2018 NBA Draft: The first of many big boards (lottery edition)
By Max Holm
It’s never too soon to look ahead. With college basketball approaching, it’s time to move our attention toward the best prospects for next year’s draft.
Ah, NBA Draft season. It may seem ridiculous to already look ahead to the 2018 NBA Draft, but the draft cycle never truly stops. NBA teams may be gearing up for a new season, but they’ve been scouting for the next draft for years.
When it comes to the draft ahead, in 2018, there’s a lot to be excited about. There was much debate this year about who should go No. 1 between Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball and even Josh Jackson. For 2018, there’s a strong case for five players, and maybe even a couple more.
While we have a very small sample size without almost any of these players appearing in college, this big board serves as a benchmark. It also serves as a chance to familiarize ourselves with the big names to keep track of. Additionally, it’s important to note that many of these freshmen have likely improved since high school, so strengths and weaknesses may alter. That being said, let’s lay out parameters for what to make of this.
A big board serves a better purpose than a mock draft because we won’t know the draft order until May. Team fit is arguably the most important factor in the draft, so until those teams and ranges are known, it’s kind of a ridiculous exercise. In this big board, the ability to defend multiple positions, shoot the ball and have a relatively high floor are very important. This creates an interesting dynamic with the deep competition in contention for the number one pick. Given it’s early and no basketball has been played, this initial big board will just focus on the top 14 players, the lottery.
*Former member of Western Kentucky Mitchell Robinson was left out of consideration for this because it looks as though he may transfer or sit out. While that wouldn’t rule him out for the 2018 NBA Draft, this will focus on players with a clearer path to the draft.