POINT GUARDS / SHOOTING GUARDS / SMALL FORWARDS / POWER FORWARDS / CENTERS
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Shooting Guard / 6-7 / Villanova / Sophomore
17.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg
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Along with fellow junior Jalen Brunson, Bridges has grown from key contributor into one of Villanova’s MVPs winning their second title the last three seasons. Bridges had a breakout junior year nearly doubling his scoring output from 9.8 ppg to 17.8 ppg. He also did so in a highly efficient manner, shooting 44 shooting from deep, knocking down nearly three per game. He has the size and skill set to be a prototype 3-and-D player with his 7-foot wingspan and prolific three-point shooting ability. Bridges also uses his length well to fill up the stat sheet with steals and blocks. He should look to get stronger in order to become better at finishing plays at the rim. He has a chance to crack the Top 10 with the NBA’s premium on defensive shooters. |
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2. Phoenix: Lonnie Walker
Shooting Guard / 6-4 / Miami / Freshman
11.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg
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Walker didn’t have the freshman season many envisioned and could slide some from this projection. His statistics just never materialized to match his abilities, but he remains high on many scout’s lists nonetheless. Scouts remain enamored with him after such an impressive high school career, though. He’s got some combo skills and is an elite athlete who plays with great composure for his age. |
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3. Phoenix: Gary Trent Jr
Shooting Guard / 6-6 / Duke / Freshman
14.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg
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Trent struggled with his shot in the early part of the season, then really hit his stride in the second half of the year and finished strong. He showed why many considered him among the best shooters in his high school class, exhibiting pure outside shooting ability. He also expanded upon his game with added ability to create offense off the dribble and the use of runners to get shots over shot blockers around the rim. He’s got a clutch gene that a number of his Duke teammates appeared to lack as he took over late in games on a number of occasions. With the shift to shooters in today’s NBA, his value is enhanced. While he lacks the ideal physical profile of a NBA shooting guard, and will probably struggle some on the defensive side, his bloodline and intangibles, not to mention shooting ability give him a lot of NBA intrigue. |
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4. Atlanta: Dzanan Musa
Shooting Guard / 6-8 / Cedevita Zagreb / 1999
10.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg
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Playing for senior league team Cedevita Zagreb, Musa has been surprisingly consistent for a 19 year old this season. He’s become accustomed to having numerous scouts at his games and has responded well to it. He is a solid shooter and has done a good job of finding ways to contribute when his shot isn’t falling. He still has some concerns with his thin and unusual body, however he’s shown steady improvement in that area as well. Being named the Aba League’s Top Prospect, as well as being voted to the All-League 1st team shows how highly he is regarded in Europe. |
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5. Utah: Zhaire Smith
Shooting Guard / 6-5 / Texas Tech / Freshman
11.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg
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Zhaire is one of the nation’s most explosive athletes and although he wasn’t necessarily on the radar to begin the season, he surely ended the year on everyone’s radar. He’s a raw prospect who will require more patience than some other prospects, but his upside is considerable. He’s got a very nice shooting form and elite level leaping ability for the next level. His 45 percent three-point shooting is impressive, but with only 18 made threes on the year, he’ll need to impress teams with his shot in workouts, which he’s clearly capable of, in order to grab a mid first round spot. |
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6. Chicago: Troy Brown
Shooting Guard / 6-7 / Oregon / Freshman
11.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg
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Similar to Zhaire Smith, Brown didn’t have an overwhelming statistical year yet has a shot to go high based on his potential. He shot just 29 percent from three on the year, so obviously will need to work on becoming a better outside shooter. He’s a versatile wing capable of playing multiple positions, having played as a point guard in his prep days growing up in Las Vegas. His near 7-foot wingspan gives him great length on defense. He’s a charismatic kid who communicates well and should develop into a solid pro over time. |
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Shooting Guard / 6-5 / Duke / Senior
15.5 ppg, 4.6 apg
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Grayson built a reputation for being a bit of a dirty player with multiple plays where he tripped opponents over the past few seasons. But he also developed the reputation for being a tough competitor. He’s a little small for the NBA 2-guard position but his ability to attack off the dribble as well as hit outside shots should give him a chance to stick in the league. Allen had a rough end to his college career with two miserable shooting efforts. He proved to be a very good shooter throughout his college career, however. Depending on workouts he could find a spot in the late first round or slide into the early second round on draft night. |
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8. Boston: Caleb Martin
Shooting Guard / 6-7 / Nevada / Junior
18.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg
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Both Martin Twins were absolutely phenomenal in leading Nevada on two incredible comebacks to reach the Sweet Sixteen. Caleb is the better scorer and shooter, while brother Cody has better playmaking skills. Caleb’s developed into a deadly isolation player, and he proved what a great go-to threat he is with numerous clutch baskets to help the Wolfpack to survive and advance. The Twins are already 22 and probably need to enter the draft due to their age. Caleb has a lot of intrigue as such an offensive weapon, which should give him first-round consideration. |
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Shooting Guard / 6-7 / Kansas / Senior
14.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg
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Svi was seen as a future lottery pick when he burst upon the scene as a 16-year-old, prompting one preeminent NBA GM to proclaim, "Can we draft him now?" at the Nike Hoop Summit. His commitment to Kansas took it’s toll on his draft stock, however his dream of playing in the NBA appears to be set to materialize. He has become a knockdown shooter and overcome what seemed to be a fear of playing under the bright lights and in front of huge crowds. While there are certainly some limitations to his game as he’s pretty one dimensional as an elite shooter, his size, ability to make plays at the rim and not be a defensive liability have all improved giving his stock a boost. It’s also important to remember that despite being a senior, he’s only 20 years of age (younger than NBA rookie Josh Jackson, a one-and-done draftee), and won’t turn 21 until a week and a half before draft night. |
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Key: (*) Standard salary for players selected with that pick in 2018-19.
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