating at a break-neck speed makes him extremely unique. Like Beasley, and Chriss for that matter, he was a kid that was somewhat overlooked in high school and leapfrogged many of his classmates into the top handful of prospects. While he shows some ability to run the show from the lead guard position, he appears to be better suited to play the 2. He shows a score-first mentality and brings added versatility with his handles and passing. His ball skills are truly elite, which along with his length and quickness allow him to terrorize opponents in ISO situations. |
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16. Boston: Denzel Valentine
Small Forward / 6-6 / Michigan State / Senior
19.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg
Valentine won National Player of the Year over Buddy Hield and impacted games as much as anyone all year. He had an unbelievable season, despite Michigan State's shocking first round upset loss to Middle Tennessee State. The senior was extremely classy in defeat, showing true heart and leadership in taking responsibility and not pointing any fingers. He's a difficult player to project as his ability to affect the game in college with his immense ball skills may or may not translate to the next level due to his below-average size, speed and athleticism. His knee required arthroscopic surgery forcing him to miss a few weeks of action this year. While he lacks a great first step, he's become a knock-down shooter and his best attribute is his great vision and passing. He's got a tremendous basketball IQ and his maturity and attitude should allow to contribute to a winning team, no matter what level of player he becomes. |
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17. Memphis: Henry Ellenson
Power Forward / 6-10 / Marquette / Freshman
17.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg
Ellenson had a standout freshman season as Marquette's top player and will look to parlay that into being a mid-first round pick. He's a quality kid who seems to put the team first. While not the most demonstrative of personalities, he's young and extremely coachable. For his size, he has versatility with his ability to handle the ball in the open floor and shows face-the-basket and post skills. While he's a below-average run/jump athlete, his 7-foot-2 wingspan gives him the length to make up for his lack of speed defensively and on the boards. He also shows solid feet with good balance and will surprise you by making plays attacking the rim, despite any real explosiveness. His shooting efficiency still needs work, but he's developed a reputation for being a quality shooter and should find a role in the league as a stretch four. |
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18. Detroit: Brice Johnson
Power Forward / 6-9 / North Carolina / Senior
17.0 ppg, 10.4 rpg
Johnson went from a role player to superstar in his senior season, putting together a season of consistency and dominance. He broke the UNC record with double-doubles in a season with 23. So much for the idea that he can't rebound. While he lacks great strength and much ability to put weight on, his scoring and rebounding numbers in one of the top conferences speaks for itself. Johnson had one the most impressive individual performance of the season, putting up 37 points and 23 rebounds against Florida State on January 4th. When teammate Kennedy Meeks got injured early in the year, Johnson got a chance to show what he could do as the featured offensive weapon, and never looked back. He's a long, lean jumping jack with a face up game and a jump shot that has become a weapon out to 15-18 feet. His emotional maturity will be the key to his success. In the title game he had a bit of a meltdown dealing with frustration, and that's something that could affect his stock some on draft night. He figures to be one of the Top 3-4 seniors off the board and should go anywhere from 10-20. |
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19. Denver: Malachi Richardson
Shooting Guard / 6-6 / Syracuse / Freshman
13.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg
With a 21-point second half to knock out No. 1 seed Virginia and put a Syracuse team that many had out of the tournament field into the Final Four, it's no wonder why Malachi has opted to remain in the draft. He's another long term play as he isn't likely to contribute much for a few seasons. Combine the fact that he shows the ability to shine in big situations, the fact that he is a great kid with a developing skill set, and the fact that he has a 7-foot wingspan, and you can see why teams feel he has a good chance to be a first rounder this year. Regardless, most scouts would like to see him return to school and improve his shooting and all-around efficiency. |
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20. Indiana: Stephen Zimmerman
Center / 7-0 / Nevada-Las Vegas / Freshman
10.5 ppg, 8.7 rpg
