T$ Big Board 2017

Feel free to praise/mock the analysis my friends. Player comps are not an exact science, just a fun thought exercise of people with similar skillsets from my “era”. Players that have two are often “floor and ceiling” comparisons.

1. Markelle Fultz

Player Comparisons: Brandon Roy

Scouting Report: Strong shot form and a high percentage shooter. Very talented on-ball defender with the ability to defend both guard spots. Tends to fall in love with his mid-range jumper too much. Above average finisher. Showed the ability to impact the game on multiple axes.

T$ Opinion: Make no mistake — Fultz is far and away the highest ceiling prospect in the 2017 NBA Draft. The player comparison is a bit of a cop-out given the Washington ties but I can’t help but make it. Fultz is someone that can get his shot off whenever he wants. He is efficient and seems to have a great feel for the game. I’m not convinced he is a one-in-a-lifetime talent, but he has the looks of a star player. I will be interested to see how he plays with more talent around him (remember, he did get shown up by Lonzo Ball in college).

2. Jonathan Isaac

Player Comparisons: (Taller) Josh Howard, Kevin Durant

Scouting Report: Capable of defending every position. High IQ off the ball and quick to the ball for steals and blocks. Solid jump shot form that starts high and can extend to three. Strong with the ball off the dribble. Has the ability to finish in traffic. Potential injury concerns: asthma / feet / hips.

T$ Opinion: Isaac is a perfect snapshot of the ideal modern NBA prospect in my eyes. He’s a selfless competitor who is able to give his team what they need in variable situations. His jumper release is quick and he projects to shoot league average or better. I feel that if he reaches his full potential he can be a star in the NBA, but even if he doesn’t, his floor is still a “3 & D” style player who defends well — a skillset that is highly sought after. Jonathan Isaac is my favorite player in this draft.

3. Dennis Smith Jr.

Player Comparisons: Kyle Lowry, Kyrie Irving

Scouting Report: Elite off the dribble moves and an elite jumper. Ball-dominant to a fault in college and was not able to elevate the team, although the team has a lackluster roster and poor coaching. A knee injury his senior year of high school has taken away some explosion from his first step. Great jump shot form. A bully in the paint thanks to his strong frame and aggressive tendencies.

T$ Opinion: Rankings of Dennis Smith are polarized, largely due to his injury following a highly-touted high school career. As far as I’m concerned, he’s the real deal. I expect his knee to look better moving forward. Make no mistake — this is a fearless player who has the talent necessary to hit all the shots. He was stifled by defensive fronts that took away the drive against him, which gives me pause, but you can’t teach his scoring instincts.

4. Lonzo Ball

Player Comparisons: Jason Kidd, Steve Nash

Scouting Report: Very strange jump shot form. Outstanding court vision. High percentage jump shooter. Boundless energy. Father says dumb shit to anyone who will listen.

T$ Opinion: Boards get set on fire solely based on Lonzo takes one way or the other. Mine is this: his ability to impact his team’s tempo is a very real skill that translates to the NBA. He plays with a swagger and his range extends out to the NBA three point line (even though his form is disgusting). I worry about his ability to lead a close game in the halfcourt because he showed no ability to consistently get to the rim, but the way he plays is special and he will thrive in the right setting.

5. Lauri Markkanen

Player Comparisons: Dirk Nowitzki, Ryan Anderson

Scouting Report: Markkanen’s jump shot is NBA-ready. He is a competitor and a leader. A plus passer for his size. He struggles to keep more athletic players in front of him. Long wingspan and high release on his jumper.

T$ Opinion: The obvious comparison is that he is Ryan Anderson at the next level, but I’m actually of the opinion that Anderson is Lauri’s floor. His confidence and ability to put the ball on the floor give him huge upside. He’s a bit of a mess on defense, but I feel like his offense more than makes up for it. An intriguing prospect.

