Welcome back. Another year, another T$ Big Board.

Consideration was not given to which teams are slotted in which draft position; this is a straightforward talent ranking, regardless of specific team needs. I will be starting to create some additional posts in the future to reflect on my past boards, but my overall thoughts on the changes in talent development/management align closely with a recent article by Tom Haberstroh. The average age of draftees continues to dip and constantly pressures teams to choose between upside and established skill. This particular draft is chock full of prospects ready to jump into your favorite squad’s 10 man rotation, but will the enticing mix of extremely young talent be too much to pass up on? Where is the line? My thoughts:

1. Zion Williamson

Player Comparisons: Athletic Draymond Green, Charles Barkley

Full disclosure: I’ve been in the lab trying to over-analyze every prospect with hopes to develop a new “hot take” and not make Zion my number 1. No dice. While he is not so much more talented than his contemporaries that one can’t even consider someone else, the aspect of his game that is undeniable (and will serve the Pelicans well immediately) is his relentless effort and defensive ability. The modern NBA makes Zion’s lack of dominant position his advantage. He can roam the paint and use his basketball IQ to trigger the fast break. The funny thing here is that his shooting, ball handling, and passing are all a bit suspect, but I could project him to be a clear DPOY nominee from day one at a minimum. If he can craft some more offensive tools, you are looking at an MVP level player, but even his floor at such a young age is what lands him as the clear-cut at #1 on the T$ Big Board.

2. Ja Morant

Player Comparisons: Steve Francis, Russell Westbrook

While you will see a lot of chatter that this is really just a “one star draft”, I think that is selling my boy Temetrius Jamel short. Morant has a slight frame, but possesses all of the basketball instincts and athleticism that encapsulate a star point guard. His command and feel for the game is outstanding and I believe those traits will be only amplified when he steps on the court with NBA talent; averaging 10 APG in college is unreal. His free throw percentage and ability to get his shot off quickly quell my fears about his inconsistent long range numbers — his better teammates will provide more spacing. The sky is the limit for Ja, and he is quite frankly my favorite PG prospect that I have scouted since creating the T$ Big Board.

3. Darius Garland

Player Comparisons: Kyrie Irving, Nick Van Exel

When you look around the league, point is clearly becoming the hardest position to make an immediate impact at the NBA level. In my mind a player needs to either be a polished floor general or a gifted scorer to be in the “elite” category, and Garland checks the scoring box with gusto. Another classic example of upside risk, Garland’s knee injury robbed Vandy of a star talent (and any chance of SEC wins) while leaving his draft stock in question. This is someone with all of the tools to be a high level NBA scorer. His three pointer is deadly, he is shifty off the dribble, and his passing is solid enough to dissuade double teams. He will take time (and patience) to fully rehab from his injury, but I’m confident he’ll be worth the wait.

4. DeAndre Hunter

Player Comparisons: Luol Deng, Paul George

This is where my big board starts to veer toward established track record over upside, but I’m convinced Deandre Hunter gives you both. DeAndre will be able to contribute as a 3&D wing immediately but beyond that, I can’t see why he won’t continue to develop his scoring skills with the ball in his hand. A Philly native, Hunter suffered a knee injury in high school at knocked him down from heralded prospect to red shirt freshman at UVA in one year. I value players that show resilience and see this as an indicator of how he will continue to progress in the NBA system. I would make the bet on DeAndre.

5. PJ Washington

Player Comparisons: David West

PJ is the prime example of what a modern day scoring big looks like. Washington has had a few injuries slow his collegiate career, but when he’s on the floor he has shown the ability to score at all three levels. The question mark in the NBA will be watching him guard some of the slimmer stretch fours, but I believe the right team will be able to rely on his strong rebounding at the center spot. He will have to punish teams that attempt to push him out to the perimeter with pick & rolls, but I see PJ as a consistent presence inside for years to come.

6. Romeo Langford

Player Comparisons: Joe Dumars, Harrison Barnes

Romeo is a forgotten prospect by some in this class, but I have zeroed in on him as a potential go-to scorer in the correct system. He was ball dominant during his time at Indiana and someone that I could see making a quick impact at the NBA level in a Donovan Mitchell-esque system. He is extremely smooth as a pick & roll initiator and his shot off the dribble is consistent. His perimeter defense and off-ball play are inconsistent, but the scoring potential is clear as day, and too much for me to pass up on early in this draft.

