The NBA Draft is still more than six months away, but with both the NBA and NCAA basketball seasons in full swing, it’s always a good time to compare the future of the NBA to its past and present. With the field in college having much more parity this season, there is not any single team who are running away with the no. 1 ranking, which is currently held by defending champion Villanova.
Many of the predicted top picks are playing for schools that are either among the best in the country or on the bubble of making the NCAA Tournament as things stand. This dynamic is similar to the top two picks in the 2016 Draft, where top pick Ben Simmons’ LSU did not make the Tournament, whereas second-overall pick Brandon Ingram’s Duke were knocked out in the Elite 8.
I will try to avoid the cliché comparison to Dirk Nowitzki as I find the best likeness to these young players, but here are the comparisons to the best NBA Draft prospects.
Harry Giles: Paul Millsap
Like Millsap, Giles can handle the rock well for a guy with his size of 6’11”, 240 lbs. He also loves to throw down a hard dunk over someone, but if he can improve his shooting range and defensive versatility, he can be a more athletic version of the Atlanta forward who is arguably the most underrated star in the league. He has only played 23 minutes over three games after being out due to injury to start the season, but Giles has a high ceiling if he can stay on the floor.
Markelle Fultz: Russell Westbrook
For a college player, Fultz’s numbers this season are seemingly unreal, just like Russell Westbrook’s numbers are unreal for any basketball player. Fultz is averaging 22.3 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, and 6.7 assists per game while playing around 34 minutes each night. Like Ben Simmons last year, Fultz is playing for a team that does not look like it will go far in the Tournament if it makes it at all. But that is not down to Fultz, who has shown his efficiency by shooting 49% from the floor and 45% from three. The only possible weaknesses he has are his free throw shooting (64%) and his turnovers (3.2 per game).
Lonzo Ball: Steph Curry
No, Lonzo Ball is not going to light it up each and every night as Curry does so often. Ball likes to stay out on the three-point line and sometimes avoids attacking the basket, as Curry did in his first few years in the NBA, but if Ball can get more confident in his athleticism, then he could potentially be a bigger version of the unanimous MVP. Currently, Ball averages 14.1 points, 5.7 boards, and an astounding 8.1 assists, which will draw teams who are looking for a playmaker rather than just a scorer. Ball can handle the NBA three-pointer and beyond, but the mechanics of his jumper have teams concerned, as do his defensive effort and 64% free throw shooting.
Malik Monk: Lou Williams
Monk, similar to Williams, is undersized to be a shooting guard. But, Monk, similar to Williams, can score better than almost anyone in the nation. Monk stands at 6’3″, an inch taller than Williams, and has shown many flashes of greatness this season, such as when he dropped 47 points against a strong North Carolina team. Aside from his prolific scoring of 22.4 points per game, Monk is rather limited in other aspects of his game as he averages 2.7 rebounds per game and 2.2 assists per game, neither of which are ideal for a starting-caliber NBA guard. Where Monk’s future lies is likely as the primary option on a team’s bench unit, where he will be good for double digit scoring on a nightly basis.
De'Aaron Fox: John Wall
Though it is unclear as to whether or not Fox can take over a game with his scoring, his speed, defensive prowess, and well-rounded game reflect that of former Kentucky standout John Wall. Fox’s struggles come at the three point line, where he hits at a clip of just 14%, but other than that, he is one of the most complete players in this draft. He relies on his athleticism when it comes to scoring, and it works because he averages 15.6 points, as well as 5 rebounds and 6.8 assists, which are outstanding for a freshman guard. If he can fix his jumper, then Fox should be in consideration for a top-5 pick, but if he keeps shooting as he is now, then he will likely prove to be a good value pick for a team at the lower end of the top-10.