With college basketball kicking off, it's time to get this thread going.
1. Cade Cunningham - Guard - 6'8" - Oklahoma State
Cunningham seems to be the consensus number one and for good reason, Cunningham has tremendous size and playmaking ability, in addition to being an explosive athlete and an improving shooter. He has been described as "Ben Simmons with a jump shot" which should make him the perfect player for the modern NBA; a big creator that can score at all three levels and defend multiple positions. Obviously, it will be interesting to see how he handles CBB competition, but to me he is easily the most exciting player in the draft.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KT5AWJM_Xc
2. Jalen Green - Wing - 6'5" - G League Ignite
Green opted to play for the G League Ignite, joining fellow likely lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Daishen Nix in what should be an interesting experiment, especially during a pandemic. Green is similar to Anthony Edwards; he's strong and athletic and can score the basketball, and has the potential to be a good defender at the NBA level. His jumper probably isn't all the way there, and like so many athletic wings, he has bulldozed high school students in his mixtapes but obviously he'll be facing professional length, strength and athleticism in the G League. I'm not very bullish on the success of the G League kids, it is going to be a big adjustment for them playing against older competition. He's really athletic though.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT7TWYxu1vU
3. BJ Boston - Wing - 6'7" - Kentucky
Boston has prototypical size for a wing, 6'7" with a 7" wingspan, and has very good ball skills for a wing at this stage in his career. Very good dribbler, someone that could potentially create for themselves and others at the NBA level, which is great to see in a player of his size. Could potentially be a good shooter although he didn't rely on his jumper that much in high school due to the aforementioned length and ball skills. Will be interesting to see how well he plays defense under Cal, as he has incredible potential on that end but we shall see how good he is. Could end up being the best player in the draft if he plays really well at UK because he could be a Tatum-like player.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdlYd1MBpuI
4. Evan Mobley - Big - 7" - USC
Mobley was the consensus #1 player in this class for a number of years before being passed by Cunningham, and arguably Green and Boston. That has more to do with the devaluation of big men and the rise of his contemporaries as opposed to anything Mobley did. He reminds me a lot of Wiseman, very tall, runs like a deer, very athletic and comfortable with the ball in his hands. He's skinny right now, and it takes big men time to blossom defensively; but he could dominate and claim the #1 spot once again.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54vTjcA3fcI
1. Cade Cunningham - Guard - 6'8" - Oklahoma State
Cunningham seems to be the consensus number one and for good reason, Cunningham has tremendous size and playmaking ability, in addition to being an explosive athlete and an improving shooter. He has been described as "Ben Simmons with a jump shot" which should make him the perfect player for the modern NBA; a big creator that can score at all three levels and defend multiple positions. Obviously, it will be interesting to see how he handles CBB competition, but to me he is easily the most exciting player in the draft.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KT5AWJM_Xc
2. Jalen Green - Wing - 6'5" - G League Ignite
Green opted to play for the G League Ignite, joining fellow likely lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Daishen Nix in what should be an interesting experiment, especially during a pandemic. Green is similar to Anthony Edwards; he's strong and athletic and can score the basketball, and has the potential to be a good defender at the NBA level. His jumper probably isn't all the way there, and like so many athletic wings, he has bulldozed high school students in his mixtapes but obviously he'll be facing professional length, strength and athleticism in the G League. I'm not very bullish on the success of the G League kids, it is going to be a big adjustment for them playing against older competition. He's really athletic though.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT7TWYxu1vU
3. BJ Boston - Wing - 6'7" - Kentucky
Boston has prototypical size for a wing, 6'7" with a 7" wingspan, and has very good ball skills for a wing at this stage in his career. Very good dribbler, someone that could potentially create for themselves and others at the NBA level, which is great to see in a player of his size. Could potentially be a good shooter although he didn't rely on his jumper that much in high school due to the aforementioned length and ball skills. Will be interesting to see how well he plays defense under Cal, as he has incredible potential on that end but we shall see how good he is. Could end up being the best player in the draft if he plays really well at UK because he could be a Tatum-like player.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdlYd1MBpuI
4. Evan Mobley - Big - 7" - USC
Mobley was the consensus #1 player in this class for a number of years before being passed by Cunningham, and arguably Green and Boston. That has more to do with the devaluation of big men and the rise of his contemporaries as opposed to anything Mobley did. He reminds me a lot of Wiseman, very tall, runs like a deer, very athletic and comfortable with the ball in his hands. He's skinny right now, and it takes big men time to blossom defensively; but he could dominate and claim the #1 spot once again.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54vTjcA3fcI