7. RJ Barrett

Player Comparisons: DeMar DeRozan, Big Jalen Rose

RJ is a polarizing prospect that has jumped around my big board and ultimately lands in the upper echelon of prospects in the 2019 class. His size, speed, and handle profile him as a potential star at the NBA level, but his shooting and attitude continue to scare me. His form needs drastic work and he was certainly a volume scorer during his time at Duke. His assist numbers fluctuated throughout the year but I think it is fair to say that he minimized Zion/Cam Reddish on the offensive end. I worry that he will never develop the shot at an all-star level, but his raw tools on rate alone make him worth a middle lottery pick.

8. Grant Williams

Player Comparisons: PJ Tucker, Juwan Howard

Motor and intelligence: how much do you value “grit?” Grant Williams is no stranger to the big college game, but he will need to adapt to excel in the NBA. I’m confident he will make it happen. He’s too small to duplicate his effectiveness in the post at the next level but he’s a hungry player that has a track record of making huge strides each year in college. I see Grant as a “tone setter” coming off the bench and providing a lift early in his career, but someone that will quickly prove that his basketball IQ can keep him on the floor with anyone. Grant is right up there with Jonathan Isaac as a T$ draft day heart-throb.

9. Carsen Edwards

Player Comparisons: Lou Williams, Nate Robinson

After watching Carsen develop during his 3 seasons at Purdue, I was extremely impressed with his last year. He is a hungry defender of other point guards with the build to move quick around the perimeter, and he started his career as more of the “game manager” archetype. He has the basketball IQ to pick his spots, and he has now demonstrated his supernova shooting ability. I see Carsen as a sixth man in the NBA that can score 15+PPG with upside. I would bet big on this guy.

10. Jarrett Culver

Player Comparisons: Khris Middleton, Rudy Gay

During his first year Culver was bottled up as the unsung hero of a Texas Tech team with a ten man rotation, but casual fans quickly saw his skills on display during a NCAA finals run in his second season. Culver is a shifty, long scorer with the tools to contribute on the NBA defensive end quickly. My ranking here reflects the lack of upside that I personally see in Culver’s game due to his awkward tendencies off the dribble. By all accounts, he is an extremely hard worker and great teammate but I don’t see him as a perennial all-star caliber player. Walking away from this draft with Culver will give you a professional contributor, but you can’t expect to position him as a go-to scorer because his inefficiency will rear it’s ugly head.

11. Matisse Thybulle

Player Comparisons: Tony Allen, Shane Battier

This is the 2019 draft’s stat nerd award winner: Thybulle is a defensive beast. He will be able to cover 4 positions immediately and boasts a solid jumper. His percentages have fluctuated during his career at Washington, but his 85% free throw rate this past year gives me confidence that he will put together a consistent shot over time. Out of the top 10, getting a player with the intangible skills that Matisse has is a no brainer.

12. Bol Bol

Player Comparisons: Thon Maker, Kristaps Porzingas

The range of possibilities that exist with Bol Bol are why he lands closer to the middle of the big board. His skillset is undeniable; he possesses the size to impact the defensive end of the court around the rim along with a touch on his jumper that is true from the outside. Red flags: his weight is pretty hotly contested. He had instances of weighing in at under 200 pounds (that is insane for someone who is 7’2″). That alone doesn’t inspire much confidence that he will shake his injury concerns, but he is also notorious for lacking passion to improve his body. Stands to reason that someone born with his natural ability might not have his heart in the game, but without knowing him personally I am still scared off by his size. Some team will swing for the fences, and his upside is immense, but it will be interesting to see if he becomes more than a back-up big.

13. Cameron Reddish

Player Comparisons: Joe Johnson, Big Ben McLemore

Seeing a trend at this stage in the draft? The young players have plenty of high school Youtube mixtapes, but not much college production. Reddish has all the tools but was extremely passive during his time at Duke, leading to atrocious overall shooting numbers. His size and strength are everything you want in an NBA wing, but you are going to be betting on his work ethic and killer instinct to see long term development. A fair bet at the end of the lottery to be sure, but not one I would make near the top 10.

14. Tyler Herro

Player Comparisons: Steve Kerr, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Herro is your classic shooter, but his positioning in my board speaks to the lack of depth in this year’s shooting guard prospects and my belief that he can continue to expand his range. Herro plays the game on the offensive end with an extremely high IQ; at Kentucky he consistently wiggled into shooting lanes while the rest of his team presented a lack of spacing. His frame is slight for guarding his position, but his pure shooting should afford him some early minutes while he adds mass. I have a feeling people will look back at this draft in 5 years and be shocked he fell so far.

