9. Oklahoma City Thunder: Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona
If athletic concerns don’t factor into your evaluation nearly as much as skill base and basketball IQ do, then Nico Mannion should be much higher in terms of overall projection.
There’s little that this point guard can’t do with the ball in his hands. A three-level scorer and high-level distributor, Mannion brings flash and competitiveness every time he steps on the court.
But how much of his game will be able to translate to the NBA given his average measurements and burst?
So far Mannion measures in at a little over 6’1″ in terms of height and wingspan, with his strength base and overall quickness looming as question marks against better athletes. Can Mannion find enough ways to be effective at the next level to overcome those alarming limitations?
Defensively it’s a bit of a no-go for him already, but there’s just so much appeal around his offensive upside it’s hard to start him any lower, especially when enough prospects down in the late lottery have a larger quantity of question marks.
Mannion’s concerns are solely in his build and stature. If he’s effective enough at Arizona and proves he can hang with some of the best talent his age in the world, then this is a solid spot to look at him for as the season progresses.