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The NBA Draft brings new hope and anticipation for teams, especially the teams locked into a lottery pick. Its been some time since we’ve had a plethora of big men at the head of the field. In the 2018 draft the top ten picks will be filled with players of the bigger variety. Let’s take a look at the new aged power forward and centers that will invade the NBA.
The Duke:
Marvin Bagley has no doubt in his mind that he’s gonna go number one. To him anything else would be uncivilized. “I definitely believe I’m the No. 1 pick,” Bagley said, “and if the Suns take me I’ll definitely show them why.“ Bagley also told reporters how he feels when everybody puts Deandre Ayton in the top draft slot. “It’s disrespectful and I use it as drive every single day. At the end of the day, this is all talk right now. Eventually we’ll have to go on the court and we’ll have to play. That’s where all the talking ends.”
Bagley, the ACC player of the year, has a high motor and great offensive game. He’s 6′ 11,” 235 pounds with extra ordinary athleticism. He led the ACC, averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds in his freshman season at Duke.
Bagley has has a great skill set in the form of classic NBA power forwards. He is an amazing slash to the basket guy who puts the ball on the floor with intent to attack the rim. He has a great touch around the basket favoring his left hand on finishes. Bagley can handle somewhat, but will be better suited off the pass. He can move well without the ball and even extend his jump shot to the 3 point arc. His overall jumper will need work but the capacity to shoot it effectively is there.
He shoots great on the inside and can finish strong over the defender. His rebounding ability is amongst the best: Bagley keeps the ball alive for himself and teammates. He also keeps active on the offensive glass. He runs the floor very well and will beat most defenders down to the other side.
His defense will have to improve and his body wight will have to increase. He has been compared to Kevin Garnett, which wouldn’t be a bad pickup for the Suns.
The Hot Pick:
Ayton also feels he’s the best player in the draft and has already envisioned his career Phoenix. “I know I’m going No. 1,” Ayton told reporters after his private workout with the Suns. When asked about playing alongside Phoenix’s young players like Devin Booker, Ayton had this to say, “That’s Shaq and Kobe 2.0, that’s big. We could really make something happen in Phoenix. We could really have a spark and have a winning legacy.”
The Arizona star is a man-child standing at 7’1″ with a 7’5″ wingspan and 250 pounds of lean muscle. He was second in the Pac-12 averaging 20.1 points per game and he led the conference with 11.6 points per game.
Ayton can shoot pretty well from 10-15 feet and can hit the three. He can use his strength for power moves inside and finish with authoritative slams. He can move well without the ball and can finish above the rim. He also can shoot over both shoulders: a plus versus defenders trying to guess on shot blocks.
He will be good on the inside, able to draw fouls and shoot a decent percentage. He can pass out of the double team and is a solid overall passer. He can make moves immediately after catching in the post and has a soft touch. He will need to develop more moves and not rely on his size so much.
His defense is adequate but will need to improve. His help defense will need to get better and he might struggle on switches. He has the length and anticipation to block shots averaging 1.9 on the season, but takes chances and has low awareness. He is a terrific rebounder, but needs to do a better job of boxing out. He is great on the offensive glass: he will keep the ball high and put the ball right back up.
Ayton has been compared to many NBA bigs, such as David Robinson and Karl Anthony Towns. He is a dynamo at his height and size and should start off his career averaging a double-double.
The Phoenix Suns will have a hard decision as they hold the number one pick in Thursday’s draft. The pick will most likely come down to these two players. No matter which player they select, the Suns are going to get a gifted big man and a huge upgrade to their roster.
