LAS VEGAS -- The 2017 NBA draft is still 23 months away, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be excited about it. Already, due to the strongest high school class we've seen pass through American hoops in a long time, NBA teams that have multiple picks coming over the course of the next couple years are gearing up for what could be a draft similar to the ones in 2003 and 2008 -- the last two major influxes of talent in the NBA.
Basically, anything that a team could need in the draft will be featured in that one. Need a generational big man? Harry Giles is the No. 1 overall pro prospect in the class, and is shaping up as one of the better NBA prospects in a while. How about a great wing? Josh Jackson doesn't look a whole lot different than Andrew Wiggins did at this time a few years ago. A point-forward that can both run pick-and-rolls as a ball-handler and set screens in them? Jayson Tatum can do that. An exciting, thrilling guard? Malik Monk can score on anyone, and is improving as a facilitator daily. What about those point guards? There's a five-way battle at the top between Lonzo Ball, Dennis Smith Jr., Kobi Simmons, De'Aaron Fox and Frank Jackson.
In order to introduce you to that draft class, I scouted the players that I saw at the final July recruiting events. It's worth noting that these players are far from finished products. However, this is meant to give a reasonable approximation of where they currently stand, and what they need to improve upon to raise their stock in the coming years. One other thing worth noting: I did not get to see players like Terrence Ferguson, Jonathan Isaac, T.J. Leaf, Joshua Langford or Rawle Alkins, all of whom are considered good NBA draft prospects for the future in their own rights. This is not a top-10 list for the class, but simply a breakdown of some of the more intriguing players that I got a chance to see.
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HARRY GILES Amateur Team: Team CP3 Vitals: Power forward | 6-10 | 227 pounds | High Point, N.C. Potential colleges: Duke, UNC, Wake Forest, Kansas, Kentucky |
To put it simply, there aren't many prospects who have so few holes in their game by the time they're 17. Giles is a terrific athlete that can run the floor like a gazelle and finish with authority with his excellent athletic explosiveness paired with a 7-foot-3 wingspan. That wingspan also comes in handy on the glass, as he basically just eats up every single rebound that comes within his vicinity.
He's aggressive on offense, portraying an attitude that says he thinks he can score every time, and on the high school level that's basically true. He has great touch around the rim, solid post-up footwork, good instincts in the pick-and-roll for a young player, and terrific body control when slashing and finishing around players. The only true weakness I saw at this event was his jump shot, which he enjoys taking but isn't quite strong enough yet. It's flat and hitchy, but the fact that he's taking shots from out to 18 feet comfortably already bodes well for his future development.
This class is very deep and there is a lot of time in the next 23 months before the 2017 NBA Draft, but Giles has to be considered the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick right now. I don't think that I would say he's on Anthony Davis' level as a prospect right now, but he's just in that next tier down.
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JOSH JACKSON Amateur Team: 1Nation Vitals: Shooting guard/Small forward | 6-8 | 203 pounds | Southfield, Mich. Potential colleges: Arizona, Kansas, Michigan State, Maryland or professional |
Jackson's as explosive a wing prospect as you'll find, playing comfortably above the rim in every setting. Within the first five minutes I watched him, Jackson threw down a massive tip-dunk and another big slam in transition. It's not just the athleticism with him though. He plays with an edge that few players his age do, looking aggressive on both ends. Plus, at nearly 6-8 with a 6-10 wingspan, he'll be able to play both wing positions comfortably in the NBA and possibly even some small ball 4 once he fills out, giving him some strong versatility. When you add that on top of his motor, it's pretty easy to see a future NBA starter here that has the upside of an all-star.
As far as his skill level is concerned, it's getting there. He has a quick crossover and a terrific first step when trying to create plays, but his dribble is loose a lot of the time. In fact, he's actually best when he's using his athleticism and feel off ball to create looks around the rim or out on the break. Plus, while his jump shot is projectable out to the NBA 3-point line, it's still not perfect and needs some refinement. But as far as this is considered a "skill" (which in my opinion, it should be), Jackson's feel for the game is absolutely top-notch. He's a better passer than a lot of the top point guards in this class, and his defensive instincts tend to work out right for a guy that plays so much on the edge of his sleeve.
Jackson, in my opinion, wouldn't look totally out of place in an NBA game right now because of that feel, athleticism, and the fact that's he's a tremendous two-way player. However, there is one thing worth noting that is a slight negative moving forward. He'll be 19 in February, 20 in his freshman collegiate season, and he'll turn 21 during his first potential rookie season in the NBA. That does raise questions about whether or not he's simply just maturing athletically more quickly than his peers. However, what we've seen already is a pretty elite guy who will should be an impact NBA player eventually.
