Houston Rockets: 5 options for pick No. 46 in 2018 NBA Draft
By Jason Elbaum
4. Rawle Alkins, SG — Arizona
Another product of the Pac-12 Conference, Rawle Alkins had a bit of a disappointing college career if you consider the fact that he was a five-star recruit coming out of high school in 2016. He had an impressive freshman season, which led many to believe he’d make the jump last year, but he stayed in school and might have hurt his draft stock in the process.
Nevertheless, Alkins will be on the radar of many teams picking early in the second round because he has shown he has the raw talent to be a solid player at the NBA level. He averaged 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game his sophomore year, but struggled mightily in Arizona’s first round NCAA Tournament upset against 13-seeded Buffalo.
If Alkins were to fall to Houston with the 46th pick, he could be slotted immediately as a 3-and-D option off the bench for Mike D’Antoni. His athleticism on the defensive end should take pressure off players like James Harden and Eric Gordon, who are often tasked with guarding the second-best scoring option on opposing teams.