1. Jabari Parker — Duke —SF
What BJ says: "Jabari Parker should be the #1 pick in this draft. He can shoot the ball (winner!), rebound, and he knows what the hell he is doing on the basketball court. Defensively he sucks. Great, who cares. We know that the difference between good defense and bad defense is just a Tom Thibodeau way. Parker spent a good amount of time rehabbing an injury and is probably just starting to feel normal on the court. He is going to build some more strength in the NBA and will develop a few more moves to become a very solid starter for years to come.
What Bob says: Jabari is an elite scorer with a great midrange jumper that has a quick release, which allows him to get his shot off against anyone. He doesn't have elite athletic ability, but understands angles and positioning well and has an elite basketball IQ that should translate to the next level. There is potential for a post game to be developed that would allow him to exploit mismatches with smaller forwards. He is not in top physical shape yet, but give him time with an NBA team and that could quickly change. Uses his size and positioning skills to be a very good rebounder and that could also translate to the next level. The biggest knock on him right now is his defense, but again that could change at the NBA level when he gets into shape and a specific scheme that limits his weaknesses.
Player Comparison: Best case: Paul Pierce, Carmelo Anthony; Worst Case: Corey Maggette
Risk Meter (out of 10 Hasheem Thabeets): 1 Thabeet! Even if Parker doesn't improve and stays pudgy, he'd still be a good role player scoring 15 ppg.
Best Fit: Utah Jazz - Yeah we are pulling the Mormon card, but still, it's a good organization with a young talented roster. If the Jazz can get Parker and move Gordon Hayward and his awkward contract situation, they'll do it.
Worst fit: Los Angeles Lakers - He's going to need shots and some stability to grow as a player. Kobe isn't going to be a forgiving leader for a rookie that needs shots to be successful.
NBA2K Rating: 78-80
2. Andrew Wiggins — Kansas —SF
What Bob says: "Wiggins has all the tools to be a legitimate NBA superstar. His size and elite athleticism is why so many teams are infatuated with him. He makes plays from time to time that are spectacular in nature. Great rebounder for his size and the mechanics on his jump shot are solid. Still very raw, but he looks like, with a few years of experience and if everything goes right he could be a top NBA player. He does disappear in games sometimes for long stretches at a time. Other games he will make 2 spectacular plays and then do noting else the rest of the game. Needs to put weight on his frame in order to bang with NBA players. Doesn't create his own shot very well, instead relies on others to give him catch and shoot opportunities or fast break dunks. Is an elite defender already and at the very least should be a great 3 and D player that NBA GM's covet so much. If he can improve his consistency and gets lucky enough to play on a team with a pass first point guard this guy could be special."
What BJ says: "I was on the Wiggins train before the start of the NCAA season, then watched him play and wasn't happy at all with what I saw. The Canadian "Phenom" was just a hyper-athletic wing player with a mediocre jump shot with no edge to him. Wiggins COULD score, and he COULD make plays, but he was never the type of guy that looked like he would take a game over. I also remembered that we had this same knock on a lot of Kansas guys in the past. With Wiggins, I was expecting a dominant player that recklessly attacked the rim. After taking a step back, I saw Wiggins for what he really is. A very good defender, an athlete that know exactly what he can and can't do AND the makings of a very talented offensive player. Wiggins is going to be more Luol Deng than Tracy McGrady, but that's not a bad thing. His offense may never be at that 25 ppg level, but being a 17 points, 7 rebounds guy averaging 1.5 steals and 1 block per game is absolutely worth a top 3 pick. We will rate Wiggins overrated for the first few years of his career until we realize that he is what he is; a rock solid defender that is best in transition. I'm sold on Wiggins as an All-Star caliber, defensive player.
Player comparison: Best case: Paul George or Scottie Pippen; Worst case: Marvin Williams
Risk Meter: 4 Thabeets; Look, Wiggins might not be the star everybody wants him to be, but he is going to be good enough to play at least 25 mpg in the NBA.