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JAYSON TATUM Amateur Team: Arkansas Wings/St. Louis Eagles Vitals: Forward | 6-8 | 200 pounds | St. Louis Potential college: Duke |
Tatum decided to suit up with the next guy on this list, Malik Monk, and the Arkansas Wings this weekend in order to play in "The 8", a tournament that pitted eight of the best AAU teams in the country against each other. And overall, it's just about impossible not to come away impressed with Tatum.
He's one of those athletes who is more fluid than he is explosive, but there also might not be a more fluid mover in the class. He's always in control of his body, and it allows him to get space against just about any opponent. But it's also worth noting that he's a bit more explosive than you'd think. He's far from a below-the-rim guy, as he threw down a massive dunk all over a bigger forward in the Wings' semifinal game. Also, at 6-8 with a near 6-11 wingspan, he'll have enough length to play some small-ball 4 along with his typical position at the 3.
Skill-wise, Tatum is one of those players who acts as both a point-forward due to his ability to pass and read defenses as well as a lead scorer due to his ball-handling and ability to get to the rim. He can be both a pick-and-roll ball-handler and a screen setter, which is a really unique skill that very few players can do competently. His jump shot is slow but shows good rotation and a fine arc, so it should continue to develop into the future. The one problematic thing that he needs to break is that he tends to fall in love with his 16-foot jumper after jab-stepping his man into oblivion, but that's a breakable habit. Defensively, he's able to start his own fast breaks both by grabbing rebounds and by getting into passing lanes and creating steals.
Tatum is the clear No. 3 guy in this class for me due to his versatility, solid athleticism level, and preternatural feel for the game. He'll fit in well in the modern NBA.
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MALIK MONK Amateur Team: Arkansas Wings Vitals: Point guard/shooting guard | 6-3 | 190 pounds | Bentonville, Ark. Potential colleges: Arkansas , Kentucky |
Monk didn't really play all that well in the games that I saw of him in Vegas (I left before the final where he dropped 34), but he still did show off some of the flashes that have made him as highly sought-after a prospect as there is in the country.
He's lightning quick and an explosive athlete, and that should play well both on the college and the professional level as a scorer. A highlight reel waiting to happen, Monk is one of those players who can catch fire at any point and really become an unstoppable force. The scoring tools are clear, as he gets terrific elevation on his jumper and he has a pretty quick release with a good arc on the shot. His ball-handling skill is pretty top-notch for a high school player too, as he can get into the lane by getting opponents off balance relatively easily.
The part of the game where he showed some development this week was in his distribution, which is the key to his game professionally. Monk took a step back in the Wings' semifinal game, ceding the scoring controls to Tatum and delivering solid passes throughout. His vision is really good, he just needs to utilize it more often instead of stopping the ball like he can do occassionally.
At 6-3, Monk is kind of caught in a combo guard situation professionally. Continuing to show the ability to create for others as well as for himself will be critical to his prospects. This is undoubtedly an elite scoring talent that will play in the NBA one day barring injury. But he's far from a finished product, and has a pretty wide range of potential outcomes once he gets there from all-star to volume bench scorer.
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DENNIS SMITH, JR. Amateur Team: Team Loaded Vitals: Point guard | 6-2 | 180 pounds | Fayetteville, N.C. Potential colleges: NC State, North Carolina, Kentucky, Wake Forest, Duke |
Smith is a pure point guard prospect that has solid enough size to play the position in the NBA. He's extremely quick with excellent ball-handling ability, able to navigate small, crowded spaces in the paint and make a variety of passes to either the corner or to crashing big men when he gets there.
He's an awesome distributor whose best attribute is his feel in the pick-and-roll. All week, he and Bam Adebayo (who I'll get momentarily) were nearly unstoppable in that situation, as Smith would basically direct him to exactly where the soft spot in the defense was, then pinpoint either a perfect pass to his outsretched arms or a beautiful little pocket pass to the 16-foot range for a jumper. With his quickness and smarts, it's pretty easy to see how he could be successful in a league dominated with such situations.
He does need to improve his shooting from distance and his defense to get to the point where he could be an NBA starter, but Smith is pretty much exactly what you want from a floor general. He can break down defenses into the paint, score at the rim, make spectacular passes, and generally just lead your team. A guy that, again, has a wider range of outcomes due to his youth, but has a lot of upside due to what he already brings to the table. I like him a lot.
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LONZO BALL Amateur Team: Big Ballers VXT Vitals: Point guard | 6-6 | 180 pounds | Chino Hills, Calif. Future college: UCLA |
Ball is the best passer/playmaker in this class, pure and simple. He has incredible instincts in the pick-and-roll, and the system his team runs -- similar to the system Grinnell runs in college -- forces him to make quick reads and decisive choices. However, he also makes these reads while never looking rushed on the floor, always patiently waiting -- even sometimes in the air near the basket -- to make the right pass or play. Basically, he has every pass in the book and he has the vision to find them all.
