2018 Draft Picks
Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 12:13 am
I'm really curious to get everyone's thoughts and grades on the draft.
#4 Jaren Jackson Jr., PF/C, Michigan St
From ESPN.com:
Pre-Draft Analysis
Strengths
- Impressive physical profile. Extremely agile.
- Lockdown defender who can switch 1-5. Plays in a deep stance on the perimeter. Elite rim protector (5.5 blocks per 40).
- Soft touch from the perimeter with time and space -- 38-of-96 from college 3 (39.6 percent) and 79.7 percent from the foul line. Unorthodox push shot but gets it off quickly. Can straight-line drive when run off his spots.
Improvement areas
- Foul-prone defender who lacks a degree of discipline (5.9 fouls per 40 ranks as the third-most in our Top 100).
- Instincts on the defensive glass leave much to be desired at times. Had a reputation of being a bit soft early on in his high school career. Reverts back to that for stretches.
- Offensive upside is a bit limited. Doesn't think the game at a high level. Not going to create offense from the mid-post.
Projected role: 3-and-D center
#32 Jevon Carter, PG West Virginia
From ESPN.com:
Pre-Draft Analysis
Upside: Carter was one of the best defenders in college basketball, being the centerpiece of West Virginia's full-court press. No one did a better job of slowing down Trae Young in the Big 12. He picks up 94 feet, is a menace in the passing lanes and generally makes life difficult for opponents. He brings tremendous toughness and physicality to the table in everything he does, making him an ideal practice player and culture guy. Coaches that have worked with him swear by him.
Carter developed into a capable scorer over the course of his career as well, knocking down 39 percent of his 3-pointers as a junior and senior, and is capable of making shots off the dribble. He's an unselfish player who plays at different speeds, and he will likely benefit from having more talent around him after being asked to do far too much for a West Virginia team that looked disorganized and skill-deprived at times in their half-court offense.
Drawbacks: Carter isn't gifted with elite physical traits, measuring just 6-foot-0.25 without shoes with a 6-4 wingspan and average athleticism by NBA standards. Ideally you would like to see a player in Carter's mold be able to defend either guard position, but his lack of size and length might make that challenging at times. His mediocre 44 2-point percentage is partially due to his inability to create high-percentage looks for himself and teammates, as he's likely better suited playing alongside another initiator who can help handle some of the shot-creation responsibilities.
Potential role: Agitator
--Jonathan Givony
#4 Jaren Jackson Jr., PF/C, Michigan St
From ESPN.com:
Pre-Draft Analysis
Strengths
- Impressive physical profile. Extremely agile.
- Lockdown defender who can switch 1-5. Plays in a deep stance on the perimeter. Elite rim protector (5.5 blocks per 40).
- Soft touch from the perimeter with time and space -- 38-of-96 from college 3 (39.6 percent) and 79.7 percent from the foul line. Unorthodox push shot but gets it off quickly. Can straight-line drive when run off his spots.
Improvement areas
- Foul-prone defender who lacks a degree of discipline (5.9 fouls per 40 ranks as the third-most in our Top 100).
- Instincts on the defensive glass leave much to be desired at times. Had a reputation of being a bit soft early on in his high school career. Reverts back to that for stretches.
- Offensive upside is a bit limited. Doesn't think the game at a high level. Not going to create offense from the mid-post.
Projected role: 3-and-D center
#32 Jevon Carter, PG West Virginia
From ESPN.com:
Pre-Draft Analysis
Upside: Carter was one of the best defenders in college basketball, being the centerpiece of West Virginia's full-court press. No one did a better job of slowing down Trae Young in the Big 12. He picks up 94 feet, is a menace in the passing lanes and generally makes life difficult for opponents. He brings tremendous toughness and physicality to the table in everything he does, making him an ideal practice player and culture guy. Coaches that have worked with him swear by him.
Carter developed into a capable scorer over the course of his career as well, knocking down 39 percent of his 3-pointers as a junior and senior, and is capable of making shots off the dribble. He's an unselfish player who plays at different speeds, and he will likely benefit from having more talent around him after being asked to do far too much for a West Virginia team that looked disorganized and skill-deprived at times in their half-court offense.
Drawbacks: Carter isn't gifted with elite physical traits, measuring just 6-foot-0.25 without shoes with a 6-4 wingspan and average athleticism by NBA standards. Ideally you would like to see a player in Carter's mold be able to defend either guard position, but his lack of size and length might make that challenging at times. His mediocre 44 2-point percentage is partially due to his inability to create high-percentage looks for himself and teammates, as he's likely better suited playing alongside another initiator who can help handle some of the shot-creation responsibilities.
Potential role: Agitator
--Jonathan Givony