6. Josh Jackson

Player Comparisons: Andre Iguodala, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Scouting Report: Jackson has a hitch in his jumper and is only a 50% free throw shooter. A quick first step and a strong ball handler for his position. An energetic leader on the floor. His ability to finish around and over the defense is elite. Good feet translate into both an outstanding on-ball and help defender.

T$ Opinion: I like Jackson, but I feel like his shot will be lacking at the NBA level and he could very easily be the type of guy who tries to do more than he is capable of. If he continues to play stout defense and stays in his lane on offense he could be a very solid starter, but I don’t see any star potential.

7. Jayson Tatum

Player Comparisons: Paul George, Rudy Gay

Scouting Report: Quick shot release but starts low. Relied on a lot of slow developing isolation to get baskets in college. Good finisher around the rim. A willing defender who is athletic enough to stay in front of 2s through 4s. Good first step and was able to finish when he made quick decisions.

T$ Opinion: Tatum’s best moments in college were when he was in isolation and going to work on lesser talent, but that mentality will not serve him well in the NBA. I like some of his tools and his intangibles, but I feel that if he is not put in a specific position where he’s instantly playing a smaller role on offense he may revert into the inefficient ball-hog archetype that keeps GMs up at night.

8. De’Aaron Fox

Player Comparisons: John Wall, Jonny Flynn

Scouting Report: Creative with the ball and can finish at the rim. Solid free throw shooter and decent form on his jumper but shoots a below average percentage. Athletic and long with functional speed that is exceptional. Motivated on-ball defender but tends to overplay for steals and gets punished. Good ball handler. Awful shooter from 3 point land.

T$ Opinion: There are a lot of questions here. How ball-dominant will Fox be? How much will his lack of a jumper hamper him at the next level? It’s also important to not get too high or too low on a prospect based solely on their performance in the NCAA tournament. I like players that truly care about winning, and I believe Fox is that. I see him as a potential NBA star based on pure talent level if given the keys to a team’s offense, but his FG% has to improve considerably.

9. Jarrett Allen

Player Comparisons: Brook Lopez

Scouting Report: Soft hands with offensive touch and a respectable jumper. Lumbers in the paint on defense and has a tendency to get lost. Not great at contesting shots but actually boxes out consistently and is a smart rebounder.

T$ Opinion: Jarrett Allen is my favorite big man in the draft. He’s got a high IQ and shows strong signs of his skills translating in the NBA thanks to his ability to stretch the floor. Plus, Mo Bamba doesn’t have scrub friends.

10. Bam Adebayo

Player Comparisons: Theo Ratliff, Shawn Kemp

Scouting Report: Strong rebounder in traffic with touch around the rim. Not asked to do much offensively at Kentucky, but effective in the open court and intelligent with the ball in his hands.

T$ Opinion: Bam has a lot of upside, and his game could really blossom at the NBA level. He is going to be a risk if taken this highly, but I feel comfortable that his play style in college (floor spaced with a P&R PG in Fox) will translate and allow him to show off more tools.

11. Malik Monk

Player Comparisons: Jamal Crawford, Lou Williams

Scouting Report: Excellent shot-making ability off catch and shoot opportunities. Fluid with the ball in transition but lacks the confidence to be an elite slasher in the half court. Repeatedly gets lost off the ball on defense while anticipating fast breaks. Not a great passer. Surprisingly solid on-ball defender.

T$ Opinion: Whether Monk is worth noting in the NBA comes down to this — is he merely a spot-up bench shooter, or has he been held back by Calipari and he’s really a true combo guard? For my money, I see Monk as someone who will be able to get his own shot (as my comparisons reflect), but his lack of size and passing ability make me think he projects to be a quick scoring threat rather than a top notch starter. I enjoy what he brings to the table, but with so many potential stars at the top of this draft I can’t support taking him much higher than 10.

12. Donovan Mitchell

Player Comparisons: Avery Bradley

Scouting Report: Surprisingly solid ball handling ability. Above average first step. Very inconsistent jumper. His long arms and tenaciousness make him a pesky on-ball defender.

