-Tier 1-

Everyone in this tier has an argument to go first and possesses reasonable franchise-altering expectations.





-Tier 2-

Everyone in this tier has an argument to go in the top five with reasonable starter expectations.

-Tier 3-

Everyone in this tier has an argument to go in the top ten with reasonable rotation expectations.

: Greivis Vasquez/CJ McCollum

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PER: 21.5

Stromile Swift

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-Tier 4-

Everyone in this tier has an argument to go in the top twenty with reasonable rotation upside.

Age: 19

Position: PG

ADP: 20

Player Comps

(Low/High): Frank Ntilikina/Ron Harper

Hello and welcome to my comprehensive look at the top prospects of the 2018 NBA draft. I have consulted many sources, compiled as much relevant data as I couldand put all these prospects into the best order I could. Feel free to skip ahead to the list if you'd like but before we proceed to the rankings, I'd like to explain everything that I weighed:-Average Draft Position (ADP). I consulted The Stepien This Reddit Survey and Kevin Pelton’s List and took each player’s average draft position among the lists. If a player did not appear on a given list, I scored them as if they were the next player up.-Age. The younger the player is, the better. It gives more opportunity for leaps forward and fortifies impressive statistical performances.-Advanced Stats (PER, TS%, WS/40, and BPM). While no individual advanced stat is perfect, if all measures favor certain players, it is an indication of winning basketball play.-Counting Stats per 40 minutes (Points, Rebounds, Assists, Blocks, Steals and 3-Pointers Made per 40). Like everything else here, counting stats can sometimes be misleading but I believe they (equalized by minutes) can serve as a good foundation for a given player's game.All data is up to date as of 3/10/18.All these measures were examined and weighed with various formulas before I ultimately settled with my own gut list. While you may disagree with my rankings, I have all the data I examined here for you to look at as for yourself. I also have some low/high player comparisons, links to highlights and a few words explaining my interpretations of everything I've gathered on each player so far. Enjoy!Age: 19.6Height/Wing: 7'0"/7'5"Position: CADP: 2Player Comps (Low/High): Thomas Robinson/David RobinsonPER: 31.7TS%: 0.645WS/40: 0.253BPM: 10.4Points/40: 23.7Rebs/40: 13.6Assist/40: 1.9Blocks/40: 2.4Steals/40: 0.63PM/40: 0.4Ayton has the highest ADP for good reason. He is huge and passes all eye tests, the advanced stats love him, he’s on the younger side and his per-minute stats are strong. I personally would like to see more defensive stats or 3-point shooting but I cannot deny he has the highest ceiling here.Age: 19Height/Wing: 6'7"/-Position: SFADP: 3.5Player Comps (Low/High): Dario Saric/Larry BirdPER: 26.7TS%: 0.62WS/40: 0.316BPM: N/APoints/40: 25Rebs/40: 8.7Assist/40: 7.3Blocks/40: 0.4Steals/40: 1.73PM/40: 2.4Probably Ayton's biggest competition for going #1, Doncic has the calling-card of having the highest floor. His stats are great, advanced or otherwise, he has the second highest ADP and he is presumably playing against the stiffest competition. Luka is the most proven prospect here.Age: 19.4Height/Wing: 6'2"/6'4"Position: PGADP: 5Player Comps (Low/High): Shabazz Napier/Kemba WalkerPER: 28.3TS%: 0.585WS/40: 0.202BPM: 11.7Points/40: 31Rebs/40: 4.4Assist/40: 9.9Blocks/40: 0.3Steals/40: 1.93PM/40: 4.2I ranked Trae Young above a few prospects with higher ADPs because he exemplifies a lot of NBA franchises are looking