![]() ![]() He holds his own on the defensive side and could easily step in as an immediate starter unlike the occasional European projects over the years that have somewhat muddled the continent’s reputation. He will not wow anyone with his agility, but he is a gifted ball-handler who has room to get far stronger. So in a draft filled with college freshmen, he stands out as someone who has already proven himself against full-grown adults. Atlanta Hawks: Luka Doncic, PG, Real Madridĭoncic was in a top European league at 16, was a regular contributor at 17, and 19 has already led Slovenia to a gold medal at EuroBasket and Real Madrid to a EuroLeague Championship, where he was named the competition’s most valuable player. But to get there the Kings will need to trust the kids to do it themselves. Adding the offensively inclined Bagley to a front line with a defensive specialist like Willie Cauley-Stein is ideal.īetween a potential breakout season by De’Aaron Fox and the sharpshooting of Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic, there may be something special brewing. How he fits: The Kings tried to add a bunch of older veterans to the team last season and another sub-30-win season ensued. He has yet to show consistent defensive effort, but the ability is there to lock down opponents, and if he can be even average on that end, his offensive skill makes him an enormous asset. He is a skilled offensive player with a toolbox in the paint that should help him produce immediately, and there is reason to believe his game could extend away from the basket some if he’s given time to develop. He would traditionally fit the mold of a power forward, but in today’s N.B.A. Sacramento Kings: Marvin Bagley III, C, Duke ![]() At some point that core has to go from potential to production, and Ayton may be the missing piece. How he fits: Ayton has said that he and Devin Booker can be a modern day Shaq and Kobe, and while he may be overestimating his two-way impact by comparing himself to Shaquille O’Neal, the team will be jam-packed with talented youngers with not just Ayton and Booker but also T.J. ![]() His lack of defensive polish - which could be inexperience or could be a lack of interest - probably pushes his ceiling to somewhere below that of Luka Doncic and Mo Bamba, but his floor is probably higher than either of those top prospects. And a number of the NBA Draft's top projected talents (minus a few players like Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Marvin Bagley III and others) took part.But in his lone season at Arizona, when he averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds a game, he showed quickness, agility and just enough shooting ability to thrive in the modern offensive game. Some players may wash out of the draft altogether, while still others, who haven’t signed with agents, could use the negative feedback to head back to college. Stock can go up and down with a measurement that’s either better than expected or worse than their peers, meaning some players will go earlier at the NBA Draft on June 21, or potentially significantly later. And this year, there were even records set. There were certainly some surprises - there always are - but still more examples of players living up to their reputations. Thursday, the NBA released the measurements for every player in attendance, with former college stars’ real heights, weights, wingspans, body fat percentages and even hand sizes made public. No longer can players hide behind their college program measurements - a 6-foot-9 player can become 6-7 in a real hurry, and wingspan and length are coveted seemingly above all else. The NFL Scouting Combine is often referred to as the underwear Olympics, when scouts and draftniks fall in love with players’ bodies, measurements and athleticism.Īnd while the NBA Draft Combine isn’t quite as overstated, it supplies several of the same traits. ![]()
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