These skills will allow him to excel at the college level by themselves. However, I still have some concerns about him on the professional level that he'll need to address. First and foremost, his explosiveness is good, not great, and his ball-handling needs to continue to tighten up. He's bigger and longer than most players at his position, which should allow him to have an easier time pulling up and knocking down shots. However, his jumper could stand to be ironed out consistency-wise. Finally, I didn't see anything from him defensively this week. Part of that has to do with the way his team plays, but Ball didn't really show much interest in cutting off penetration or helping on that end unless it could lead to a fast break. He'll need to show more there, because he has the tools to be fine on that end due to his length.
He's a tremendously gifted player, and one that could end up reaching a pretty high, all-star level ceiling. But his flaws make his floor a bit lower than anyone else on this list. His year at UCLA under coach Steve Alford will be extremely important for his development, as Ball will play in a more structured uptempo style of hoops that will tell us a lot more about where he is as a player.
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THON MAKER Amateur Team: Canada Elite Vitals: Power Forward | 7-0 | 220 pounds | Orangeville, Ontario Potential colleges: Indiana, Arizona State, many others |
From the most famous high school basketball player in America to an overhyped prospect back to a potential top-10 pick, Maker's stock over the course of the last year has undergone about 40 different iterations. The truth of the matter with Maker is somewhere in-between. He's a legitimate five-star level talent and a potential (even probable) lottery pick, but he's also not the second coming of Kevin Durant or even among the super elite of this high school class.
Maker makes his bones from having a tremendous motor paired with awesome perimeter instincts for a 7-footer. He can really handle the ball, shoot a bit from the outside -- albeit with a flatter shot than you'd like to see -- and attack the offensive glass to get his buckets. That's an awesome skillset on offense, especially when you pair it with his 7-3 wingspan defensively where he can be a legitimate difference maker around the rim. In all honesty, when you read about his strengths, it doesn't make him sound terribly dissimilar to Giles.
But then there are the weaknesses. Maker's hands are a bit small at only nine inches wide, and it shows when he tries to take tougher entry passes or dump offs. He's also not the most fluid athlete, and he can often be mechanical in his movements. His motor makes up for it a lot of the time, but sometimes it's just not quite enough. Like Jackson, he'll also be 19 this coming high school season, which is undoubtedly why he considered reclassification this fall. He'll be the equivalent of a high school sophomore by the time he gets drafted, which does limit the upside just a touch. Then of course there's his skinny body, which is filling out but is still a bit of a concern in his lower half.
Like I said, this package of skill is very unique and absolutely should make him a valuable player whenever his time comes for the NBA. He'll probably even be a lottery pick, and this was defintiely a good session for him this summer. This is still an awesome, awesome player. But the comparisons to guys like Kevin Garnett and that ilk should probably stop.
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EDRICE 'BAM' ADEBAYO Amateur Team: Team Loaded Vitals: Power Forward | 6-9 | 230 pounds | Jacksonville, N.C. Potential colleges: NC State, Kansas, UNC, Wake Forest, many others |
There was no player in Las Vegas this week that I was more surprised to hear about when talking with coaches than Adebayo. Specifically, I chatted with four coaches who have all coached first-round level talent. One called him a future top-five pick, another a future top-10 pick, and all of them used the word "lottery" to describe the player known best as 'Bam.'
Adebayo is a 6-9 big man with long arms, tremendous physicality, and an NBA-ready frame that looks poised to take the collegiate world by storm in 2016. He's an above-the-rim guy who will look to finish just about everything by slamming it through someone, and he can do that regularly in the pick-and-roll and off of offensive boards. He also showed a decent rudimentary face-up game, as well as solid shot mechanics from out to 18-feet with Smith in pick-and-pop situations. He'll also run the floor and finish in transition. Defensively, he's equally as good on the boards, plus is a pretty good rim protector on this level due to his length.
Having said that, he's still pretty raw and relies an awful lot on his pure athleticism to get things done. His feel for the game isn't exceptional yet, and he'll need to just continue to become comfortable playing basketball at a high level and making smart reads, either when he's passing the ball or on defense when he's rotating.
With some solid coaching, Adebayo could indeed become what every college coach thinks he can be. But he's not quite there yet. Imagine something of a bigger Montrezl Harrell -- a long, physical athlete that can dominate the boards, block some shots, and finish way above the rim. The key for his lottery hopes will be developing above and beyond that workman-like level and becoming more skilled, which he absolutely has the potential to do.
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MILES BRIDGES Amateur Team: Mac Irvin Fire/The Family Vitals: Small forward/Power forward | 6-7| 230 pounds | Huntington, W.V. Potential colleges: Kentucky, Michigan State, many others |
Now this is one heck of an interesting prospect, given the way the modern NBA is going. Bridges is one of the best athletes in the class, possessing a monstrous physical frame and explosive leaping ability that allows him to make posters out of just about anyone who stands in his way around the rim.