for from a lead guard these days. While his play has been criticized as of late, the advanced stats still support him and the layout of his per-minute counting stats is ideal for an NBA point guard.Age: 19.6Height/Wing: 6'10"/7'0"Position: SFADP: 4.2Player Comps (Low/High): Anthony Bennett/Reggie MillerPER: 19.6TS%: 0.389WS/40: 0.111BPM: -3.5Points/40: 22.4Rebs/40: 16Assist/40: 1.6Blocks/40: 1.6Steals/40: 03PM/40: 3.2MPJ went from being one of the most sure things to a wildcard as of late. His injury and rusty return give him very questionable (and probably misleading) stats all around, though there are some bright spots. Still, his ADP remains fourth highest because he passes most eye tests and is mostly likely going to bounce back as he puts this injury in his past.Age: 18.4Height/Wing: 6'10"/7'4"Position: PFADP: 4Player Comps (Low/High): Dragan Bender/Myles TurnerPER: 27.5TS%: 0.654WS/40: 0.244BPM: 16.1Points/40: 20.5Rebs/40: 10.5Assist/40: 2.1Blocks/40: 5.7Steals/40: 1.13PM/40: 2.1Surprisingly, JJJ actually has the third highest ADP, is one of the youngest players available and might have the most favorable advanced stats out of everyone here. Though his buzz as #1 is relatively low, there is a very good chance that Jackson ends up being the best player here, which is why he rounds out the top tier. He has the upside to be an ideal 3&D center in the NBA.Age: 21.5Height/Wing: 6'7"/7'1"Position: SGADP: 8.8Player Comps (Low/High): Wesley Johnson/Khris MiddletonPER: 26.9TS%: 0.65WS/40: 0.238BPM: 12.8Points/40: 21.9Rebs/40: 6.8Assist/40: 2.6Blocks/40: 1.4Steals/40: 23PM/40: 7.2It might be a hot take to have Mikal Bridges this high but I can't keep myself away from this profile. Yes, Mikal is older but his combination of length and shooting ability make him the ideal 3&D wing in today's NBA. When I watch Mikal Bridges play, I see someone that every NBA team would like to have on their roster. I believe he is a guaranteed two-way contributor.Age: 18.9Height/Wing: 6'11"/7'0"Position: PFADP: 4.7Player Comps (Low/High): Nerlens Noel/Clint CapelaPER: 31.5TS%: 0.636WS/40: 0.255BPM: 11Points/40: 25.6Rebs/40: 13.8Assist/40: 1.9Blocks/40: 1.2Steals/40: 1.13PM/40: 0.9I have Bagley ranked lower than his ADP because, while all his stats look good, the layout of his counting stats suggest to me that he will need help being his best. It is clear that Bagley has elite rim-runner expectations but the lack of peripheral stats and self-sufficiency has me cooler on him than most. The market for non-shooting, non-creating post-players in the NBA is impacted right now sliding Bagley to seventh.Age: 19.8Height/Wing: 6'11"/7'9"Position: CADP: 5.3Player Comps (Low/High): Hasheem Thabeet/Rudy GobertPER: 28TS%: 0.594WS/40: 0.211BPM: 11.3Points/40: 17.1Rebs/40: 13.8Assist/40: 0.6Blocks/40: 4.8Steals/40: 13PM/40: 0.6Much like Bagley, I am low on Bamba due to his lack of shooting/creation ability. There is no question Bamba should be a force on the defensive end and it is possible that his offensive ability can be above-average as well. The advanced stats love him but I'm slightly skeptical about how strongly his impact will translate to the open game of the NBA which is why he dips to eight.Age: 19.9Height/Wing: 6'7"/6'9"Position: PFADP: 11.5Player Comps (Low/High): Derrick Williams/Aaron GordonPER: 22.8TS%: 0.582WS/40: 0.212BPM: 9.6Points/40: 21.7Rebs/40: 8.9Assist/40: 3.5Blocks/40: 1Steals/40: 0.83PM/40: 2.6Miles Bridges gets criticism for a lack of improvement statistically from year one to two and there is a chance he is just a big fish in a small pond right now. However, his versatile offensive game has a chance to be highly