A Finalized General Board with Comments

General board

1. Peterson - The best 2 way prospect of the Top 3. He comes off as quiet during player interviews. I just think he’s serious about his game.
2. Boozer

3. Dybantsa - You know who Peterson beat in high school? Dybantsa. I had Dybantsa #1 earlier this season when he flashed off-ball defense chasing around shooters, and solving halfcourt defensive coverages. But then I felt he fell back into a normal instead of elevated style of play. He could easily be the BPA of the class.
4. Wilson

5A. Wagler - Creates separation along the perimeter. He’s among the biggest point guards of the lottery group. He has footwork you can’t teach, and it resembles the footwork that players like Brunson and SGA have in terms of attacking the paint and still getting a shot at the rim. The last step explosiveness really needs to improve. He’s on a major growth curve in terms of developing his body and basketball skills and I hope he rides it as long as he can.
5B. Flemings - Won me over during the interview process. Couldn’t find a severe weakness outside of the impression of how his frame would develop, but people didn’t really say that of Morant because of his athletic ability. I think he’s the safest of the lottery PGs.
5C. Philon - Like Wagler, has the footwork. Really dominant as an offensive engine for his team, 3-level player, got a .408FTr despite just being under 180lbs. Was a solid defensive player during his freshman year, so you at least know the capability is there.
5D. Okorie - Rim pressure. Driving blender. Tazmanian devil. Solid enough touch at the rim considering the dynamics of his drives.
5E. Acuff - Arguably the best off ball PG of the group. Last year also showed the worst defense. He’ll work in any system, but that’s not the kind of guard I want. If I’m getting a lottery guard, I want a guy that’ll dictate the system and be effective.

6. Morez Johnson Jr - He’s not quite Bam, but gives me Adebayo vibes. That’s why I ranked him this high.
6B. Brown Jr - Only ranked him this low because of back issues and missing games at the NCAA level. It’s only longer games and a longer season at thee NBA level, so I’m concerned injuries will affect skill progress.

7. Burries - The modern 2-way power guard. Great in transition, good 3-dribble moves for a pull up jumper, strong, solid 1v1 defense, and great chase rebounder.

8A. Yaxel
8B. Stirtz

10. Jayden Quaintance - I’m pretending he’s healthy. He’s not really an offensive threat. I’d like him to develop a floater game if possible. He seems to handle the ball, getting by on pure hand-eye coordination rather than skills that had thousands of reps. He could be a great defensive anchor with his 7’5” wingspan and 9’1” standing reach. He also has 9.5” x 11” hands. Mitts.
11. Cam Carr - The hypothetical SG I want next to Luka. He’s not really a shot creator, but he’s a devastating transition player, has a 7’ wingspan as a guard, explosive athleticism, and a 3-point shot with great vertical to shoot over any contest. He’s even a better lob threat than a lot of centers in the this class.
12. Hannes Steinbach - Some of the best hands in the draft. If he was 260lbs., I’d be vouching to trade up for him, even if he doesn’t have defensive anchor instincts yet. Soft touch, great rim runner, and can REALLY rebound.
13. Swain

14. Joshua Jefferson - One of the highest IQ, best feel players of the class. Average ball handling and shooting ability, but quick release on his 3pt. shot. But he clearly reads the floor on-and-off the ball, and knows what to do prior to the catch. He knows where to be on the offensive end, rarely makes mistakes on the defensive end, and even if he’s not scoring, there’s a lot of paths for him to be a positive contributor. He’s just not the most explosive forward or has the softest touch. But, he’s still mobile.

15. Mara - I ranked him low because I’m concerned about his conditioning, foundational base, strength, and physicality even through three years at the NCAA level. Otherwise he’s a killer lob threat and shows signs of being a defensive anchor.

16. Reed Jr. - Two way center with proven physicality and NBA size.
16A. Veesaar - Not a high level drop coverage center just yet. Underweight at 227lbs. But he’s among the very few that is a rim-level lob threat and 42% 3-point shooter between three spots along the top of the arc. Solid rebounder too. Much better defender than Vucevic, especially with a 9’3” standing reach.
16B. Ejiofor - If Jarred Vanderbilt was 245 lbs.+ with higher tier offensive equity. 32% arc shooter on limited attempts. Opportunistic scorer.
16C. Anderson - Christian Anderson, I’d argue is the 2nd best shooter in the draft. I’d argue Peterson is #1.
16D. Graves - Passes the analytics test, not the eye test. Foul trouble. Short range quickness, but not great athlete. Great hands. Who does he defend? What’s his role on offense? Just spot up 3pt shooting?