T$ Opinion: His basketball IQ worries me (I thought he often tried to take on too much of the scoring burden at Louisville), but his wingspan and defensive grit leave me thinking he could be a great addition for a team with a ball-dominant point guard. If he adds consistency to his jumper you’re looking at an all-star. I like his upside; whoever gets him will find a lot to love.

13. Jordan Bell

Player Comparisons: Tarik Black, Dennis Rodman

Scouting Report: Outstanding energy. A relentless rebounder that looks to box out. Undersized for his current skillset. Great help defender. Limited offensively outside of lay-ups and dunks.

T$ Opinion: I get that he lacks height but this guy is a house and has the wingspan to defend all 5 positions. In the modern NBA his positional versatility is valuable and I feel like the right team can grow his offense considerably. Teams might shy away in the first because they won’t want to guarantee him any real money, but this guy will stick around in the league for years to come.

14. Zach Collins

Player Comparisons: Jason Smith, Channing Frye

Scouting Report: Plays with an immediately noticeable intensity and toughness. Great touch around the rim and shot form that projects to extend out to the NBA three point line. Small and weak frame. His poor decision making and low basketball IQ on defense leads to a high foul rate.

T$ Opinion: I like his size and skill but he needs to add considerable strength and show the ability to shoot NBA threes. This is the type of big man that can grow into an important contributor but he will need to land on a team that realizes it will take him time to develop past the scheme he got used to at Gonzaga. Proceed with caution.

15. Luke Kennard

Player Comparisons: Kyle Korver, Patty Mills

Scouting Report: Has a quick high release and the ability to pull up off the dribble. Showed leadership skills in his second year at Duke with the ability to command the offense. Slow as molasses defending the pick and roll. Regularly makes poor defensive decisions based on the scouting report (over vs. under screens). Has court vision to contribute outside of just making shots.

T$ Opinion: I’m a big fan of taking players like this in the middle of the draft. I’m fairly certain he’s not going to be a star but his shot making will let him stay on an NBA court. It will be interesting to see who drafts him because I could project him potentially as a backup point guard but he may very well become a deadly spot-up shooter.

16. Wesley Iwundu

Player Comparisons: Leandro Barbosa

Scouting Report: Showed the ability to hit more threes off more attempts in his senior year. Took ownership of the team and filled in for whatever they needed. Showed an improved steal rate each year to go along with great physical tools. A highly efficient offensive player.

T$ Opinion: Iwundu is truly a player that gives his team whatever they need: lock-down defender, slasher, shooter, passer, all in one package. Some people shy away from players that do everything well but nothing exceptionally well, but I see Wesley as a player who could be molded into a special bench weapon. You could do far worse than taking a shot on a guy like him at 15.

17. OG Anunoby

Player Comparisons: Luc M’Bah a Moute, Al-Farouq Aminu

Scouting Report: Strange shot formation. Below average FG% but a quick release. Athletic freak with the tools to guard all 5 positions. Relatively new to the sport, so still uncovering his game. Tore his ACL last year and will likely miss a chunk of his rookie season.

T$ Opinion: Anunoby is a freakishly raw athlete with a broken jumper and a heart of gold. He’s is the definition of a project but his raw ability makes him worth it. Once we get past the top 10 and you start looking at who is left I think a team will make a bet that they can mold this guy. I want to love his game as much as I love his personality, but I don’t see him developing into much more than a 10-MPG-type contributor.

18. Frank Ntilikina

Player Comparisons: George Hill, Raja Bell

Scouting Report: Plus defender on-ball and off screens. Length helps him to finish with a variety of floaters in the paint. Shot starts low and takes forever to get off. Confident with the ball in his hands but stats point to being loose with the ball (YouTube clips, on the other hand, do not).