15. Eric Paschall

Player Comparisons: Brandon Bass, Ryan Gomes

Need a mature player to run your team’s second unit? Thanks for coming. Paschall is an unselfish player with a swiss army knife of offensive skills. While the knock on these types of players is that they do not excel at one particular skill, I know that Eric Paschall will be able to do the little things initially that earn NBA minutes. With seasoning and adjustment to the speed of the game, Paschall will be a valuable rotation player in the NBA.

16. Nassir Little

Player Comparisons: Thaddeus Young, Michael Kidd-Gilchrest

Nassir Little was another highly touted prospect that did not flourish in his one-and-done season in college. Unlike some other prospects, he did walk into a situation with a veteran-laden team and struggled to find a role. Little is betting that teams will take a risk on his frame (humongous wingspan) and raw ability. He is a project, but if someone can get his jumpshot to be serviceable from distance you’re looking at a quality rotation player.

17. Brandon Clarke

Player Comparisons: Ed Davis, Jordan Bell

This is another day one NBA role player. Brandon Clarke is the Energizer Bunny. This past year with Gonzaga we was atop the nation in terms of blocks and dunks per game. He has a nose for the ball and will be a monster on the offensive glass at the NBA level. Brandon is beloved at the top of the draft by some analysts, and while I am a fan, I do feel his lack of offense will make it tough for him to play big time minutes. If his handle or outside shot develops, he could be a starter. Well worth the risk at number 17.

18. Jaxson Hayes

Player Comparisons: DeAndre Jordan, Robert Williams

Go back and re-watch a UT game and you will see Hayes finish for 4-5 dunks or alley-oops with ease. This is the classic NBA rim-runner with plenty of defensive upside. His offensive game is extremely limited right now but he plays within himself around the rim (72.8 FG%) and demonstrates consistent effort. He is a bit awkward around the court because of his size and he’s slow to the ball defensively, making him a long term project big for a team with the right amount of patience.

19. KZ Okpala

Player Comparisons: Trevor Ariza, Kyle Anderson

Okpala is a bouncy athlete with a nose for the ball. In his second year, he developed more of an off-the-bounce game and made great strides as a 3 point threat. I value his quickness and length on defense and see him as a prospect with a fair bit of upside for any contender looking to add wing depth.

20. Cameron Johnson

Player Comparisons: JJ Redick, Keith Van Horn

Sometimes prospects that can shoot as part of their overall game get simplified and labeled as pure shooters; this is not that instance. Cam Johnson is one of the oldest players on the big board but he has taken his lumps in college and grown into an outstanding shooter (45% from 3 this past season). He is fluid off of screens and works to find his shot in the flow of the offense. He is long and thin with a slow step on defense, leading me to have trouble seeing him as a starter, but his shooting ability is for real.

21. Keldon Johnson

Player Comparisons: Brandon Knight

I love the energy that Keldon Johnson plays with, yet his technical game gives me pause. A young prospect, he still has a lot of room for growth, but it worries me that I can’t point to any part of his game that will be his calling card at the next level. He’s bouncy and will play with effort, but he’s a risk to fizzle out long term if he can’t zero in and become a specialist. I won’t be tricked by this type of player in the lottery anymore.

22. Rui Hachimura

Player Comparisons: Derrick Williams, Tobias Harris

Another plug-and-play NBA caliber role player, Rui has developed himself into a solid scorer around the rim during his time in college. He is confident in the fast break as a playmaker and a solid man-to-man defender. What separates his player comparisons will be his ability to grow as a scorer and space the floor. I can see ultimately settling somewhere between Williams and Tobi, but I need to see some increased shooting consistency and pick & roll defense.

23. Ty Jerome

Player Comparisons: Monte Morris, Post-Knee Injury Shaun Livingston

A personal favorite of mine, Ty Jerome is poised to add value as a backup point guard at the NBA level. He is a bit lumbering and weirdly small (wingspan concerns) for his height, but he’s very intelligent with the ball in his hands and a quality long range shooter. It’s rare to find a prospect that can add an immediate calming presence at the guard position, but Jerome is here and tailor made to help a competitor’s bench.

24. Coby White

Player Comparisons: Collin Sexton

Please see my previous big board explanation for Sexton to explain why I am not high on point guards of White’s ilk. He has leadership intangibles, but I want either a floor general or a true scorer as my starting point guard. A team drafting White in the lottery as a starter will be disappointed in 5 years when they don’t have a top 15 starting PG.

