NBA Mock Draft 2017: Projections for Where 1st-Round Prospects Will Land
Sixty-seven prospects descend upon Chicago this week for the 2017 NBA Draft Combine.
Like the game itself, the lengthy showcase continues to evolve, this year for the first time falling under the Under Armour umbrella.
It's only fitting the event will prop up some of the most notable players from the 2017 class, who happen to look ready to further push the NBA in new directions as the action on the hardcourt evolves.
The class includes forwards capable of defending from the point right on down to the 4 and scoring anywhere from the floor, to point guards continuing to push the boundaries of traditional size and speed requirements of the position.
In a word, the 2017 class is electric. Here's a look at an updated mock ahead of the combine.
2017 NBA Mock Draft
| 1 | Boston Celtics (via Nets) | Markelle Fultz, G, Washington |
| 2 | Phoenix Suns | Josh Jackson, F, Kansas |
| 3 | Los Angeles Lakers | Lonzo Ball, G, UCLA |
| 4 | Philadelphia 76ers | Malik Monk, G, Kentucky |
| 5 | Orlando Magic | De'Aaron Fox, G, Kentucky |
| 6 | New York Knicks | Jayson Tatum, F, Duke |
| 7 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Frank Ntilikina, G, France |
| 8 | Sacramento Kings | Lauri Markkanen, F, Arizona |
| 9 | Dallas Mavericks | Dennis Smith Jr., G, NC State |
| 10 | Sacramento Kings (via Pelicans) | Jonathan Isaac, F, Florida State |
| 11 | Charlotte Hornets | Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga |
| 12 | Detroit Pistons | Harry Giles, F, Duke |
| 13 | Denver Nuggets | Ivan Rabb, F, California |
| 14 | Miami Heat | Justin Jackson, F, North Carolina |
| 15 | Portland Trail Blazers | Terrance Ferguson, G, Australia |
| 16 | Chicago Bulls | John Collins, F, Wake Forest |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | Tony Bradley, C, North Carolina |
| 18 | Indiana Pacers | Jarrett Allen, C, Texas |
| 19 | Atlanta Hawks | Isaiah Hartenstein, F, Germany |
| 20 | Portland Trail Blazers (via Grizzlies) | OG Anunoby, F, Indiana |
| 21 | Oklahoma City Thunder | TJ Leaf, F, UCLA |
| 22 | Brooklyn Nets (via Wizards) | Dwayne Bacon, F, Florida State |
| 23 | Toronto Raptors (via Clippers) | Moritz Wagner, F, Michigan |
| 24 | Utah Jazz | Ike Anigbogu, C, UCLA |
| 25 | Orlando Magic (via Raptors) | Jordan Bell, F, Oregon |
| 26 | Portland Trail Blazers (via Cavaliers) | Josh Hart, G, Villanova |
| 27 | Brooklyn Nets (via Celtics) | Sindarius Thornwell, G, South Carolina |
| 28 | Los Angeles Lakers (via Rockets) | Justin Patton, C, Creighton |
| 29 | San Antonio Spurs | Caleb Swanigan, F, Purdue |
| 30 | Utah Jazz (via Warriors) | Luke Kennard, G, Duke |
Lonzo Ball, G, UCLA
Lonzo Ball is the most polarizing prospect in the 2017 class because of his father, LaVar, the Big Baller Brand, his rapping skills and quite a bit more.
Lost in the chaos is the fact his game polarizes onlookers as well.
Ball looks the part at 6'6" and 190 pounds coming off a freshman campaign in which he averaged 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game while shooting 55.1 percent from the floor.
Impressive, but critics will point out his collapse in the Big Dance against second-seeded Kentucky, where he only dropped 10 points in a loss. In an overarching sense, Ball's lack of sudden athleticism sticks out like the old cliche about a sore thumb in such a talented class.
Mike Schmitz and Derek Bodner of DraftExpress broke it down well in a scouting report: "His biggest limiting factor at this stage is that he just doesn't show much ability to consistently get into the paint off the dribble, even at the college level. His first step isn't great, as his athleticism really begins to shine when he has the chance to build up steam in transition, and he doesn't have the strength needed to overcome that."
This is a small knock on Ball in the grand scheme of things, but it is worth pointing out when comparing him to other top-tier guards in this class like Markelle Fultz and Malik Monk. Let Ball run wild in transition and play off others and he'll have a lengthy pro career.
In the above mock, Ball gets to land with his Los Angeles Lakers, where he forms an interesting backcourt with D'Angelo Russell tasked with both scoring and getting Brandon Ingram involved.
The perfect fit in more ways than one, Ball seems destined to land in Los Angeles.
Dennis Smith Jr., G, NC State
The backcourt depth in the 2017 class is so impressive it's almost easy to forget about NC State's Dennis Smith Jr., a ball-dominant guard who touts a game capable of translating well to the pro level.
Smith dropped head-turning numbers in college last year, posting 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. He's not overly gigantic for the position like others in the class, but a 6'3", 195-pound frame with room to grow won't hold him back in the pros.
Unlike Ball, Smith is a slasher, off the pick-and-roll or isolation, who effortlessly gets his teammates involved or finishes plays. It's why someone like FanRag's Zach Harper throws out lofty comparisons.
"Poring over clips of Smith in the pick-and-roll, the immediate comparison that pops into my mind is Kyle Lowry. Ask for a player comp for Smith and Steve Francis comes back a lot. I can't shake the Lowry comparison. A lot of it has to do with how his jumper looks as he comes around those picks," Harper wrote.
Depending on how the lottery unfolds, Smith could easily come off the board in the top five or almost fall out of the first 10 selections, as where the guards hear their names called will come down to team preference.
Above, Smith falls to No. 9 and lands with the Dallas Mavericks, a team in need of a point to direct the offense right out of the gates next year, barring a major free-agent add. Dirk Nowitzki won't be around much longer, but Smith gives the Mavericks a nice younger base to surround with talent.
Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga
Most probably skim over the name Zach Collins on mock drafts.
That's a big mistake.
An understandable one, though, as Gonzaga only gave the 7'0", 230-pound freshman an average of 17.2 minutes per game last year. He used the chance to average 10.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks while shooting 65.2 percent from the floor.
Not overly amazing numbers, but we're talking about a 19-year-old prospect with incredible size who can stretch the floor and knock down shots from range.
It's not hard to wonder why CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein hears the Gonzaga product is one of the big risers as of late:
Collins, on paper, looks like a lottery player and the NBA isn't going to shy away from him because he didn't play a ton of minutes during a mandatory collegiate season.
This is all about upside, which the Charlotte Hornets are more than happy to take at No. 11 in the mock above. With the Miles Plumlee contract sagging the roster and Cody Zeller still floating around, the Hornets might want to make some changes underneath the basket this offseason.
If not, Charlotte has some pretty interesting lineups to trot out with Collins on the roster and a versatile prospect overall who meshes perfectly well with where the game of basketball continues to head.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