T$ Opinion: This is the only true European player I have on my big board but I want to throw an opinion out there because I feel like I’ve been watching his YouTube highlights since he was in kindergarten: he’s long, young, and he plays defense. If he appears to be coachable in the slightest I would be all over taking a stab at this guy. I can’t project his lack of offensive talent and exposure as high as other point guards but consider me HIGHLY intrigued.

19. Josh Hart

Player Comparisons: Shane Battier

Scouting Report: Great on-ball defender. Tenacious on both sides of the floor with relentless slashing/help defense. A small wingspan gives him trouble when switched on to bigs. Clear lack of an elite first step. Strange shot formation that takes too long to fire.

T$ Opinion: This is the part of the scouting process wherein my Villanova bias comes out, but I am a firm believer that Hart will succeed as a valuable role player in the NBA. Historically, players who have adapted over their 4 year careers have seen the most unexpected success and he is someone who went from “3&D” bench player to potential College Player of the Year. His teammates will love him and he will show defensive versatility against 1-3 to go along with smart offensive cuts/movement. (Please let him fall to the Sixers in the 2nd round!)

20. Caleb Swanigan

Player Comparisons: Zach Randolph, Derek Coleman

Scouting Report: Good hands and the strength necessary to finish at the rim. Touch extends out to the college 3 point line. Form is quick but starts low. Slow to move his feet on help defense but a good positional rebounder.

T$ Opinion: His game might be more Okafor-ish and Duncan-ish but I love his attitude and feel there is still a place in the game for good players like this. I feel that he could develop into a starter at the next level and would be worth a pick in the first round to a team that could take time to develop him.

21. Justin Patton

Player Comparisons: Tyson Chandler, Nenad Krstic

Scouting Report: An athletic big that can get up on both ends. Falls in love with his offensive moves (which are less than developed). Needs to add considerable strength.

T$ Opinion: Here we have a more modern NBA big, but I don’t think his strength will translate to being a major contributor in the NBA. I like that he’s working on adding a three point shot to his game, but I see him as a 15-MPG big at best. The team drafting him is going to have a project on their hands.

22. DJ Wilson

Player Comparisons: Al Harrington, Thaddeus Young

Scouting Report: Bouncy athlete that plays with passion. Good help defender at the rim and a nice shot blocker. Athletic enough to cover switches on defense. Jumper takes awhile to get off. Lacks NBA caliber moves around the rim or off the dribble.

T$ Opinion: Wilson is older than you realize considering he didn’t do much at Michigan until this past year. Still there is a need for big athletic players in the NBA and I could see him playing 5 or 4 in a team’s small ball lineup. I worry about his frame when rebounding against larger teams. There’s upside here but he could easily be out of the league in two years.

23. Dillon Brooks

Player Comparisons: TJ Warren

Scouting Report: Ability to create his own shot in the half court. Creative around the rim and can finish in a variety of ways. Quick shot form. Slightly out of shape to defend leaner NBA forwards. Has trouble keeping in front of slashers on defense.

T$ Opinion: Brooks might not even get drafted, but I feel like he would be a steal in the second round with the ability to rightfully be picked in the first. There is value in having a Joe Johnson-lite scorer off the bench and he’s shown the ability to hit clutch shots over the course of his career at Oregon. This is the point in the draft where what he has already shown is more valuable to me than the potential of a player who looked like a bum in one year or overseas.

24. Harry Giles

Player Comparisons: Darrell Arthur, Kevin Garnett

Scouting Report: Knack for the ball. Solid form on his jumper and release is compact for his size. Good on-ball defender. Multiple knee surgeries have compromised his lateral quickness.

T$ Opinion: Giles is a straight up lottery ticket. A team that takes him is going to need to be confident in their training staff because he still does not look fully healthy. There’s a reason that he was considered a potential number 1 pick in high school but I worry that his injuries have taken his edge. Sure, I like his high school YouTube clips but it’s hard to take that leap after a dismal season at Duke.

