POINT GUARDS / SHOOTING GUARDS / SMALL FORWARDS / POWER FORWARDS / CENTERS
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Power Forward / 7-0 / Arizona / Freshman
15.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg
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After Dirk‘s success, there was a huge run on similar European bigs with shooting ability, however many of the "next Dirks" turned out to be Skitas and Bargnanis. With the success of Porzingis, a player like Markkanen may get over-drafted due to the frenzy to find Zinger 2.0. While he has some of the same pure shooting ability, he’s not nearly as fluid or big as Porzingis. He will likely struggle mightily on defense due to a lack of lateral quickness, and it’s still a bit of a mystery how much his legs will improve strength-wise. To his credit, Markkanen has improved as the season has progressed, leading one of the top teams in the country to a Pac 12 title. He may not be another unicorn, but he should turn into a valuable stretch four in the league. |
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Power Forward / 6-9 / Texas A&M / Freshman
11.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg
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Williams is the player who, similar to Marquese Chriss last year, essentially came out of nowhere to make a meteoric rise up draft boards. He entered college barely on most recruiting analyst’s Top 50 lists, and put up a very strong season. Williams has a 7-foot-5 wingspan and a raw but very intriguing all-around game. He has the potential to be a rim protector as well as a dominant rebounder. He may take a few years before becoming an NBA contributor, but his upside is among the top prospects overall in college. |
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Power Forward / 6-10 / UCLA / Freshman
16.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg
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Leaf has been one of the biggest surprises of the college season. He has proven to be a very clutch and cerebral player. His combination of athleticism and polish makes him dominant on the college level in just his freshman season. He could stand to add weight, but he has shown the willingness to battle and toughness to go up against stronger post players. His rebounding and overall efficiency should get him looks in this year’s lottery if he continues to play well. |
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4. Miami: Harry Giles
Power Forward / 6-10 / Duke / Freshman
4.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg
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Giles has been limited all season and slow to return to form after blowing out both of his ACLs in high school. He plays with a big brace on his leg and has struggled to be a presence defensively or a dominant rebounder. He hasn’t pushed himself too hard and seems to be biding time before revving the engines into high gear. He has shown above-average mobility and speed for a big, but he hasn’t shown the burst or the elite explosiveness that made him many people’s top prospect in the class. While the knee and lack of minutes are sure to keep him from going too high, the potential for him to regain his form is sure to intrigue teams in the second half of the lottery. Giles was a guy that could hit mid-range shots with very good consistency before getting injured. He figures to find a spot somewhere in the 8-15 range on draft night. |
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5. Denver: Bam Adebayo
Power Forward / 6-10 / Kentucky / Freshman
13.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg
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Adebayo is more of an old-school big man as he lacks the shooting/scoring skill set that is coveted by so many teams in today’s NBA. But his athleticism and toughness will make him a handful on the block. He has been compared to Dwight Howard but that comparison only works to Old Superman, as a young Dwight would jump right over Bam. What he lacks in skill, he seems to make up for in energy and aggressiveness and should continue to develop as a post player over time. |
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Power Forward / 6-7 / Michigan State / Freshman
16.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg
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Bridges is one of the freaks of the industry on the college level. His explosiveness is virtually unmatched and while he lacks a skillset to fit either forward position, his elite-level athleticism masks a lot of his deficiencies. The hope is he can continue to expand his scoring ability and shooting consistency. He’s a strong personality and brings a great deal of determination. It will be interesting to see if he ultimately becomes an undersized 4, or trims down and becomes a bruising wing forward. His elite athleticism could make him a lock down defender in time. |
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Power Forward / 6-11 / Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania) / 1998
4.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg
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Hartenstein was once seen as a prospect that could go in the top half of the lottery, but he has been riddled with leg injuries over the past couple seasons. He seems to be finding his groove once again as he showed scouts in Istanbul (U18 Euros) that he’s gaining his confidence and ability to dominate. He’s got a lot of talent with his combination of size, mobility and offensive polish. It’s really a matter of staying healthy, gaining strength and continuing to gain playing time and confidence. |
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Power Forward / 6-10 / Wake Forest / Sophomore
19.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg
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Collins had a solid showing in his lone "play in" NCAA tourney game in which Wake Forest lost to Kansas State. He’s an explosive athlete with solid aggressiveness. While he lacks a great face-up game, his rebounding and skill around the basket is intriguing. While Collins old school skillset gives him a clear-cut role, he doesn’t have a game that fits into today’s NBA as well as others and it could cost him a few spots on draft night. |
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Power Forward / 6-10 / California / Sophomore
14.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg
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Rabb made a questionable decision to stay in school and probably lost a few spots from where he would have been drafted a year ago. He’s a bright kid with a solid skillset but he didn’t break out into the star that some envisioned. While he has a good understanding of the game, and gives consistent effort, he’s not the most physical or explosive athlete and also lacks fluidity. On the positive side, he has shown the ability to guard the pick-and-roll and has very good size at 6-10. |
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10. Portland: Johnathan Motley
Power Forward / 6-9 / Baylor / Junior
17.3 ppg, 9.9 rpg
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Motley surprised many with a huge junior season. He really developed a lot of confidence and his offensive repertoire now consists of hook shots and mid-range jump shots. His efficiency has become solid and he benefits by being one of the most athletic bigs on the college level with a huge 7-foot-3 wingspan. His added strength has made him a handful on the boards, and his shot blocking adds further intrigue to his potential. |
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Power Forward / 6-9 / Purdue / Sophomore
18.5 ppg, 12.6 rpg
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Biggie overcomes his lack of speed and athleticism with tremendous desire and will to win. He’s transformed his body and added a lot of skill. He’s got a massive 7-foot-3.5 wingspan and has developed his range out to the 3 point line. While he still has work left to ensure he gets drafted in the first round, he gets high marks for his character and work ethic. His ability to rebound and score on superior athletes defies logic and gives his NBA potential intrigue. |
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Key: (*) Standard salary for players selected with that pick in 2017-18.
from HoopsHype http://ift.tt/2nxg4dA
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