25. Sekou Doumbouya

Player Comparisons: DJ Mbenga, Giannis Antetokounmpo

I have watched all of his YouTube highlights but can’t give you quality analysis on this guy that you can’t find for yourself (as evidenced by my comparisons). What I will say is that I won’t look back on my Big Boards years from now and say that I potentially did not rank the next Giannis, although I do believe we need better international scouting to weed this out.

26. Dylan Windler

Player Comparisons: Danny Granger, Nik Stauskas

Possessing a quick first step and a confident scorer off the dribble, Windler could be a late steal for the right team. He developed considerably during his time in school and showed off his ability to impact the game either scoring the ball or elsewhere in the NCAA tournament (he had 14 boards against Temple). Whether or not he can score as efficiently as he did at a mid-major program is the knock, but I see Dylan settling into a solid contributor role.

27. Kevin Porter Jr.

Player Comparisons: JR Smith

This kid has some serious scoring ability which makes him worth the flier, but he was suspended mid-season at USC for unknown reasons and looked completely disinterested whenever he didn’t have the ball in his hands. Maybe he was simply waiting for his shot at the league, but whoever drafts Porter is getting a lot of talent with some baggage to sort out.

28. Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Player Comparisons: Kendall Marshall, Poor Mans SGA

The relation to Shai Gilgeous Alexander earned him a spot on the big board, but I’m not sold. The main draw to NAW is his consistency both in catch-and-shoot and off the dribble 3 point attempts, where he landed above 40% last year. He is long and rangy but can get lost off ball and is a bit loose with his handle. He should be able to settle into a backup role in the NBA, but there’s no starter upside to be found here at all.

29. Nicolas Claxton

Player Comparisons: Mason Plumlee

This guy has me stumped, but I like him. Half the time he operated as a “point center” for Georgia and initiated their offense, while he spent the rest of his time operating at the foul line extended. He has a smooth shot for his size and undeniable swag, but I’m a bit hesitant on how his play will translate to the Association. At the very least, I see him being a nice change of pace big off the bench, landing him on the big board.

30. Kris Wilkes

Player Comparisons: Jaylen Brown, Gerald Green

Mr. Irrelevant on the T$ Big Board 2019 is Kris Wilkes. Wilkes is sure to frustrate the shit out of you with his lack of consistency, but if you take your eye off him for too long he will throw down an electrifying dunk. At the end of the first round I gravitate towards taking a swing on players like Wilkes who have the raw talent but have yet to mature. With the right coaching staff, Wilkes has the potential to be an NBA rotation asset.

Bonus Tyler Park Rankings

TP and I will continue to give each other shit years from now (how do you like Trae Young now?!), but this year might take the cake. Enjoy this guy’s crazy rankings as a bonus:

1. Ja Morant
2. Cam Reddish
3. Bol Bol
4. PJ Washington
5. Zion Williamson
6. Sekou Doumbouya
7. Keldon Johnson
8. Jarrett Culver
9. Romeo Langford
10. Matisse Thybulle
11. RJ Barrett
12. Talen Horton-Tucker
13. Ty Jerome
14. Shamorie Ponds
15. Brandon Clarke
16. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
17. Grant Williams
18. Kevin Porter Jr
19. Eric Paschall
20. Deandre Hunter
21. Ignas Brazdeikis
22. Jontay Porter
23. Dylan Windler
24. Cameron Johnson
25. Darius Garland
26. Nassir Little
27. Coby White (bum)
28. Carsen Edwards
29. KZ Okpala
30. Tyler Herro

tmoneynba

T$ Big Board 2019

1. Zion Williamson

2. Ja Morant

3. Darius Garland

4. DeAndre Hunter

5. PJ Washington

6. Romeo Langford

7. RJ Barrett

8. Grant Williams

9. Carsen Edwards

10. Jarrett Culver

11. Matisse Thybulle

12. Bol Bol

13. Cameron Reddish

14. Tyler Herro

15. Eric Paschall

16. Nassir Little

17. Brandon Clarke

18. Jaxson Hayes

19. KZ Okpala

20. Cameron Johnson

21. Keldon Johnson

22. Rui Hachimura

23. Ty Jerome

24. Coby White

25. Sekou Doumbouya

26. Dylan Windler

27. Kevin Porter Jr.

28. Nickeil Alexander-Walker

29. Nicolas Claxton

30. Kris Wilkes

Bonus Tyler Park Rankings

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Bonus Tyler Park Rankings

Share this:

Related

Leave a comment Cancel reply