Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 sleeper picks at No. 5 in the 2019 NBA Draft

1. Nassir Little

The No. 1 prospect on our list is the North Carolina forward, Nassir Little. Entering his collegiate career as the sixth-best high school player in the country (according to ESPN), many had high hopes for Little.

Rather than living up to the hype, Little was quickly reserved to a minimal role with the Tar Heels. He played only 18.6 minutes per game and played with the second unit all season long. This is a result of North Carolina’s decision to play their more experienced players over the highly recruited freshman.

Of course, his lower minutes resulted in lower production. Nassir averaged just 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season as his draft stock plummeted. However, it is possible that his time on the bench served him well as this experience might have helped develop his game further.

Regardless, Little is an incredible athlete with an explosive skill-set. He has freakishly long arms that have been recorded at 7’1″ and have helped him become an elite defender. Meanwhile, he is at his best offensively with his back to the basket, or in transition running downhill.

The most glaring issue in his game is his 3-point shooting, which is far from good. Little shot just 26.9 percent from the 3-point line last season, which was indicative of a very inconsistent season as a whole.

Overall, Little still has a high ceiling with a ton of potential. It’s possible that he will be a late bloomer, but Cleveland might be interested in taking a chance on him.