2018 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Elite Frontcourt Prospects
The NBA draft process has taken a backseat to playoff coverage in the last month, but it's still an important topic for the teams scouting the best fits for their rosters.
Phoenix has the best odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick, while Memphis, Dallas and Atlanta having the next best chances.
Of the teams left in the postseason, two have spots in the lottery, as Cleveland holds Brooklyn's first-round pick and Philadelphia or Boston could be conveyed the Los Angeles Lakers' choice.
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There are plenty of impressive talents to go around in the draft, but the best positional talent comes down low, with a few frontcount players expected to go in the top five.
Below is a look at a few of the most dominant frontcourt prospects in the 2018 NBA draft pool.
2018 NBA 1st-Round Mock Draft
1. Phoenix Suns: Deandre Ayton, C, Arizona
2. Memphis Grizzlies: Luke Doncic, SG, Slovenia
3. Dallas Mavericks: Jaren Jackson Jr., PF, Michigan State
4. Atlanta Hawks: Mohamed Bamba, C, Texas
5. Orlando Magic: Marvin Bagley III, PF, Duke
6. Chicago Bulls: Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma
7. Sacramento Kings: Wendell Carter Jr., PF/C, Duke
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Brooklyn): Michael Porter Jr., SF, Missouri
9. New York Knicks: Mikal Bridges, SG/SF, Villanova
10. Philadelphia 76ers (from Los Angeles Lakers): Lonnie Walker IV, SG, Miami
11. Charlotte Hornets: Miles Bridges, SF/PF, Michigan State
12. Los Angeles Clippers (from Detroit): Zhaire Smith, SG, Texas Tech
13. Los Angeles Clippers: Collin Sexton, PG, Alabama
14. Denver Nuggets: Kevin Knox, SF/PF, Kentucky
15. Washington Wizards: Dzanan Musa, SF, Bosnia and Herzegovina
16. Phoenix Suns (from Miami): Jontay Porter, PF, Missouri
17. Milwaukee Bucks: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Kentucky
18. San Antonio Spurs: Robert Williams, PF/C, Texas A&M
19. Atlanta Hawks (from Minnesota): Shake Milton, SG/PG, SMU
20. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Oklahoma City): Anfernee Simons, SG, Unattached
21. Utah Jazz: Chandler Hutchison, SF, Boise State
22. Chicago Bulls (from New Orleans): Khyri Thomas, SG, Creighton
23. Indiana Pacers: Aaron Holiday, PG, UCLA
24. Portland Trailblazers: Troy Brown, SF, Oregon
25. Los Angeles Lakers (from Cleveland): Jalen Brunson, PG, Villanova
26. Philadelphia 76ers: Rawle Alkins, SG, Arizona
27. Boston Celtics: Mitchell Robinson, C, United States
28. Golden State Warriors: Jacob Evans, SF, Cincinnati
29. Brooklyn Nets (from Toronto): Bruce Brown, SG, Miami
30. Atlanta Hawks (from Houston): Landry Shamet, PG, Wichita State
Elite Frontcourt Prospects
Deandre Ayton
The discussion revolving around the top frontcourt players in the draft pool begins with Arizona center Deandre Ayton.
Ayton was in a class of his own for most of his freshman season, no matter what the environment around the program was like because of the ongoing FBI investigation.
The 7-foot native of the Bahamas is a talent you can't pass up with the No. 1 overall selection, even if there are impressive big men already on your roster.
For a team like the Suns or Grizzlies, taking Ayton would improve their roster, and in Phoenix's case, the selection of the Arizona big man might put a few more people in seats given his name recognition on a local level.
The one concern that's going to be pointed out during the evaluation of Ayton is the first-round loss to Buffalo in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
Although he recorded 14 points and 13 rebounds in the defeat, there were times where it appeared Ayton and Allonzo Trier checked out mentally, as Buffalo steamrolled the Wildcats.
Some prospective teams could question Ayton's work ethic in a big game, but at the end of the day, you can't ignore the 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game in his lone collegiate season.
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Michigan State was supposed to have one of the best teams in the nation with Jaren Jackson Jr. entering the fray alongside a crop of talented sophomores, including projected lottery selection Miles Bridges.
However, Tom Izzo's team couldn't put it all together and fell to Syracuse in the second round of the Big Dance.
In the first-round win over Bucknell and the loss to the Orange, Jackson wasn't properly used, as he scored eight points over 33 minutes.
Jackson proved prior to the NCAAs that he could make an impact down low, as his season high of 27 points came February 13 against Minnesota.
Although his totals dropped a bit at the end of the year, Jackson displayed his potential with 25 double-digit scoring performances.
Where Jackson lands in the lottery depends on which teams end up in the top three, but there's a chance the Spartan is one of the first off the board.
What makes Jackson stand out compared to other prospects is the athleticism he possesses at 6'10", as well as the length and versatility he displays on defense.
Mohamed Bamba
Texas freshman Mohamed Bamba is the best pure center behind Ayton in the draft, and he's going to be a hot commodity.
Bamba has an incredible wingspan as a 7-footer playing in the middle of the paint, which makes him a force defensively.
The potential top-five pick averaged 12.9 points and 10.5 rebounds while recording 111 blocks for the Longhorns in his lone season for Shaka Smart's team.
Bamba's best stretch came at the back end of the regular season, as he erupted for back-to-back 20-point performances against Iowa State and Ole Miss that started a streak of eight double-digit showings.
Just like Ayton and Jackson, Bamba experienced an early exit in the NCAA tournament, but in his only March Madness game against Nevada, he recorded a double-double.
Bamba would be a great addition to a team like Atlanta, which is going to benefit from the draft with three picks throughout the first round.
If the Hawks go after a few positions of need and build up their roster, they could be a lot more competitive than they were this season.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
