2018 NBA Draft: 5 under-the-radar small forward prospects

2. Dzanan Musa, Cedevita

Musa is firmly on the first round radar, rising up to No. 15 in ESPN’s most recent mock draft. But I’m not quite there yet. Musa is one of the enigmatic prospects in this year’s class, with the kind of flaws that make him more of a hit-or-miss than a surefire lottery talent.

Athleticism is what hurts Musa’s stock the most. Not only is he an iffy athlete, but his wingspan is actually a shade shorter than his height. He doesn’t really have the tools needed to be an effective NBA defender, and his competitive fire can only make up for so much.

On the offensive end, that length could yield some issues as well. He might not be a strong finisher when facing NBA rim protectors, and that caps a significant part of his game that has proven successful in Europe. He’s also a streaky shooter, something that has plagued him rather consistently in the early stages of his international career.

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In short, there are plenty of negatives, and that’s enough to detail my reserves when it comes to Musa as a mid-first round prospect. He does have excellent shooting mechanics that project better than his percentages, though, while his confidence and shot-making ability is undeniable at all three levels.

He has the nifty moves needed to overcome concerns about his frame (Gordon Hayward‘s arms are short, too), and combines that with an attack-first mentality that should bring some positives and negatives as he finds his way against better competition.