Photo Credit: USA Today
The NBA draft is almost here and it comes down to guessing which player has the best potential. Sport analysts on TV and radio have been nitpicking potential draft picks along with scouts. At the end of the day, it is an educated guessing game. No one can predict who will have the best career from one or two year of college basketball, but there are some players in this year’s draft that have shown huge potential to become great players.
For the third time in four years, the Cavaliers have the first pick in the draft. They are hoping to find a player that has a chance of uplifting their franchise. After Anthony Bennett was a bust, the Cavaliers have a chance to redeem themselves. There are very good players in this years draft. Multiple sources have the Cavaliers selecting Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins as their first pick because of his athleticism and his versatility. He is 6’8″ and can play small forward and a 2-guard (the Cavs need help in both areas). Some question his “killer instinct”, but that can develop with experience playing in the NBA.
If the Cavs pick Wiggins, the Milwaukee Bucks will probably pick Duke’s Jabari Parker. Parker has a lot of offensive talent and has drawn comparisons to Carmelo Anthony. He is 6’9″ and 241 pounds which is a good size to bully defenders. Parker also likes to pass the ball and get his other teammates involved. His ability to score from almost anywhere on the floor is however offset by his defense. There is also a question of whether he can use his weight to offset his lack of speed.
Kansas’ Joel Embiid is also a top contender for a high draft pick. He has incredible talent, but already has major injury concerns. Embiid underwent surgery for a stress fracture on June 20th which will sideline him for four to six months. He also had a back injury that caused him to miss the last six games of his college season. At 7 feet tall, he is a very mobile center who can take it to the basket and shoot the jumper. There is a fear that Embiid might become the next Greg Oden. The Philidelphia 76ers might draft Embiid 3rd because he has such a huge upside.
Dante Exum is being called the Man of Mystery in this draft. He is from Melbourne, Australia and was recruited to the Nike Hoop Summit Game after Rich Sheubrooks saw him playing in the U17 World Championships. At the Hoop Summit his play guarding Wiggins got him noticed. His 6’6″ athletic frame, along with his potential to play point guard means that he has a lot of upside in the NBA. Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart is also rated very highly and many believe he can be a successful point guard that makes every one around him better. There have been some questions about his shooting ability and his maturity, especially with the Texas Tech incident where he shoved a fan. However many scouts like his competitive drive. These players would be good picks for Orlando or Utah.
Indiana’s Noah Valeh is a player that has a lot of raw talent. He is 6’10” with a 7’3″ foot wingspan and many like him because of his length. He does lack post moves, but has shown himself to be a coachable player during his year at Indiana and Utah or Boston might invest in his raw ability. Kentucky’s Julis Randle is an aggressive interior player and has a great combination of power and skill. However the news that Randle has screws in his foot is cause for concern. Randle’s success will be based on landing in the right situation and the Lakers or the Celtics might be good places for him.
Thursday will be the day when the draft picks are finally revealed. Can Cleveland finally get it right and choose a player that can make a difference in their franchise? This year there are multiple players that have a lot of potential. The only way to see which picks pan out is to sit back and watch these young talents play in the NBA.
