NBA Draft 2019: Date, Selection Order, Lottery Predictions and Top Prospects
The Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks and other playoff teams will compete for a championship in the coming weeks, but those on the outside of the postseason picture have their eyes on another prize—Zion Williamson.
Duke's phenom freshman is talented enough to anchor a franchise for years, putting additional importance on this season's lottery luck.
While the draft lottery isn't until May 14, here is a look at the current selection order for June 20's draft, per Tankathon.
1. New York Knicks
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
-- Phoenix Suns
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Atlanta Hawks
6. Washington Wizards
7. New Orleans Pelicans
-- Atlanta Hawks (via Dallas Mavericks)
-- Boston Celtics (via Memphis Grizzlies)
10. Minnesota Timberwolves
11. Los Angeles Lakers
12. Boston Celtics (via Sacramento Kings)
-- Miami Heat
-- Charlotte Hornets
Top Prospects
Zion Williamson, Duke
The hype is real for Williamson and is beginning to approach Anthony Davis-like levels for a freshman coming out of school after one dynamic season.
He is overpowering on the blocks, brings a combination of grace and power when he soars through the air for dunks, delivers message-sending blocks, serves as a rim protector, is a dominant rebounder and consistently breaks out into transition with athleticism that is frankly unfair for his size.
Williamson is the clear-cut top prize in this draft and someone who can alter the course of a franchise for a decade-plus.
While he will be under immense pressure, he thrived under the spotlight on arguably college basketball's most notable program with 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game as the ACC Rookie and Player of the Year.
Ja Morant, Murray State
Few players in the draft can stuff the stat sheet quite like Murray State's Ja Morant.
Morant averaged 24.5 points, 10.0 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals a night during the 2018-19 campaign while shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from three-point range. The level of efficiency was particularly impressive because he was the opposing defense's primary responsibility on a nightly basis.
The point guard turned heads in the NCAA men's basketball tournament with a triple-double in the first-round win over Marquette and 28 points in the second-round loss to Florida State.
His explosiveness in transition, willingness to battle for boards from the backcourt, ability to hit threes when defenders sag off him and tendency to facilitate when defenders collapse on his penetration will all translate to the next level.
RJ Barrett, Duke
RJ Barrett was overshadowed by Williamson at Duke, but he was actually the higher-regarded recruit entering college. According to 247Sports' composite rankings, he was the No. 1 player in the class of 2018, while Williamson was the No. 5 prospect.
He also played like Duke's No. 1 option for extended stretches in their one collegiate season, taking 267 more field-goal attempts than Williamson. He also went into takeover mode a bit too much in his team's losses:
That was most evident in the Elite Eight loss to Michigan State when the Blue Devils were down two on their final possession. Barrett missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer but had another chance when the Spartans knocked the ball out of bounds. He then drew a foul but missed one of the free throws, all while Williamson didn't have a chance to make a play with the ball in his hands.
Still, Barrett averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game during the season.
He is someone who can handle the ball, shoot the three and attack the basket at the next level as a combo guard. While the James Harden comparisons as a left-handed player are probably too ambitious, Barrett has the ability to become an offensive force.
Lottery Predictions
Ja Morant Is Picked Second, Before RJ Barrett
Call it recency bias, but Morant separated himself from Barrett as the second-best player in this draft during the Big Dance.
He thrived on the sport's biggest stage against much stiffer competition than he was accustomed to facing in the Ohio Valley Conference and looked ready for the next level in the process.
The importance of explosive point guards in the NBA is clear with players such as Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, among many more, asked to both score and facilitate in today's league.
Morant will be quite the consolation prize for whichever team doesn't land the No. 1 pick and can serve as the starting point guard and one to jump-start the offense for years.
Knicks Win the Top Pick and Draft Zion Williamson
Williamson going to the New York Knicks has felt like destiny all season.
Duke is college basketball's main attraction and appointment viewing, while a playoff-contending New York Knicks team that plays in Madison Square Garden would be similar in the NBA.
The Knicks haven't been to the postseason since the 2012-13 campaign but have the immediate opportunity to change that in the draft and free agency. Even Williamson himself said "It would be dope to play with KD and Kyrie" when discussing the possibility of the Knicks drafting him and signing Irving and Kevin Durant, per Adam Zagoria of SNY.
Even adding one of two of those players would dramatically alter the Knicks' recent struggles and set them up for future success in the Eastern Conference.
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