2017 NBA Mock Draft: Latest Top Prospects' Stock Watch and 1st-Round Predictions
It's easy to let the NBA draft process slip into the background.
After all, the Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors look compelling again, even if Game 1 was a blowout in favor of the latter.
But don't sleep on the draft process—the stock market continues to fluctuate as players make the rounds doing workouts and interviews while teams put in last-minute preparations. The latest example of a stock fluctuation comes from a report by the Huffington Post's Jordan Schultz that the Los Angeles Lakers might pass on Lonzo Ball because of his father, LaVar.
See? Loud or not compared to the Finals, the draft continues to provide a compelling path with less than a month to go. Here's a look at a mock based on the shifts and a few bigger highlights not named Lonzo.
2017 NBA Mock Draft
| 1. Celtics (via BKN) | Markelle Fultz, G, Washington |
| 2. Lakers | Lonzo Ball, G, UCLA |
| 3. 76ers | Josh Jackson, F, Kansas |
| 4. Suns | Jayson Tatum, F, Duke |
| 5. Kings (via PHI) | Jonathan Isaac, F, Florida State |
| 6. Magic | De'Aaron Fox, G, Kentucky |
| 7. Timberwolves | Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga |
| 8. Knicks | Frank Ntilikina, G, France |
| 9. Mavericks | Dennis Smith Jr., G, NC State |
| 10. Kings (via NO) | Malik Monk, G, Kentucky |
| 11. Hornets | Harry Giles, F, Duke |
| 12. Pistons | Lauri Markkanen, F, Arizona |
| 13. Nuggets | Terrance Ferguson, G, Australia |
| 14. Heat | Justin Jackson, F, North Carolina |
| 15. Trail Blazers | Ivan Rabb, F, California |
| 16. Bulls | John Collins, F, Wake Forest |
| 17. Bucks | Tony Bradley, C, North Carolina |
| 18. Pacers | Jarrett Allen, C, Texas |
| 19. Hawks | Isaiah Hartenstein, F, Germany |
| 20. Trail Blazers (via MEM) | OG Anunoby, F, Indiana |
| 21. Thunder | TJ Leaf, F, UCLA |
| 22. Nets (via WAS) | Dwayne Bacon, F, Florida State |
| 23. Raptors (via LAC) | Moritz Wagner, F, Michigan |
| 24. Jazz | Ike Anigbogu, C, UCLA |
| 25. Magic (via TOR) | Jordan Bell, F, Oregon |
| 26. Trail Blazers (via CLE) | Donovan Mitchell, G, Louisville |
| 27. Nets (via BOS) | Sindarius Thornwell, G, South Carolina |
| 28. Lakers (via HOU) | Jonathan Jeanne, C, France |
| 29. Spurs | Frank Jackson, PG, Duke |
| 30. Jazz (via GSW) | Luke Kennard, G, Duke |
Stock Up: Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga
Locking in a guy who comes in at 7'0" used to be a staple of drafts. With the latest evolutions in the pro game, though, this has shifted to almost an anomaly unless the prospect can stretch the floor with shooting so he doesn't have to come off it when lines go smaller.
Zach Collins fits the new era.
It's a trend evaluators are starting to see with the 7'0", 233-pound Gonzaga product. Collins averaged only 10.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game on 65.2 percent shooting, but the common notion seemed to suggest his hitting 47.6 percent of his attempts from range wouldn't translate.
Here's a snippet from an ESPN.com scouting report recently suggesting Collins' upside:
"And scouts look beyond the stat sheet—though the advanced analytics are very bullish on him—at what he did almost every time he stepped onto the court. He played above the rim, was bouncy and energetic, stretched the floor and competed with toughness."
It was always going to be hard to keep Collins a secret. He didn't get starter's minutes until late in the collegiate season and usually played next to a traditional center, so the film clearly speaks for itself.
In the mock above, the Minnesota Timberwolves swipe Collins off the board in the top 10, hoping his range can allow him to excel at the 4 and keep things open underneath the basket for Karl-Anthony Towns. It's one of the better landing spots for him, too, because he'll get to grow right alongside a young core.
Stock Down: Ike Anigbogu, C, UCLA
The case for UCLA's Ike Anigbogu used to be simple—he's 6'10", 250 pounds and has a 9'3" reach and 7'6" wingspan.
If only it were so simple.
Anigbogu is simply a victim of the modern draft process. The longer scouts look, the more they see a guy who struggled to score, relied overly on motor and might struggle as a pro defender due to certain testing measurements.
For instance, the following note about athleticism on the offensive side of the ball from Mike Schmitz and Derek Bodner of DraftExpress:
"When contested by an equal athlete, however, his lack of touch becomes an issue, and it will be interesting to see how that develops down the line, especially considering the jump in interior talent he'll be facing in the NBA. He also struggles to catch passes thrown below his chest, being a lot more reliable when catching balls passed to him above his shoulders."
Examining stats doesn't necessarily point out these weaknesses, nor are they overly important, but it still feels worthwhile to note Anigbogu only corralled an average of four rebounds over 13 minutes.
The narrative seems to suggest Anigbogu fell behind the Lonzo Ball and TJ Leaf hype machines, but his limited minutes were doled out as so for a reason.
None of the above is enough to knock Anigbogu out of the first round, not when a team like the Utah Jazz would love to have a high-energy defensive prospect coming off the bench when necessary.
In the end, Anigbogu is still all of 18 years old with a defined skill set capable of being groomed into even more. A team like the Jazz, which knows a thing or two about building through the draft, won't mind waiting for the UCLA product to blossom.
Stock Up: Frank Jackson, PG, Duke
Frank Jackson seems like a new arrival to the first-round conversation after his performance at the combine turned more than a few heads and made some go back to watch the film again.
It's hard not to like what comes up. Jackson isn't just a strong size fit for today's modern point thanks to a 6'4", 201-pound frame. He's an elite athlete with seemingly unlimited range who can create shots for himself anywhere.
Notice the "himself" in the above. On film or in the stat box, it's quite clear Jackson is a score-first point who doesn't pass often. Over the course of his freshman campaign, he averaged 10.9 points on 47.3 percent shooting and 39.5 percent from deep, yet averaged all of 1.7 assists.
Still, it's all about fit and how a staff can groom Jackson's upside. And unlike Anigbogu, this is a true case of other notable players at a program overshadowing Jackson. Look at what ESPN's Fran Fraschilla had to say on the topic, according to Adam Zagoria of Durham Herald Sun:
"And he was in a situation this year, there were so many cooks in the kitchen [at Duke], it was really hard to tell how good he was. And it's my opinion that his talent level will find him a place in the late-first round because there aren't that many guys to take once you get past 15. And if he stays in I think he's gonna get drafted in the first round."
The upside after a strong combine is enough to squeak Jackson into the first round, where he lands with the San Antonio Spurs in an environment where guys like Tony Parker can help him round out his game.
As an aside, the Spurs don't know what the future holds with Patty Mills. Jackson's arrival is a good way to create a future-looking competition with Dejounte Murray.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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