Players you need to know for the 2018 NBA Draft

With every draft class there always comes the hype. The "best draft class since '03," comes to mind in particular. I'd like to focus on the '03 class while reviewing the 2018 NBA draft.

The 2003 NBA Draft was thought to be one of the producers of many stars, though, it is never thought of as a top heavy draft. Yes, while it was an incredible draft including guys like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and Carmelo Anthony; there was a significant drop off after that. Where the next best guy available was probably the 2017 NBA Champion, David West. The 2003 NBA Draft might be the most top heavy draft we have ever seen, s why does this have anything to do with the 2018 NBA draft?

The 2018 NBA draft is one of the most top heavy drafts since '03. The top 5 prospects are all incredible and have massive potential. Those 5 guys include Michael Porter, JR., Marvin Bagley III, Luka Doncic, Deandre Ayton, and Mohamed Bamba.

Player Breakdowns

Michael Porter Jr.

Missouri

Position F

Height 6'10

Weight 215

At 6'10 Porter seem to have all the tools necessary for a guy to score in the NBA. He has guard skills in a modern-day power forward's body. Porter stands out above all other guys because he is so far ahead physically and also shows smooth and fluid motions while scoring the ball. He has a history of solid rebounding with the ability to rebound. While he isn't elite in ​other areas of the game that include passing the ball or handling the ball, his athleticism isn't bad by any means but there are questions if he can create enough space to score against NBA level players. These small negative things about his game could be the difference in being either an inefficient scorer in the NBA to the #1 scorer on a top team. Now let’s go to the biggest hole in his game: His defense. It's not so much if he has the talent or versatility to defend. From what we have seen he doesn't really have the drive or the effort to defend. In high school he relied heavily on his athleticism and didn’t learn to defend with any discipline. Overall Michael Porter, JR. shows that he can score but what will separate him from some other scorer and becoming a future NBA All-Star is how he can improve in those other areas that don't involve him putting the ball in the basket.

Marvin Bagley III

Duke

Position F/C

Height 6'11

Weight 225

Bagley just reclassified from the 2018 class to the 2017 class and decided to sign with the Duke Blue Devils. Simply said Marvin Bagley is an athletic freak: At 6'11 he is not only a toned strong guy, he also shows elite athleticism with powerful dunks and some flashes of jump shots. Bagley can even show great moments of handling the ball in the open floor. He is a tenacious rebounder and does so with great intensity. A guy like this screams elite potential. He makes scouts drool. He does make some mental mistakes by stupid passes or just dumb plays in general while showing shows poor footwork in many areas. Just an overall improved feel for the game and better improvement in the skill areas. So, can he make the small changes that could change him from an athletic freak oozing with potential, or a player who builds on his athleticism and develops into an all-star caliber player. Overall Marvin Bagley III has everything you would want out of a big man prospect but it isn't known if he shows the improvement and development to become truly elite.

Luka Doncic

Real Madrid

Position G/F

Height 6'7

Weight 220

Luka Doncic is a 6'7 guard who is one of the best passers in the 2018 NBA Draft. Doncic shows maturity and comfort in the pick and roll. He shows a smooth stroke and looks comfortable shooting the 3. .He also is pretty solid on the defensive glass. Doncic has been playing professionally since he was 16 years old and is also playing in the 2nd best league in the world against professionals. Doncic isn't just playing on U18 teams, he is actually playing professionally and showing that he can play with the best. While Doncic is skilled, there are questions on whether he can play with below average athleticism. While guys in the NBA have been successful having below average athleticism by NBA standards, NBA generational talents like Stephen Curry, Larry Bird, and Jason Kidd all showed that they can be successful and depend on skill rather than being an athletic freak. Depending on his development process and the way his skill develops in the NBA will all hinge on how high his ceiling is.

DeAndre Ayton

Arizona

Position C

Height 7'0

Weight 250

DeAndre Ayton is a skilled 7'0 footer who has outstanding measurables and tons of potential. Ayton pulls out a slick jump shot every once in while and even has some decent perimeter skills. On the flip side, Ayton has a tendency to turn the ball over or have some sort of stupid moment when he plays. Ayton shows some immaturity and poor footwork and tends to be a bit lazy relying solely on his natural talent. Many believe his laziness grew from him being so dominant compared to the talent around him. Ayton also seems lost on the defensive end. Some scouts love him and some don’t seem to care for him at all. He seems to divide a lot of people on whether he can be a good player or not. He has the raw talent and the potential to be great but it is yet to be seen if he can develop into a great talent.

Mohamed Bamba

Texas

Position C

Height 7'0

Weight 215

The first thing you need to know about Mohamed Bamba is that he has a 7'9 wingspan: The same length as the best defensive center in the league, Rudy Gobert. He has the potential to be a defensive force in the NBA, however, guys like Alexis Ajinca who owns a long wingspan of 7'8 hasn't been anything close to Gobert. So, just because he has massive length, doesn't mean he is a guaranteed defensive anchor. Bamba is also nimble for his size and moves pretty well around the court. He also has the potential to be a very good rim runner. Bamba's offensive game is underdeveloped and needs some work. Bamba's jump shot needs work and will be very challenging for him to even get a decent shot up.