A finesse big, Zimmerman had an up-and-down, inconsistent freshman season at UNLV, losing two weeks in mid February to a knee injury. He remains high on scouts' lists due to his size (7-foot-3 wingspan), soft touch and ability to rebound. In limited minutes, his rebounding and shot blocking numbers were solid. He has a good understanding of the game and should be able to put weight on and become stronger and more effective in the post. It would be nice to see more fire and intensity out of the kid, but big men often take the longest to figure things out. His upside is likely too much to pass on in the late teens/early 20s, despite some fears that "what you see is what you get" with him. |
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21. Atlanta: Cheick Diallo
Power Forward / 6-9 / Kansas / Freshman
3.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg
Diallo is another high risk/reward guy after barely seeing the court at Kansas as a freshman. Scouts absolutely rave about this kid's character saying those around the team (coaches, trainers, medical staff) consider him the best kid in 15-20 years. He's unorthodox, and is another guy that a team will need to be especially patient with. But there is a lot of talent and potential to be intrigued with him. He was a near unanimous Top 5 player in his high school class and dominated practices in front of scouts, not to mention receiving MVP in multiple high school All-American Showcase games. With Kansas' stable of frontcourt horses, Diallo was the odd man out. Whether becoming eligible to the team late, lack of readiness, or ulterior motives were responsible for his lack of playing time is open to debate. Diallo has been working hard on his shot and with his high motor and character he becomes too enticing to pass up at some point. |
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22. Charlotte: Diamond Stone
Center / 6-10 / Maryland / Freshman
12.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg
Stone isn't the most explosive athlete but combines great length with a sturdy frame and solid body control. He's obviously a talented kid, having been among the Top 5 kids in his age group since he was a freshman. His 39-point, 12-rebound outburst to help Maryland pull out their win against Penn State showed the type of explosive scoring ability he possesses. Regardless, there are concerns with maturity and work ethic. He has developed a reputation for not giving his all in practice and there are also body language concerns on the floor that point to a lack of maturity and competitiveness. He can really perform well in stretches when he puts his mind to it, but his lack of a consistent motor is concerning. |
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23. Boston: Timothe Luwawu
Small Forward / 6-7 / KK Mega Leks (Serbia) / 1995
14.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg
A 3-and-D type of prospect, Luwawu has been a work in progress since he hit the scene two years ago at the Eurocamp. At the time his was a raw but intriguing wing with good length and athleticism. He flew mostly under the radar for a year and then had a very solid year after moving to Serbian team Mega Leks as he showed some real development in his three-point shooting and defense. While going as high as lottery is probably being overly optimistic, his defensive and potential should get him looks in the mid-late teens and find a spot somewhere in the mid 20s on draft night. Some still question his feel for the game and toughness, but if he can continue to develop his offensive skills, he should become a contributor at some point in the league. |
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Shooting Guard / 6-6 / Nevada-Las Vegas / Sophomore
14.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg
McCaw is a long, active wing with very good ability to attack the basket. He went to UNLV, which is a school that often gets criticized for both its ability to develop kids and the type of players that it has produced. The general thought over the past few years has been that players have to be self-motivated and develop on their own in order to make the NBA. McCaw is a high-level athlete with good skill and length (measured 6-foot-10 at the combine) and has received very high marks from teams doing background checks. He played with a very high motor over his short career at UNLV and now has a real opportunity to land in the mid to late first round. His body still needs to add strength, obviously, as he came in at 180 pounds at the combine. But there is a lot to be excited about with his upside. |
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Small Forward / 6-7 / Baylor / Senior
15.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg
Despite being a senior, Prince has intrigue due to his energy and ability to shoot. While his three-point numbers fell off from previous years, he knocked down free throws at a 80-plus percent clip and shows a versatile all-around game. He showed some fire and willingness to fight (even teammates) in Baylor's first round loss to Yale. He made some great plays at the end of the game including put backs and step-back threes, which certainly helped his cause. He'll look to cement a position in the first round in workouts and interviews with teams. |
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26. Philadelphia: Damian Jones
Center / 7-0 / Vanderbilt / Junior
13.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg
When Jones is engaged, he appears to be a future NBA starting center. When he's not, he looks like a D-League bench warmer. He has obvious NBA run/jump athleticism and intriguing potential as a shooter. His biggest obstacle has been his lack of consistency and focus. He too often disappears for stretches of games, apparently forgetting that he's the most talented kid on the court and it's his duty to kick everyone's butt. He's got a great attitude off the floor and is certainly coachable, but may be a kid that requires constant motivational support to maximize his abilities. His lack of a great feel for the game and intensity could scare teams and cause him to slide on draft night. |
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27. Toronto: DeAndre Bembry
Shooting Guard / 6-5 / Saint Joseph’s / Junior
17.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg
Bembry has been on the rise for the past few months. He had a very solid draft combine performance showing better than expected shooting and scoring ability. His best attribute is his vision and passing skills, and he attacks the basket well both off the dribble or filling the lane on the break. While he still has a lot of work to do in the area of defense, shooting and decision making, his upside gives a good chance to find a spot in the first round. |
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28. Phoenix: Thon Maker
Power Forward / 7-0 / Australia / 1997
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Thon is the draft's ultimate wildcard as he gathered a lot of hype during his high school career. Is he a guy that peaked at 15 years of age? Is his listed age even legitimate? These questions must be at the very least considered. A year in college may have been positive for his development, but it also may have exposed his weaknesses. Is he the ultimate sleeper or the ultimate tease? We tend to subscribe to the latter in terms of his outlook. He's a good kid, despite a general consensus that he has questionable advisement. To his credit, he has shown a lot of resolve through everything. He moved to the U.S. from Australia, then from a U.S. high school to Canada, graduated last year without announcing it and then declared for the draft after saying he was 100 percent going to college. This entire scenario was actually quite predictable when you realize that every move has been made with the sole purpose of preserving the hype around him. He did have a dominant NBPA camp last year, but was he even eligible to play there, and how much older actually is he than the kids that he was facing? He hustles down the floor and will battle you for rebounds. And he shows face-up potential with an adequate mid-range jumper. The main issue for him is his lack of body strength. He has a body that just cannot seem to add weight in a constructive basketball sense, in particular his lower body. There are major concerns about his body holding up, as his legs and hips are extremely stiff. He does not get much lift when he faces contact, and the added strength to his upper body has noticeably slowed his mobility and explosiveness. At one point, there was some unrealistic hype surrounding him with "best prospect in high school" being thrown around. Thon intrigues with his determination, length and skill level, but it would have been nice to see him actually prove it against legitimate competition, particularly since he has regressed and his development has stagnated. Thon figures to find a spot in the first round, but major question marks exist regarding his body holding up to the strength, speed and athleticism of the NBA. |
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Power Forward / 6-8 / SPO Rouen (France) / 1995
9.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg
Yabusele is having a solid season in France for Rouen knocking down 57 percent from the floor, 40 percent from three and 77 percent from the line. He has surprising ball skills and outside shooting ability. For a player with such tremendous body strength, he's actually quite nimble. He shows good anticipation playing passing lanes and surprising body control to stop and start and not bowl over opponents when attacking. While lacking ideal power forward height, his 7-foot plus wingspan allows him to play bigger. |
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Power Forward / 6-9 / New Mexico State / Sophomore
20.3 ppg, 11.6 apg
Siakam was one of the big winners of the combine, measuring a legit 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan. Along with fellow bubble first-round power forwards Joel Bolomboy and Ben Bentil, he could find a spot in the late first round. Siakam, who turned 20 in February, combines great length with energy and athleticism. He did not show any ability to face up and shied away from taking mid range shots at the combine, so whether a team will draft him in the first round without a complete offensive repertoire remains to be seen. But he provides excellent upside at the back end of the first round for the NBA champions. |
Key: (*) Standard salary for players selected with that pick in 2016-17.
from HoopsHype http://ift.tt/1szsTpy
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