NBA2K Player Rating: 77-78
3. Joel Embiid — Kansas — CWhat BJ says: "I was on the Wiggins train before the start of the NCAA season, then watched him play and wasn't happy at all with what I saw. The Canadian "Phenom" was just a hyper-athletic wing player with a mediocre jump shot with no edge to him. Wiggins COULD score, and he COULD make plays, but he was never the type of guy that looked like he would take a game over. I also remembered that we had this same knock on a lot of Kansas guys in the past. With Wiggins, I was expecting a dominant player that recklessly attacked the rim. After taking a step back, I saw Wiggins for what he really is. A very good defender, an athlete that know exactly what he can and can't do AND the makings of a very talented offensive player. Wiggins is going to be more Luol Deng than Tracy McGrady, but that's not a bad thing. His offense may never be at that 25 ppg level, but being a 17 points, 7 rebounds guy averaging 1.5 steals and 1 block per game is absolutely worth a top 3 pick. We will rate Wiggins overrated for the first few years of his career until we realize that he is what he is; a rock solid defender that is best in transition. I'm sold on Wiggins as an All-Star caliber, defensive player.
Player comparison: Best case: Paul George or Scottie Pippen; Worst case: Marvin Williams
Risk Meter: 4 Thabeets; Look, Wiggins might not be the star everybody wants him to be, but he is going to be good enough to play at least 25 mpg in the NBA.
NBA2K Player Rating: 77-78
What BJ says: "Embiid is only in this spot because Mr. Bobby Cats thinks he should be. I have not been sold on Embiid all season and I probably never will be. You can not convince me that a guy that supposedly started playing basketball in 2011 should be a lottery pick. Just because a big guy can walk and text at the same time, doesn't mean he's going to average 20 & 10 every night. What I see with Embiid is a guy that can come in and protect the rim, clean up weak side rebounds and run the pick and roll from time to time. Best case for Embiid: He averages 15 points and 10 rebounds while blocking 1.5 shots per game. That is worthy of a top 10 pick. But betting your future on a guy that now has a back injury, a foot injury, can't score and only averages 11 points and 8 rebounds per game in college?! You know who Embiid is? Derek Favors! Who put up similar stats at Georgia Tech as a 19 year old freshman. So let's stop comparing Embiid to Hakeem and Duncan. If you want a guy that's going to put up solid numbers รก la Favors, here is your guy."
What Bob says: "Athletic 7 footers do not grow on trees. Very smooth runner and general basketball player even though he has only played organized ball since 201-11. Defensively he uses his height and athleticism well enough to be a severe detriment to opposing teams. Offensively he is very limited right now, but the few post moves he does use are smooth and effective. NBA scouts are drooling over his potential because of his size and limited exposure to the game of basketball. The comparisons are to Hakeem are goddamn ridiculous and shouldn't be given any more thought than what you would to the ramblings of a homeless street preacher. The potential to be one of the top centers in the NBA however is a possibility, but he has quite a lot of ground to cover between now and then. The center position in the NBA is one of the weakest in the league behind maybe shooting guard. At the very least his athleticism and size should allow him to be a competent back up if he doesn't reach his full potential. There is a slight injury concern due to his size and recent maladies that have held him out of a few contests this year. Hopefully these injuries turn out to be anomalies and not a sign of something more serious."
Player Comparison: Best Case: Roy Hibbert / Worst Case: Ian Mahinmi, Hasheem Thabeet
Risk Meter: 8 Thabeets! Huge risk. You are most likely drafting a bench player here.
Best Fit: Boston Celtics: Brad Stevens will be able to capitalize on Embiid's strengths and slowly work on his weaknesses. Having Rajon Rondo there to get the ball to the rookie in just the right spots will also help. The Celtics desperately need a big in this rebuilding process and Embiid is solid enough to help.
Worst Fit: The Orlando Magic: They already have a raw center with potential in Nikola Vucevic. A raw center with potential that is already good, by the way. So unless they plan on holding on to both as assets there is no point. Especially when Jameer Nelson is your point guard.
NBA2K rating: 68-71
4. Julius Randle — Kentucky — PF
What BJ says: "I'm not a fan of undersized power forwards, but Julius Randle is a beast. I'm really hoping that he measures out to like 6"9' 3/4 or something because he has a solid skill set. When he gets the ball on the block, he puts his head down, creates space and finishes at an very efficient rate. His bruising, physical style is going to get him to the line plenty and he will be a menace on the offensive boards. What I most like about Randle is that he is clearly not afraid of his competition. If he misses or gets his shot blocked, he gets it and puts it back up. He might not be a star in this league, but at least you're getting a player that will work his ass off. He reminds a lot of people of Zach Randolph, which is fair. But Randle is a faster, more athletic Z-Bo that has a better handle. You're not getting a franchise player, but you are getting someone that can help your team immediately."
