Chad Ford
ESPN Senior Writer
PORTLAND, Ore. -- More than 100 NBA scouts and GMs attended the Nike Hoop Summit to get a closer look at the 2017 and 2018 NBA draft classes.
I spoke with a number of NBA scouts about which high school players and newly eligible international players made the best impressions here and in the recent McDonald's game.
NBA scouts are very, very excited about the incoming class of college freshmen.
Our ESPN Recruiting gurus have ranked 22 players as five-star prospects. Team USA was one of the deepest and most talented squads in years.
"This year is loaded with some crazy talent," one NBA GM said. "This is the deepest class I can remember in some time. There isn't necessarily a lot of superstar power in the class, but it's very, very deep. I think 20 to 25 of these guys will play in the NBA in some capacity."
And with so many players bolting for the 2016 draft (only two players in our top 30 have indicated they are returning to college), these players are likely to dominate the first round of the NBA draft in 2017.
Based on numerous discussions with scouts in Portland, here's a sneak peek at nine high school players and one international prospect who should be topping our 2017 Big Board.
1. Josh Jackson
College: uncommitted
Guard/forward
Age: 19
6-foot-8, 202 pounds
There's no real consensus among NBA scouts about who should be the 2017 No. 1 pick, but Jackson was the player mentioned most often among the scouts with whom I spoke.
It doesn't take long to see why. He's a long, explosive wing who plays with an elite motor and competitiveness on both ends of the floor. He's aggressive without ever being selfish. He can be a relentless driver to the basket, excellent passer (he might even be able to play a little point guard) and defender of at least three positions on the floor.
His jump shot is his biggest weakness right now. If it isn't broken, it needs a lot of work.
He can also be overly competitive at times (think Marcus Smart), which can get him and his team into trouble. But no one wants to win more than him. He's like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with a more refined offensive game.
He has narrowed down his school choices to Kansas, Arizona and Michigan State, with most folks here thinking he'll likely pick Kansas.
If he does, he should be a perfect fit in Lawrence, and I think he'll have the best chance of hearing his name called first in June 2017. I don't think there's a player in this class with more upside.
McDonald's: 19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 9-for-11 shooting in 17 minutes
Hoop Summit: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal in 13 minutes
2. Harry Giles
College: Duke
Forward
Age: 17
6-11, 222
Giles is the top-ranked player according to our recruiting experts. He would likely have taken the No. 1 spot on this board had he not partially torn the ACL in his left knee last summer. It's his second knee injury in the past two years -- he tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee in the summer of 2013 -- and that's what worries scouts right now. Everything else is a wow.
He has elite size and length, is an explosive athlete, plays in attack mode on both ends and just has a great feel for the game. He rebounds, blocks shots and defends in the paint and on the perimeter. He needs to get stronger and to develop more of a face-the-basket game, but we're nitpicking here.
If he recovers fully from his injury and has a huge season at Duke, he'll be strongly in the mix for the No. 1 pick. But until scouts see him healthy, it's hard to project him there for right now.
McDonald's/Hoop Summit: did not play due to injury
3. Markelle Fultz
College: Washington
Guard
Age: 17
6-5, 186
Fultz is another star in the making, as he's shown the past several weeks.
I heard several scouts here say he's a better version of Kentucky's Jamal Murray. That's a huge compliment. While not the same player, they can do many of the same things well, and many scouts are predicting a huge year for Fultz, much like Murray had at Kentucky.
If scouts are convinced he can play the point in the NBA (and most of them were in Portland), he's got a real shot to be a top-five pick.
McDonald's: 10 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals in 15 minutes
Hoop Summit: 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals in 18 minutes
4. Jayson Tatum
College: Duke
Forward
Age: 18
6-8, 204
Tatum has some real appeal. He has elite size for his position and an NBA body. He totally looks the part of an elite NBA wing the same way someone such as Rudy Gay or Harrison Barnes does. He has a refined midrange game, gets out into passing lanes on defense and is a beast in transition.
But it feels like there's something missing with Tatum. His lack of a consistent 3-point shot is part of it, but there's also something about his cool demeanor that turns scouts off just a little as well.
Everyone I spoke with said he is a future NBA player, but no one said that it's obvious he'll be a star in the NBA -- thus he's ranked a little lower here than on most recruiting boards.
McDonald's: 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5-for-15 shooting in 23 minutes
Hoop Summit: 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals in 17 minutes
5. Jonathan Isaac
College: Florida State
Forward
Age: 18
6-11, 205
Isaac was the the real high riser this week. His size, athleticism and versatility to play both forward positions are intriguing. He's one of the rare players who can both protect the rim and stretch the floor, and he even showed some nice awareness as a passer this week.