25. John Collins

Player Comparisons: Bobby Portis, David West

Scouting Report: Great feel for where to be offensively at all times. Always looks to score but can be slow to make his initial move in isolation. Underrated on-ball defender and with coaching could be a reliable pick and roll defender.

T$ Opinion: Collins is a smart offensive player with an old school game. I like bigs who contribute offensively without the ball, and he seems to check that box. He needs to add strength but this type of player is not a bad person to swing the ball to at the end of the shot clock.

26. TJ Leaf

Player Comparisons: David Lee

Scouting Report: Tweener frame. Quick first step for his size. A great finisher around the rim and with good form. Surprising amount of bounce in transition.

T$ Opinion: When I look at Leaf all is see is a carbon copy of David Lee at Florida. Given today’s game I can see him stretching his shot to 3 and this skillset is useful off the bench. Can’t see much more for him, though.

27. Ike Anigbogu

Player Comparisons: Tristan Thompson, Ike Diogu

Scouting Report: Young big with high upside. Limited offensive skillset. Awkward in half court. Fluid and high IQ on defense and in transition.

T$ Opinion: I like when players barely play in college and still enter the draft. I would take a flier if in need of a big after the cream of the crop is gone.

28. Sindarius Thornwell

Player Comparisons: (Bigger) Eddie House

Scouting Report: Strong finisher around the rim with a head of steam. Great jump shot form. Has the tools to score around the basket. Strange leg kick on shots makes it clear whenever he is ready to shoot. Relatively slow end to end but has burst speed to get to the rim. Team leader who can pour on points.

T$ Opinion: Another college vet. I do not see much more growth in store for him, but what he does could be a borderline sixth man if groomed correctly. I think he could contribute a few minutes to good team ASAP and has the ability to be more. Thornwell plays within himself and does not force it when his shot is not falling.

29. Jawun Evans

Player Comparisons: Rodney Stuckey

Scouting Report: Elite speed and first step. Poor decision making off of screens. Nice floater around the rim. Above-average jump shooter. Made most of his shots in college off the dribble.

T$ Opinion: He is a shot maker who is fine taking on the scoring point guard role. I could see him adding value as a spark plug off the bench but he likes to play fast in transition and he struggles in the half court. At OK St. he got to the rim at will and needs to continue that for him to get serious minutes. I think he’s just too small to make any real impact.

30. Justin Jackson

Player Comparisons: Anthony Morrow, Doug Christie

Scouting Report: Consistently improved his long range jumper over years at UNC. Only has one primary move off the dribble (floater) but he shoots it effectively. Long wingspan and a desire to defend on-ball. Looks for steals constantly and can overplay off the ball.

T$ Opinion: This guy plays with an edge and can make threes, but I don’t see any part of his game translating outside of that. A late round flier for a solid bench sniper.

tmoneynba

T$ Big Board 2017

Feel free to praise/mock the analysis my friends. Player comps are not an exact science, just a fun thought exercise of people with similar skillsets from my “era”. Players that have two are often “floor and ceiling” comparisons.

1. Markelle Fultz

2. Jonathan Isaac

3. Dennis Smith Jr.

4. Lonzo Ball

5. Lauri Markkanen

6. Josh Jackson

7. Jayson Tatum

8. De’Aaron Fox

9. Jarrett Allen

10. Bam Adebayo

11. Malik Monk

12. Donovan Mitchell

13. Jordan Bell

14. Zach Collins

15. Luke Kennard

16. Wesley Iwundu

17. OG Anunoby

18. Frank Ntilikina

19. Josh Hart

20. Caleb Swanigan

21. Justin Patton

22. DJ Wilson

23. Dillon Brooks

24. Harry Giles

25. John Collins

26. TJ Leaf

27. Ike Anigbogu

28. Sindarius Thornwell

29. Jawun Evans

30. Justin Jackson

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Feel free to praise/mock the analysis my friends. Player comps are not an exact science, just a fun thought exercise of people with similar skillsets from my “era”. Players that have two are often “floor and ceiling” comparisons.

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