NBA Draft 2018: Mock Draft Projections for 1st-Round Players Who Will Be Steals

Most NBA superstars were picked in the lottery portion of the NBA draft, but a look at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game box score reveals that a few others were huge steals later on.

For example, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was a second-round pick, while Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo went 15th overall.

Below, you'll find two players who may outperform their current draft projection. While they may not be All-Stars, we could be left wondering how they slipped so far down the first round in future years. But first, here's an NBA mock draft.

NBA Mock Draft

1. Phoenix Suns: Arizona C Deandre Ayton

2. Sacramento Kings: Duke F Marvin Bagley III

3. Atlanta Hawks: Michigan State F Jaren Jackson Jr.

4. Memphis Grizzlies: Real Madrid G Luka Doncic

5. Dallas Mavericks: Texas C Mohamed Bamba

6. Orlando Magic: Missouri F Michael Porter Jr.

7. Chicago Bulls: Duke F Wendell Carter

8. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Nets and Celtics): Oklahoma G Trae Young

9. New York Knicks: Alabama G Collin Sexton

10. Philadelphia 76ers (via Lakers and Suns): Villanova G/F Mikal Bridges

11. Charlotte Hornets: Michigan State F Miles Bridges

12. Los Angeles Clippers (via Pistons): Texas A&M F Robert Williams

13. Los Angeles Clippers: Kentucky G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

14. Denver Nuggets: Kentucky F Kevin Knox

15. Washington Wizards: Chalmette High School C Mitchell Robinson

16. Phoenix Suns (via Heat): UCLA G Aaron Holiday

17. Milwaukee Bucks: Texas Tech G Zhaire Smith

18. San Antonio Spurs: Miami G Lonnie Walker

19. Atlanta Hawks: Cedevita Zagreb F Dzanan Musa

20. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Thunder): Creighton G Khyri Thomas

21. Utah Jazz: Ohio State F Keita Bates-Diop

22. Chicago Bulls (via Pelicans): Boise State G Chandler Hutchison

23. Indiana Pacers: IMG G Anfernee Simons

24. Portland Trail Blazers: Cincinnati F Jacob Evans

25. Los Angeles Lakers (via Cavaliers): Villanova G Jalen Brunson

26. Philadelphia 76ers: Duke G Gary Trent Jr.

27. Boston Celtics: Missouri C Jontay Porter

28. Golden State Warriors: Tulane G/F Melvin Frazier

29. Brooklyn Nets (via Raptors): Villanova G Donte DiVincenzo

30. Atlanta Hawks (via Rockets): Boston College G Jerome Robinson

Potential First-Round Steals

Texas Tech G Zhaire Smith

Texas Tech guard Zhaire Smith showcased his athleticism and length at the 2018 NBA Draft Combine. His 41½" max vertical leap was third-best among all participants, and his standing vertical leap of 33" placed him fourth. A three-quarter sprint of 3.05 seconds was the second-best time at the combine, while his wingspan measured at 6'9¾".

His leaping ability and length were on display in the NCAA tournament, when he turned in this 180-degree alley-oop dunk:

Smith, who played just one year at Texas Tech, turned it up a notch in the latter half of his freshman year. From a February 7 game against Iowa State through an Elite Eight matchup with Villanova, Smith posted 13.2 points (on 55.0 percent shooting) and 5.6 rebounds per game.

Smith also made 57.1 percent of his three-pointers during that span, although he didn't shoot much from the outside, taking only 40 three-point attempts on the year.

The primary knock on Smith's game right now is his offensive skillset. He only shot 7.5 times per game on average last season, and it's hard seeing him come into the NBA and contributing much on offense.

Tajh Jenkins of NBADraft.net called him a "project" on offense and said he "isn't a number one scoring or playmaking option at this time."

That looks to be true at the moment, but the most intriguing part about Smith might be that he is still 18 years old (he turns 19 next month). He has plenty of time to grow and develop.

The Milwaukee Bucks are an intriguing match. They could use more length and athleticism off the bench, which is where Smith can come in. He can provide energy in short spurts without being tasked with too much off the bat.

Miami G Lonnie Walker

While Miami guard Lonnie Walker's stats (11.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists) weren't impressive in his lone year at school, there's reason to believe that he could end up being a big-time steal.

First, he has excellent length for a shooting guard, with a wingspan measuring at 6'10¼" at the NBA Draft Combine. That mark was fifth among players listed as shooting guards or combo guards who participated in the event.

Second, he more or less aced the strength-and-agility portion of the combine, with his notable marks being a 40-inch vertical leap (tied for 10th overall) and third-place results in the three-quarter sprint (3.06 seconds) and shuttle run (2.91 seconds).

Third, he suffered a torn meniscus in July of 2017, and he wasn't cleared to play until four months later. One has to wonder whether Walker would have had a different season had he been able to fully practice and play in the months leading up to the season opener in November.

Finally, he showed promise in the second half of the year. Walker didn't receive a lot of playing time immediately, averaging just 20.9 minutes per game through January 7 and posting 8.1 points per game, according to Sports Reference.

However, he saw the court far more often during ACC play and registered 14.5 points a night in 33.8 minutes of action on average for the remainder of the year, with his best game arguably a 25-point performance in an overtime win over Louisville.

Walker will be just 20 years old at the beginning of the NBA season, and if he gets picked in the second half of the first round, chances are he'll land with a contending team that won't be asking him to contribute too much right away. That team could be the San Antonio Spurs, who have an excellent coaching staff and helpful veterans who can guide Walker on the right path to NBA success.

Given time to develop, Walker could eventually blossom into a solid veteran in the league for well over a decade.