His best offensive skills right now are his straight-line slashing ability and his ability to crash the offensive glass. Once he gets around the rim, he's going to have a pretty easy time finishing due to that athleticism. However, there will be some questions about how he'll be able to pull that off in the NBA, as his arms are pretty short at just 6-9.
That wingspan lines up him up better at the small forward spot, where he's shown flashes of skill that make you wonder if he can play it full-time. As mentioned above, he's a solid slasher, plus he can shoot the ball a little bit. He's not the most natural shooter that was on the summer circuit in Vegas, but he does well enough to where it's a skill that looks developable.
Where he looks most valuable from an NBA perspective is with his defensive versatility. If he can keep himself around this size, he might have the ability to defend most players 2 through 4, which is one of the best things that a prospect can do right now in the age of switching and covering pick-and-rolls. He's already a solid defender, so continuing to get better in that regard will only help his chances at being a first-rounder in the future, which he has potential to do after a year or two in college.
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FRANK JACKSON Amateur Team: Utah Prospects Vitals: Point guard/Shooting guard | 6-3 | 180 pounds | American Fork, Utah Potential colleges: Duke, Stanford |
Jackson is all about skill. The combo guard is a terrific scorer who knows exactly how to keep his defender on his tempo. He has good speed and explosiveness, but also shows an even better understanding of the value of changing direction and speed to get his opposition off balance. His body control is tremendous, as is his basketball intelligence.
He's going to be an absolutely awesome college basketball player, but where I wonder about him is on the next level. He's a combo guard right now, pure and simple. He didn't show much in the way of making plays for others this week, and his ability to knock down shots/get to the rim is definitely his most marketable skill. At 6-3 and without tremendous athleticism, it's going to be hard to do that in the NBA against bigger defenders who can just swallow you up with length.
It's really hard to make it to the NBA that way, so Jackson would do well to add a further dimension of playmaking for others to his game. If he can do that -- and to be honest, I wouldn't put anything past him, as he's a really hard worker from all sources and an absolutely terrific kid -- he has a chance to be in the NBA for a very long time.
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KOBI SIMMONS Amateur Team: Atlanta Celtics Vitals: Point guard/Shooting guard | 6-5 | 175 pounds | Alpharetta, Georgia Potential colleges: Kentucky, UNC, Ohio State, others |
Simmons is another combo/lead guard that can really score the basketball but isn't quite enough of a facilitator yet. He didn't even look to pass really when I saw him, as he's pretty much constantly looking for his own shots when he's on the floor.
Now, there are worse things than that, as Simmons is one of the better perimeter scorers in this class. He has a nice variety of moves once he gets within six feet of the rim, plus can really knock down shots off the dribble. Simmons also has a great first step which means defenders have to give up space to him in order to slow him down off the dribble. However, he has the pull-up jumper in his bag that is essential in the NBA for a point guard, which means he's really a bear to guard.
The problem, like I mentioned, is the facilitating as a lead guard. His 1-to-2.5 assist-to-turnover ratio in Las Vegas this week was startling, and he's something of a ball-stopper once he receives a pass. If he wants to continue playing as the point guard in a collegiate system, it's paramount that over the next year he improves his decision-making and starts getting everyone more involved.
The good news about all of this is that he does indeed have the size to be a scoring 2 guard if need be at 6-5 with a solid wingspan for a guard. But for him to take that next step and be a potential one-and-done guy, the place where it'll have to come is with his playmaking instincts.
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UDOKA AZUBUIKE Amateur Team: Georgia Stars Vitals: Center | 6-11 | 265 pounds | Jacksonville, Fla. Potential colleges: Florida State, Kentucky |
This is a man playing high school basketball. He's not a big-bodied 265 pounds either, as Azubuike is muscular for a soon-to-be 18-year-old. He can basically establish whatever post position he wants at any time, which makes him an awesome force inside. When you combine that with the fact that he has a 7-5 wingspan and pretty solid explosiveness, you might wonder why 247Sports' composite rating has him as the 26th-best prospect in America and not in the top-10.
Well, here's the thing. Azubuike's game is basically based ONLY on power, physicality, and the ability to leap over people and dunk on them. He has limited skill and doesn't have any ability to go around people; he's just going through them, every single time. And in high school, that works! Might even work in college. But having said that, it's hard to say whether or not a strategy like that can work in the NBA. On one hand, Azubuike is a freak athletically and physically, and DeAndre Jordan basically gets by on that alone -- although Azubuike is a step behind Jordan in the athleticism department. On the other, unless you're in the top .000001 percentile of athletes in the entire world, it's hard to get by like that in the NBA.
It'll be interesting to see how effective he is in college. He could be a legitimate first-round prospect, or maybe he's not. It'll all be about how his game translates to the next level.
