AP Photo/Gerry Broome
- As the college basketball season winds down and heads toward tournament play, NBA teams are looking for prospects who can star at the next level.
- This year’s class is considered top-heavy and Duke-heavy, with three of the top four prospects coming from Duke, led by Zion Williamson.
- We combined the averages of seven experts’ mock drafts to figure out the top 30 NBA prospects.
The college basketball season is winding down, approaching conference tournaments, and then March Madness.
It’s high time for NBA teams to scout the college basketball world in search of future stars and contributors at the next level.
This year’s draft class is regarded as top-heavy, and especially Duke-heavy, with three of the top four prospects as from Duke. After that, a few stars from some of the country’s biggest programs are projected to go in the first round of the draft.
Since the NBA draft order is not decided, we combed through seven experts’ mock drafts, then compiled averages for where each prospect is projected to be taken. Our experts: Jonathan Givony of ESPN, Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, Ricky O’Donnell of SB Nation, Kyle Boone of CBS, and Tankathon.
Here are the top 30 NBA prospects:
1. Zion Williams, F
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
Age: 18
School: Duke
One thing to know: From Woo: "He is hands-down the most impactful player in the country, with his immense athletic ability and basketball instincts conduits for easy baskets, transition offense and impact moments on both ends of the floor."
2. R.J. Barrett, F
Gerry Broome/AP
Age: 18
School: Duke
One thing to know: From Vecenie: "Barrett’s consistency and elite scoring ability shouldn’t be overlooked. He’s relentless in how he attacks on offense."
3. Ja Morant, G
Timothy D. Easley/AP
Age: 19
School: Murray State
One thing to know: From Vecenie: "Morant is a highlight waiting to happen with the ball in his hands. He’s lightning quick, keeps the ball on a string as a ball-handler and has explosive leaping ability off of two feet in the lane to posterize poor, unsuspecting souls who dare leap with him at the basket."
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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Source: Business Insider – sdavis@businessinsider.com (Scott Davis)