Surprise Stars in the N.B.A. Draft Field
In what could be one of the deepest drafts in recent memory, there’s sure to be at least one player who comes out of nowhere to become a star in the N.B.A. The following is an overview of some of the top candidates who could emerge from relative obscurity as a top draftee and star of the future.
Early Impact
The 2017 draft class is loaded with high-ceiling players who could have an immediate impact on their teams. Kris Dunn (Providence), Buddy Hield (Oklahoma) and Jamal Murray (Kentucky) are three of college basketball’s best scorers, and each will be able to step into an N.B.A. lineup and put points on the board from day one—either at point guard or off the bench as a shooter, respectively.
Picks 6-10
After drafting Ayton, Phoenix has a few options for their next three picks: Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr., Texas A&M’s Robert Williams, Villanova’s Mikal Bridges, and Michigan State’s Miles Bridges are all intriguing options here with different skillsets. The first three have injury issues of some sort while Miles is young and a great athlete but lacks any clear position at his current size of 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds (he might be able to play small forward). In any case, any of these four players could work well as pieces around Ayton. *Deep breath* We also have to consider European star Luka Doncic, who may be off the board by now because he is projected to go at No.
Final Thoughts
While it’s easy to get caught up in what will happen with Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel and Kansas center Joel Embiid on Thursday, don’t forget about these lottery contenders from outside of Lexington and Lawrence: North Carolina guard PJ Hairston, who could be a second-round steal after a controversial offseason; UCLA forward Shabazz Muhammad, who might not get drafted at all; Long Beach State shooting guard James Ennis, who has a real chance to impress over three days of workouts but needs some development first; and Michigan State center Adreian Payne (pictured), a long shot at best after his late-season foot injury.