NBA Draft 2017: Latest 1st-Round Projections and Top Prospects' Stock Watch
The fast march to the NBA draft begins following a thrilling March Madness.
There, some prospects entered household-name status and bumped draft stock in dramatic fashion (more on them in a bit). Others didn't look so hot, though luckily for them, the bracket is simply one small slice of a prospect's overall stock.
Said overall stock will go through the rigors of the draft process in the coming weeks, thanks to film review, workouts, interviews and beyond.
Before this process really kicks into gear, let's take a look at a mock with a projected order and picks based on the current prospect stock market.
2017 NBA Mock Draft
| 1 | Boston Celtics (via Nets) | Josh Jackson, F, Kansas |
| 2 | Phoenix Suns | Markelle Fultz, G, Washington |
| 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 | Miles Bridges, F, Michigan State |
| 13 | Denver Nuggets | Harry Giles, F, Duke |
| 14 | Miami Heat | Ivan Rabb, F, California |
| 15 | Chicago Bulls | Justin Jackson, F, North Carolina |
| 16 | Portland Trail Blazers | Terrance Ferguson, G, Australia |
| 17 | Indiana Pacers | Jarrett Allen, C, Texas |
| 18 | Milwaukee Bucks | Justin Patton, C, Creighton |
| 19 | Atlanta Hawks | John Collins, F, Wake Forest |
| 20 | Portland Trail Blazers (via Grizzlies) | Isaiah Hartenstein, F, Germany |
| 21 | Oklahoma City Thunder | OG Anunoby, F, Indiana |
| 22 | Brooklyn Nets (via Wizards) | TJ Leaf, F, UCLA |
| 23 | Utah Jazz | Ike Anigbogu, C, UCLA |
| 24 | Toronto Raptors (via Clippers) | Dwayne Bacon, F, Florida State |
| 25 | Orlando Magic (via Raptors) | Moritz Wagner, F, Michigan |
| 26 | Portland Trail Blazers (via Cavaliers) | Andrew Jones, G, Texas |
| 27 | Brooklyn Nets (via Celtics) | Sindarius Thornwell, G, South Carolina |
| 28 | Los Angeles Lakers (via Rockets) | Tony Bradley, C, North Carolina |
| 29 | San Antonio Spurs | Jordan Bell, F, Oregon |
| 30 | Utah Jazz (via Warriors) | Luke Kennard, G, Duke |
Stock Up: John Collins, F, Wake Forest
Most might wonder who John Collins is right about now, but it won't take long for his draft stock to explode.
Collins didn't make any stock headway for most of the season until about January. He finished the year posting north of 20 points in 12 out of 15 games before dropping 26 in a tournament game against Kansas State.
Stats aren't the most important thing when it comes time to evaluate a collegiate prospect, but Collins' outburst has his name on the map and helps to explain why he's staying in the draft after his sophomore campaign, as Wake Forest's Twitter account captured:
Collins stands at 6'10" and 235 pounds with explosive athleticism. His lack of refined moves underneath the basket might be a problem for some, but this leads to a natural sense of alarming upside teams will covet.
In the mock above, the Atlanta Hawks pull the trigger knowing Paul Millsap only has so many years left. He's a great mentor for a raw prospect like Collins, who looks poised to kill pre-draft workouts and keep his newfound stock heights level.
Stock Down: Luke Kennard, G, Duke
Luke Kennard believers were left scratching their heads after the tournament.
Kennard collapsed when Duke needed him most, scoring eight points on 2-of-5 shooting from deep against 15th-seeded Troy, then 11 on 1-of-4 shooting from range in the loss to seventh-seeded South Carolina.
The biggest knock on Kennard—an inability to overcome long, athletic defenders—shined through in the two tournament games, calling into question his 19.5 points per game and 43.8 percent conversion clip from deep during the regular season.
That said, Kennard will certainly have a chance to recover lost ground in a hurry. As Sporting News' Sam Vecenie wrote in January, his looking much stronger this year is a big part of the reason he's confident in going pro.
"The key for Kennard this year is that he looks stronger physically than he has in the past. That's affected the way he handles contact, as well as the way he handles the ball on a string," Vecenie wrote.
For now, Kennard hasn't fallen all the way out of the first round, especially not with the Utah Jazz clutching the last pick in the order. Utah is all about building through the draft, and a Rodney Hood-Gordon Hayward tandem could use some sharpshooting reinforcement.
If Kennard doesn't recover his stock, he could carve out a starting role in Utah a few years down the road.
Stock Up: Sindarius Thornwell, G, South Carolina
South Carolina's Sindarius Thornwell is the guy hinted at in the intro, who really seized the national spotlight and made a name for himself.
He's also the reason Kennard's stock plummeted.
The SEC Player of the Year is one of the better two-way players in the class thanks to tenacious defense and an ability to drive an offense on his own. He averaged 21.4 points and 7.1 boards per game during the regular season before hitting on 24 or more points in four consecutive tournament games.
One would think Thornwell would have touted better stock before the tournament given these strengths, but what he lacks is athleticism and explosiveness. Draft Express' Jonathan Givony elaborated:
"While he's not the quickest or most explosive player around, and isn't someone you want creating a great deal of offense going one on one from behind the 3-point line, he has excellent ball-handling skills and finds ways to create space with strength, aggressiveness, change of speeds and polished footwork.
"
This isn't to say Thornwell doesn't have the athleticism necessary to survive in the NBA, and there is always a spot in the first round for a guy sure to succeed at the pro level despite a lack of upside.
Above, the Nets help these sentiments ring true by grabbing Thornwell and helping reinforce the depth behind Caris LeVert, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and others. The rebuild needs proven two-way talents who can run, meaning a guy sure to produce is the target.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
