NBA Draft 2018: Date, Selection Order, Lottery Predictions and Top Prospects
Much of the basketball world has its attention trained on the NBA playoffs, with the Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers and others attempting to dethrone the Golden State Warriors, but the future is of more concern for some of the league's worst teams.
Fortunately for the likes of the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies and similar lottery-bound squads, this year's draft appears to be filled with a number of talented playmakers who could come in and turn the direction of the franchise around in the coming years.
2018 NBA Draft Info
Date: June 21
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York
Channel: ESPN
Selection Order Explanation and Chances
Unlike the NFL—wherein the team with the worst record receives the first pick, the team with the second-worst record receives the second pick and so on—the NBA relies on the draft lottery. While the teams with the worst records are more likely to receive more favorable picks within the 14-team lottery, it is not a guarantee.
The 2018 draft will be the final one under the current rules. Zach Lowe of ESPN.com explained the three worst teams will each have a 14 percent chance at the No. 1 pick starting in next year's draft.
The team with the worst record has a 25 percent chance at the first pick in 2018, while the outfit with the second-worst record has a 19.9 percent chance. "The teams in the middle each get a big probability bump," Lowe wrote, noting the rule change was implemented out of concern for "egregious tanking" among the league's worst teams in an effort to secure more favorable odds.
Here is a look at the odds of landing the top pick as of Wednesday, as well as the selection order based on record, per Tankathon:
1. Phoenix Suns (25 percent chance at top pick)
2. Memphis Grizzlies (19.9 percent)
3. Dallas Mavericks (13.8 percent)
3. Atlanta Hawks (13.7 percent)
5. Orlando Magic (8.8 percent)
6. Chicago Bulls (5.3 percent)
6. Sacramento Kings (5.3 percent)
8. Cleveland Cavaliers, via Brooklyn Nets (2.8 percent)
9. New York Knicks (1.7 percent)
10. Philadelphia 76ers, via Los Angeles Lakers (1.1 percent)
11. Charlotte Hornets (0.8 percent)
12. Los Angeles Clippers, via Detroit Pistons (0.7 percent)
13. Los Angeles Clippers (0.6 percent)
14. Denver Nuggets (0.5 percent)
15. Washington Wizards
16. Phoenix Suns, via Milwaukee Bucks
16. Phoenix Suns, via Miami Heat
18. San Antonio Spurs
18. Atlanta Hawks, via Minnesota Timberwolves
20. Indiana Pacers
20. Utah Jazz
20. Minnesota Timberwolves, via Oklahoma City Thunder
20. Chicago Bulls, via New Orleans Pelicans
24. Portland Trail Blazers
25. Los Angeles Lakers, via Cleveland Cavaliers
26. Philadelphia 76ers
27. Boston Celtics
28. Golden State Warriors
29. Brooklyn Nets, via Toronto Raptors
30. Atlanta Hawks, via Houston Rockets
Predictions for Players Taken in the Lottery
1. Deandre Ayton, C, Arizona
2. Marvin Bagley III, PF, Duke
3. Luka Doncic, G, Slovenia
4. Michael Porter Jr., F, Missouri
5. Jaren Jackson Jr., F, Michigan State
6. Mohamed Bamba, C, Texas
7. Collin Sexton, PG, Alabama
8. Wendell Carter Jr., PF/C, Duke
9. Mikal Bridges, SG/SF, Villanova
10. Miles Bridges, F, Michigan State
11. Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma
12. Kevin Knox, F, Kentucky
13. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Kentucky
14. Lonnie Walker IV, SG/SF, Miami
Top Prospects to Watch
Deandre Ayton, C, Arizona
Defenders didn't have much of a chance against Deandre Ayton during his one season at the collegiate level.
The Arizona big man averaged 20.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game as a dominant offensive force down low (61.2 percent from the field) and someone who could provide rim protection when opponents attacked the lane. He was a primary reason the Wildcats won the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament titles.
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report projected Ayton to go No. 1 overall in his post-NCAA tournament mock draft after the Bahamas native's impressive freshman season.
Ayton possesses the footwork, touch and physicality to develop into a scoring machine on the low blocks in the NBA, and whichever team lands the top pick will have the chance to draft a franchise-altering big man.
Marvin Bagley III, PF, Duke
The prediction here is the second pick of the draft is also a freshman.
Duke's Marvin Bagley III averaged 21.0 points, 11.1 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game in his one collegiate season and also helped lead the Blue Devils to the Elite Eight.
He shot 61.4 percent from the field, frequently utilizing his athleticism to soar over defenders on lob passes. While there may be some concerns about his shot—he hit just 62.7 percent of his free throws—his upside is what stands out.
Wasserman projected Bagley as the No. 3 overall pick and pointed to the Duke product's already high "baseline" because of his attributes and the chance he could further develop his shooting and defense at the next level.
Bagley can routinely explode past defenders and has the playmaking ability at the rim to produce in the box score while wowing those in attendance.
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