What Bob says: Julius Randle is an exceptional rebounder at the college level. Despite consistently not being the tallest player on the court, thanks to his relentless energy Randle find himself pulling in 10+ boards a game. He has a knack for finding himself in the right place, where the ball just bounces right to him. Randle also shows a lot of similarities to Kevin Love when it comes to rebounding at a high level despite the athletic and physical limits. Shows excellent positioning on the offensive glass that allows him to consistently be in the mix to snatch up an offensive board. His offensive low post game consists of a lot of pump fakes and moves that take him right to the front of the rim. Draws a ton of fouls in the low post thanks to his multiple pump fakes and herky jerky body movements. Even when his shot isn't falling he is able to draw fouls consistently which should serve him well at the NBA level. He isn't quite there defensively, but a lot of that could be attributed to the fact that the Harrison twins consistently let opposing guards blow by them and he has to leave his man to help leaving an easy dump pass that most middle schoolers can make. Because of his effective post game most teams at the NBA level will think about double teaming him which will allow him to rack up 3 or 4 assists on easy kick outs when the double comes. Has potential to play the stretch four position due to his decent handle and shooting ability that he hasn't been able to showcase too much at Kentucky, but hopefully will be allowed to flourish at the NBA level. Might never become a star at the NBA player, but he could very easily be a solid role player for a championship contending team.
Player Comparison: Best Case: Elton Brand or Zach Randolph. Worst Case: Michael Beasley
Risk Meter: 5 Thabeets. Randle might not turn into a star. If he doesn't, he'll be a great bench guy; think Carl Landry.
Best Fit: Lakers or Sixers. The Lakers' roster is in flux, but as long as Kobe is on the team, there will be a ton of weak side rebounds to be had. Assuming the Sixers trade Thad Young, Randle could slide into that role well along Nerlens Noel.
Worst Fit: Utah. The Jazz don't need another front court player and they certainly don't need to try and play Randle at the small forward position.
NBA2K Rank: 72-75
5. Rodney Hood — Duke — SF
What Bob says: "Slashing, athletic, lefty that looks like he has the talent to play well at the NBA level. Prefers to take the ball to the rack rather than shoot the three, but his jumper is solid and his range can definitely be extended. At times he has carried the offense for Duke despite having the possible number one pick on his team. This definitely shows that Rodney can play with the big boys. Defensively he doesn't show the flashes of being an elite defender, but he puts in the effort so he shouldn't a liability at the NBA level, but don't expect him to make any all defensive teams at any point in his career. Rebounds well using his size and effort, and this should be able to translate over into the NBA. Does not have star potential, but very well could end being a solid role player that could be the third or fourth option on a championship team."
What BJ says: "Rodney Hood might be my favorite player in the draft. He's going to get picked a couple spots too late and teams are going to regret it. He's a silky smooth 6'8" wing that has not filled out yet. People knock him because he doesn't jump out of the building and isn't super flashy. He's just a good basketball player, but of course that doesn't get you drafted in the top 5. Hood can get to the bucket and use his length to get to the rim. He also has a solid mid-range and outside game which is most impressive. It's hard to put a pin on a player comparison. He is built like Tayshaun Prince, but plays like Rashard Lewis almost. I think Hood will turn out to be a solid 17-6 wing player. If a team gets him after the 6th pick, it's a steal.
Player Comparison: Best case: Rashard Lewis; Worst case: Marvin Williams
Risk Meter: 5 Thabeets. There's that chance that Hood doesn't fill out and is never strong enough to be a reliable two way player. Right now, he is worth the pick.
Best Fit: Charlotte, Orlando, Phoenix. Hood needs time to get comfortable and build strength. Playing with a guard like Kemba Walker or next to a ball dominant player like Victor Oladipo would definitely help him develop. Phoenix would plug him into the system right away.
Worst Fit: Milwaukee. Hood isn't ready to be the number one guy, yet! If he can grow next to other solid, young players, he could be a great #2.
NBA2K Rank: 70-72
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