He is extremely skinny and lacks toughness, and his 3-point shooting needs some polish. But in terms of pure upside, there aren't many guys who can match his ceiling.
McDonald's: N/A
Hoop Summit: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists in 20 minutes
6. Lonzo Ball
College: UCLA
Guard
Age: 18
6-5, 195
Ball may be the best pure passer in the projected 2007 draft class. He's the consummate floor general who always seems to make the right pass and doesn't wilt under pressure. He has great size and length for his position. His court vision for his size is phenomenal. He rebounds and can defend multiple positions.
The biggest question marks for him are strength and shooting. While he has a lot of range on his jumper, he has inconsistent shot mechanics.
Scouts are all over the place on which point guards they love the most in this class, but the ones who love Ball think he has Penny Hardaway-type potential.
McDonald's: 0 points, 13 assists, 4 rebounds in 21 minutes
Hoop Summit: N/A
7. Frank Ntilikina
France
Guard
Age: 17
6-5, 180
The international squad at the Hoop Summit was a disaster this year. The only player who looked like a lock for the NBA, DeAndre Ayton, won't be eligible until 2018. But that doesn't mean there aren't intriguing international prospects out there for 2017.
Ntilikina is the one with the most buzz. He wowed NBA folks at the Basketball Without Borders camp in Toronto during All-Star Weekend and -- with the possible exception of Bell -- may be the best pure 1 among the crop of talented guards in this year's class.
He has elite size and length with excellent court vision and can get anywhere he wants to on the floor. He also can defend both backcourt positions and has real leadership qualities. He isn't a great shooter, and he doesn't always look to score, but teams are really in love with him.
If he can get even more minutes from his team in France next year, he's expected to be the first international player off the board in 2017.
McDonald's/Hoop Summit: N/A
8. De'Aaron Fox
College: Kentucky
Guard
Age: 18
6-4, 171
Fox's speed really stands out. He flies up and down the court and is excellent both in transition and when he gets a full head of steam getting into the lane. He has the ability to create his own shot off the bounce and is a creative finisher at the rim.
He's a terrific on-ball defender, too, and while he's not a lights-out shooter, he shot it pretty well in practices here.
He can play a bit out of control at times -- and can be turnover prone -- but he should have a big year in Kentucky and push Fultz, Ntilikina and Bell to be potentially the first point guard off the board.
McDonald's: 2 points, 7 assists, 5 turnovers, 1-for-8 shooting in 22 minutes
Hoop Summit: 9 points, 5 assists, 2 steals in 15 minutes
9. Terrance Ferguson
College: uncommitted
Guard
Age: 18
6-7, 186
After looking just solid at McDonald's and in practices, Ferguson exploded in the Hoop Summit, hitting six 3s in about a four-minute stretch in the second quarter. Those who have followed Team USA closely the past few years know he's a favorite of the program.
His shooting, NBA size, length and athleticism for his position -- combined with a real commitment on the defensive end -- make him very, very appealing as a pro prospect. Every team in the NBA needs guys like that.
He decommitted from Alabama and has been looking at both Arizona and Kansas.
McDonald's: 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1-for-5 from 3 in 16 minutes
Hoop Summit: 21 points, 7-for-11 from 3, 2 assists in 15 minutes
10. Dennis Smith
College: NC State
Guard
Age: 18
6-2, 190
Smith is the fifth (fifth!) point guard in the top 10. After struggling to find elite point guard prospects for the past several years, scouts see a plethora of them coming up in 2017.
Like Giles, he missed this past season because of a torn ACL.
Smith's an elite athlete both in quickness and explosiveness. He's strong and bouncy and he can really change speeds with the ball. He's a very good passer and scorer.
He just needs to refine his 3-point shooting, cut down on turnovers and prove to scouts that his knee injury won't sap his athleticism.
Smith enrolled at North Carolina State in January, so his transition should be relatively smooth. I think he's got a chance to be special as an NBA player.
McDonald's: N/A
Hoop Summit: N/A
Others to watch
Edrice Adebayo, PF, Kentucky; Miles Bridges, F, Michigan State; Malik Monk, G, Kentucky; Jarrett Allen, C, uncommitted; Omer Yurtseven, C, Turkey; Marques Bolden, C, uncommitted; Isaiah Hartenstein, PF, Germany; Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona; Frank Jackson, PG, Duke; Weneyn Gabriel, F, Kentucky
http://espn.go.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/15175049/chad-ford-sneak-peek-josh-jackson-harry-giles-markelle-fultz-nba-draft-2017
Figures, 4 of the top 5 are forwards and the rest are all point guards. But perhaps PG will be our need next year, especially if Bledsoe goes down again.
