NBA Draft 2017: Complete 1st-Round Mock Draft and Sleepers to Watch
The 2017 NBA draft received some clarity Tuesday night with the announcement of the lottery results, which rewarded the Boston Celtics with the first overall pick. The Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers also landed coveted top-three selections for the June 22 event.
Now the focus shifts to how the prized prospects will fall. It's a draft class with a lot of evenly matched talent at the top, led by Washington point guard Markelle Fultz, UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball and Kansas small forward Josh Jackson.
Let's check out a complete projection for the opening round with just over a month until the players find out their fate at the Barclays Center in New York City. That's followed by a closer look at some of the most intriguing fits from the mock draft.
First-Round Mock Draft
| 1 (BOS) | Markelle Fultz, PG, Washington |
| 2 (LAL) | Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA |
| 3 (PHI) | Josh Jackson, SF, Kansas |
| 4 (PHX) | Jayson Tatum, SF, Duke |
| 5 (SAC) | De'Aaron Fox, PG, Kentucky |
| 6 (ORL) | Jonathan Isaac, PF, Florida State |
| 7 (MIN) | Malik Monk, SG, Kentucky |
| 8 (NYK) | Dennis Smith, PG, NC State |
| 9 (DAL) | Frank Ntilikina, PG, SIG Strasbourg |
| 10 (SAC) | Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga |
| 11 (CHA) | Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona |
| 12 (DET) | Ike Anigbogu, C, UCLA |
| 13 (DEN) | Luke Kennard, SG, Duke |
| 14 (MIA) | John Collins, PF, Wake Forest |
| 15 (POR) | Jarrett Allen, C, Texas |
| 16 (CHI) | TJ Leaf, PF, UCLA |
| 17 (MIL) | Terrance Ferguson, SG, Adelaide 36ers |
| 18 (IND) | Justin Patton, PF, Creighton |
| 19 (ATL) | OG Anunoby, SF, Indiana |
| 20 (POR) | Rodions Kurucs, SF, Barcelona B |
| 21 (OKC) | Justin Jackson, SF, North Carolina |
| 22 (BRK) | Donovan Mitchell, SG, Louisville |
| 23 (TOR) | Kyle Kuzma, PF, Utah |
| 24 (UTA) | Hamidou Diallom, SG, Kentucky |
| 25 (ORL) | Ivan Rabb, C, California |
| 26 (POR) | Isaiah Hartenstein, PF, Zalgiris Kaunas |
| 27 (BRK) | Bam Adebayo, PF, Kentucky |
| 28 (LAL) | Harry Giles, C, Duke |
| 29 (SAS) | Jonathan Jeanne, C, SLUC Nancy |
| 30 (UTA) | Tyler Lydon, PF, Syracuse |
Key Selections and Sleepers
2. Los Angeles Lakers: Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA
Ball getting drafted by the Lakers feels like the ultimate self-fulfilling prophecy. LaVar Ball, the outspoken and sometimes outlandish father of the UCLA product, has pushed for his son to land in the bright lights of L.A. for months, and now it's on track to become reality.
The 19-year-old California native averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 55.1 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from three-point range in his only season with the Bruins. Those numbers suggest he'll make a smooth transition to the NBA ranks.
His dad confirmed to Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation the point guard is only going to do pre-draft work with the Lakers to further discourage interest from elsewhere.
"That's all we working out for is the Lakers," LaVar Ball said. "Just the Lakers. There's nobody else that we need to work out for."
Los Angeles' new president of basketball operations Magic Johnson said in a TMZ Sports interview the franchise, which could have lost its pick if it slid out of the top three, was "very happy" with the lottery results but wouldn't commit to taking Ball if he's still on the board.
That said, based on how everything shapes up, it would qualify as a shock if Ball isn't a member of the Lakers when the 2017-18 season gets underway.
13. Denver Nuggets: Luke Kennard, SG, Duke
Kennard is a "fit" prospect. Both his immediate impact and his long-term outlook will be dependent on landing with a team that can highlight his strengths, namely ball movement and shooting, and minimize his defensive question marks. If the right spot is found, he's one of the most undervalued assets.
The 2017 ACC Tournament MVP showcased notable improvement last season, his second with the Blue Devils. He averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists, all increases from his freshman year. His shooting percentage jumped 68 points and his three-point percentage went up 118 points.
Pete Toal of the Unquestionably Raw NBA Podcast provided his scouting report on the guard:
The Nuggets seem like one of the best potential landing spots. They play at a fast pace and have one of the league's most efficient offensive schemes. They ranked fifth in both Effective Field Goal Percentage and True Shooting Percentage this past season, per ESPN.com.
In addition, shooting guard is a position of need for Denver. Kennard would likely be given an opportunity to win the starting job away from Gary Harris during training camp and the preseason. He'd be one of the first players off the bench at the very least.
29. San Antonio Spurs: Jonathan Jeanne, C, SLUC Nancy
The Spurs' needs may become more immediate before the draft arrives. Backcourt stalwarts Manu Ginobili, who may retire, and Patty Mills are both set to become unrestricted free agents, while frontcourt assets Pau Gasol, Dewayne Dedmon and David Lee all hold player options.
While it's unlikely there will be a mass exodus from one of sports' model organizations, San Antonio may head into the draft seeking an NBA-ready player late in Round 1. If it can retain most of its talent, the focus will probably shift to a European-based project.
Jeanne falls directly into that category. He's at least a few years away from making any type of serious impact and will likely need to stay overseas in order to receive consistent playing time. Of course, that's never been a problem for the Spurs.
The French big man has plenty of potential, making him one of the class' top sleepers. Jonathan Givony of Draft Express provided his analysis from the recent NBA combine:
He's only 19, and his 7'2'' frame still needs to add a serious amount of bulk before he's ready to contend with NBA post players for 82 games. The raw tools are there for him to become a high-end player, however, and San Antonio is willing to take those type of chances.
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