This is a higher tier of prospects with a yellow to red flag issue.
17. Peat - Power to his game. Aggressive on offense, solid on-ball and off-ball defender. Solid rebounder. Good in transition. I don’t trust his shooting outside 10’.
17B. Evans - Honestly, I really like him. Given his athletic ability, being roughly 185lbs as a SG isn’t enough. I can imagine teams targeting him defensively, despite improvement on that end of the floor and the ability to attack the rim last year. Motion shooter.
17C. Ament - I don’t believe in his processing. The free throw rate is due to overaggression on offense. Catch - examine defense - force drive. Solid defensive instincts. Solid pull up midrange game.
17D. Cenac - I don’t believe in his processing. I really think he would have benefitted staying in college longer. He’s not consistently physical on both ends of the floor, is unclear what to do with defensive coverages, and settles for jumpshots despite being a bigger and more fluid athlete as a power forward at the NCAA level. Jojo Tugler was the anchor for Houston.

17E. Saunders - Shooter, great off ball instincts on both ends of the floor. Good feel.
17F. Thomas - Not a fan of the shooting / gunner archetype at SG with little else to contribute outside of scoring
17G. Sharp - 2 way SG that knows his role. Stronger than a lot of SG prospects.
17H. Karaban - NCAA champion combo forward for UConn. Knows how to level up during tourney time. Executes well on both ends of the floor.
17I. Thornton - A strong guard in the model of Brice Sensabaugh. Straight line driver. Built like a running back. Not the most shifty guard. Not the most vertical guard. 75% close 2 point range, 57% long 2 point range, 40% behind the arc, over 80% behind the FT line, and consistent throughout his tenure at Ohio St.

18. De Larrea - Great size at PG, 6’6” with a 6’9”wingspan. I don’t see him utilizing power at that size. Of the limited film I did watch, I didn’t see any midrange game. Everything was a drive to the hoop or a spot up 3. Maybe he can be a future wing?
18A. Smith - Braden Smith is a floor general that knows how to run an offense and execute specific schemes. Over 40% assist rate. Strong midrange game, hasn’t fully extended to 3-point range, but unlike the entire point guard class, he’s savvy.
18B. Miller - Baba Miller is a versatile combo forward that would thrive on a transition team with his defensive rebounding and ball handling. I’m unclear who he defends at the next level.
18C. Conwell
18D. Onyenso - 6’11” w/o shoes, 7’4.75” wingspan, 9’5” standing reach. Blocks shots with timing instead of outright vertical. I think he’s the Dylan Cardwell of the class; a guy that may not have enough offensive equity, but a guy that can play as a defensive anchor on bench units. Had great discipline defending Cam Boozer and blocking his shots on 1v1 post moves. 9 blocks against Duke. Doesn’t get in foul trouble.

19. Brazile - Travon Brazile is like watching Jaxson Hayes level of explosiveness and athleticism with Obi Toppin-like skill. Unfortunately, the motor doesn’t always run hot. If it did, he’d be a mid-1st rounder.
19A. Nelson - Izaiyah Nelson - Rim run big, athletic shot blocker.
19B. William Kyle III - JV defense as a big. Worse than JV shooting. Lob threat. Track and field high jumper. Motor.
19C. Mitchell - Dillon Mitchell - like wing JV. Can’t shoot. Very fluid and explosive athlete, good SF size.
19D. Miles - Solid 2 way PG.
19E. Bradley - Solid 2 way PG
19F. Awaka - Monster outlier offensive rebounder with incredible motor. Not a rim protector. Can’t shoot outside the paint. Like watching a modern generation Danny Fortson
19G. Castro - Rim run center with processing ability. Questionable hands?
19H. Udeh Jr. - Another rim run center / athletic shot blocker

Henley
Pierre Jr. -Underrated midrange creating shooting guard. Pull up jumpers.
Lipsey
Copeland - Taller guard, attacker/paint touch, inconsistent shooter
Nkrumah
Ayaji - High motor, wing sized PF
Oweh