This is the moment ya'll have been waiting for. The unveiling of my final rankings before the 2017 NBA Draft. And without further ado, here it goes:
Swag's Top 2017 NBA Draft Prospects
1.
Jayson Tatum - Future Superstar; NBA comp: Paul George/Kawhi Leonard
2.
Lonzo Ball - Future Superstar; NBA comp: Penny Hardaway/Jason Kidd
3.
Harry Giles - Potential All-Star; NBA comp: Chris Bosh
4.
Jonathan Isaac - Potential All-Star; NBA comp: poor man's Kevin Durant
5.
Josh Jackson - Potential All-Star; NBA comp: Jimmy Butler/DeMar DeRozan
6.
Markelle Fultz - Solid Starter; NBA comp: Eric Gordon/CJ McCollum
7.
Justin Jackson - Solid Starter; NBA comp: Nicolas Batum
8.
Terrance Ferguson - Starter/Role Player; NBA comp: JR Smith/Terrance Ross
9.
Dennis Smith Jr. - Starter/Role Player; NBA comp: Emmanuel Mudiay
10.
De'Aaron Fox - Starter/Role Player; NBA comp: Brandon Knight
11.
Malik Monk - Role Player; NBA comp: Lou Williams
Notes
Swag's Top 2017 NBA Draft Prospects
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Notes
- As you can see, I got a new #1. After months of being on the Lonzo Ball train, I have to slightly get off. I still think Lonzo Ball will be a superstar and the best PG of the next generation. However, Jayson Tatum is now my clear cut #1 overall prospect. And the reason is simple. An elite two-way wing who can dominate the game both offensively and defensively is still the most valuable asset in the NBA (see Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James). Now Tatum isn't as good as those legendary wings but he should be the second best of the next generation of NBA stars (after Andrew Wiggins). I gotta thank @Malta for the Kawhi Leonard comp. For a long time I only saw the Paul George in his game. Now I see he also has some Kawhi Leonard to him in terms of size, length, athleticism, and the stiffness/lack of fluidity he plays with. Jayson Tatum is the clear cut best player in this draft and it boggles my mind that this isn't a more popular opinion.
- I know ya'll are shocked at who I have at #3 but I don't care. Harry Giles (when healthy) was the unanimous #1 prospect in this class. Yes he's had ACL tears on both knees. Yes he was terrible in his only season at Duke. BUT I DON'T CARE. He's still an elite talent. And even if there is only a 10% chance he gets back to the player he once was, I'm willing to take that chance. There aren't any other guys in this draft outside of Jayson Tatum and Lonzo Ball with superstar potential so I would take a shot at Harry Giles in the top 5-10 on the off chance he returns to the player he once was. Cause if he somehow gets to even half the player he was before the knee injuries, you're looking at a perennial all-star caliber player.
- Ya'll know I'm high on Jonathan Isaac. His skill set and potential is elite. I don't think he'll ever have the offensive game of a Kevin Durant. But I think he can become a better version of him defensively and a lesser version of him offensively. The ideal fit for Isaac would be with the Minnesota Timberwolves where he can play opposite Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns as a defensive specialist who can also stretch the floor. I don't know if I like the idea of him going to a team like the Orlando Magic and being the man there. I think he's more suited to be a high-end role player like Draymond Green.
- Josh Jackson is an interesting player. I like him but I don't love him. Similar to my feelings on Jimmy Butler and DeMar DeRozan. They are good players. They score 20+ and make all-star teams. But I don't think they are quite elite. Same thing with Josh Jackson. He has some intriguing skills in terms of size and athleticism. But he's not elite. His shooting and ball handling leaves a lot to be desired. He's also already 20 years old. Some people have tried to compare him to Andrew Wiggins. I find that laughable. Wiggins while more raw in terms of ball-handling was a much better shooter in college. And in terms of athleticism there is really no comparison. Josh Jackson has good athleticism like DeMar DeRozan. Andrew Wiggins has generational athleticism like Michael Jordan.
- You all know how I feel about Markelle Fultz. There is no need for me to say anything else. He's a decent prospect. As you can see I rated him 6th overall. But he's nothing special and its a joke he's going 1st overall in this draft.
- Justin Jackson and Terrance Ferguson are players I believe are being massively underrated. They are both significantly better than a guy like Malik Monk who is getting a lot of hype and attention as a top 10 pick. Jackson and Ferguson give you legit size as an NBA wing. Malik Monk doesn't. Both look like they can be solid 3nD wings in the NBA. I know Jackson is projected to go in the mid-teens but it boggles my mind Terrance Ferguson isn't getting more hype. He's taller than Malik Monk (6'7" to 6'3"), he's more athletic, just as good a shooter, and he's younger (if by only a couple of months). It literally makes no sense to me why anyone would take Malik Monk over Terrance Ferguson.
- I think Dennis Smith Jr. and De'Aaron Fox are very similar players though I slightly favor Smith over Fox. Both are undersized and neither can shoot very well. That is the main impediment for both players when it comes to potential stardom in the NBA. Can they learn to shoot? I'm gonna lean toward a strong no for De'Aaron Fox. He's literally proven nothing so far to show he can become a good enough shooter to be a big-time PG in this league. Dennis Smith Jr. shot a little better in college and I think mechanically shows more promise. But then again I also thought Emmanuel Mudiay had a nice stroke and showed good promise as a shooter and he hasn't progressed at all. That is the main reason I have both these guys rated so low.
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