1. Jabari Parker - As some others have noted, I just think he's the best fit for the franchise. Brings tremendous character, integrity, likeability, passion and "Alpha-Killer Instinct," plus he has the highest floor of the Top 4 (ie - he's the "Safest Pick"). Can you imagine this guy's personality with Giannis's?
He also has a tremendous amount of room for growth. This kid was on the cover of SI billed as the best prospect since Lebron in 2012, least we not forget that. In addition to all his intangibles, he is a tremendous basketball player, who if, playing next to Sanders/Henson/Giannis, could likely hide any defensive deficiencies he would have at the NBA level.2. Andrew Wiggins - The hype train isn't quite as strong as it was last summer, but it still should be darn close. Wiggins showed all the flashes of being a 5-tool NBA player at one point or another in his brief Kansas career. I think under the new ownership, and next to Giannis, he has a high likelihood of reaching his potential. But he is slightly more risky a pick than Jabari, due to his somewhat passive, somewhat disengaged nature. Thus he comes in at #2 on my board, because, we need to get this pick right.
3. Joel Embiid - I will be honest, if it wasn't for his injury he would likely be flirting with #1 on my board. But the Pantheon of NBA Annuals is littered with talented "Big Men" who's potential was robbed of them by injury. Embiid, no matter how talented, and no matter who on this board argues otherwise, is simply TOO RISKY, to take if both Parker/Wiggins are also available. If you think different, props to you...you are a braver man than me. With that said, I take him at #3 in a heartbeat if the two listed above are gone.
4. Dante Exum - I have come around on Exum though we have concerns with him, and he, in my mind, sits in a tier below the Top 3. How good can he shoot? What's his vertical at? If he can't shoot, and can't finish around the rim, what makes him so different than Marcus Smart, a player who likely will bring better NBA leadership and defensive prowess from Day 1. These Exum concerns must be alleviated in the pre-draft process, or else some on the honorable mention list below might begin to be in the conversation for #4...
Honorable Mention (Should something unforeseen happen to the Top 4):
- Julius Randle
- Marcus Smart
- Noah Vonleh
- Doug McDermott (his Dirk fadeaway has me hooked that he is a Top 10 prospect)
Now, let's just hope to get as lucky as we did on May 20th as we did 20 years ago. In fact, here is the video of that fateful day. I still remember running around my parent's house as a teenager screaming, "The Big Dog is coming!" Crazy that over the last 48 hours, I felt some of that same youthful happiness come back to me as a Bucks fan...been an amazing 2 days! (and yes, I know we should have taken Kidd or Hill back then...don't rain on my happy trip down memory lane!
)[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUQV-OLOmgk[/youtube]