impactful in the NBA. His advanced stats are strong and the layout of his counting stats is diverse, all suggesting he could be something special. I'm not sure if he'll pan out but I think he is a great bet here at nine.Age: 18.3Height/Wing: 6'11"/-Position: PFADP: 18Player Comps (Low/High): Channing Frye/Myles TurnerPER: 22.4TS%: 0.58WS/40: 0.186BPM: 11.4Points/40: 16.6Rebs/40: 11.2Assist/40: 3.5Blocks/40: 2.7Steals/40: 1.43PM/40: 2.1I may be favoring a certain style too much here but I really do think Jontay exemplifies what NBA GMs are looking for from their big men these days. While the younger Porter brother may not have impressive physical measurements, the diversity of his counting stats and strength of his advanced stats suggest he could be an ideal 4 or 5 in the NBA. There is a chance he can do everything Jaren Jackson Jr. is being projected to do.Age: 18.8Height/Wing: 6'10"/7'3"Position: CADP: 9.5Player Comps (Low/High): Willie Cauley-Stein/Juwan HowardPER: 28.6TS%: 0.631WS/40: 0.244BPM: 13.8Points/40: 20.4Rebs/40: 13.8Assist/40: 3.1Blocks/40: 3.1Steals/40: 1.13PM/40: 0.9Much like his Duke teammate, I have Wendell Carter listed lower than his ADP and advanced stats would suggest. There are certainly arguments to be made that Carter should go higher than this and there is a good chance he will end up being a better NBA player than a few players listed before him here, including Bagley. I like his assist and block rate, making him a rotation certainty but the lack of range in his play makes it hard to rank him much higher than this.Age: 19.1Height/Wing: 6'2"/6'7"Position: PGADP: 11.5Player Comps (Low/High): Jonny Flynn/De'Arron FoxPER: 23.5TS%: 0.555WS/40: 0.183BPM: 6.8Points/40: 25.2Rebs/40: 4.9Assist/40: 5Blocks/40: 0.1Steals/40: 1.33PM/40: 1.7There are a lot of indications that Sexton will be, at least, a high end backup point guard in the NBA. His lack of passing and shooting stats are concerning but his advanced stats are all fairly strong, especially from someone his age. He could end up being too inefficient for his own good but he is the most proven name left if you are looking for someone to lead an offense.Age: 18.5Height/Wing: 6'9"/7'0"Position: PFADP: 14Player Comps (Low/High): Anthony Bennett/Tobias HarrisPER: 17.5TS%: 0.564WS/40: 0.140BPM: 5.3Points/40: 19.5Rebs/40: 6.6Assist/40: 1.7Blocks/40: 0.3Steals/40: 1.13PM/40: 2Knox is young and wearing the right uniform to draw NBA prospect attention. He has good physical measurements and none of his stats are too bad. However, I find myself perpetually cooling on Knox due to the general lack of pop across all his numbers. There is upside for him to be the versatile, rangy wing player that NBA GMs are looking for but I fear that is wishful thinking here.Age: 20.9Height/Wing:6'4"/-Position: PGADP: 19.5Player Comps (Low/High)TS%: 0.653WS/40: 0.2BPM: 8.3Points/40: 18.6Rebs/40: 4.1Assist/40: 6.6Blocks/40: 0.2Steals/40: 0.93PM/40: 7.4Shamet isn't particularly high on any draft boards but maybe he should be. While he isn't a freshman, all his advanced stats are good and I love his 3-pointers made per minute coupled with his true shooting percentage. His defensive stats leave a lot to be desired but there is a chance Landry will make it in the NBA off of his shooting ability alone.Age: 20.3Height/Wing:6'9"/7'4"Position: PFADP: 13.7Player Comps (Low/High): Jordan Bell/PER: 25TS%: 0.603WS/40: 0.182BPM: 11.6Points/40: 16Rebs/40: 14Assist/40: 2.2Blocks/40: 3.9Steals/40: 1.33PM/40: 0Williams doesn't shoot from deep at all but he is a high impact player around both rims. His length, block rate and advanced stats suggest he can head a good defense while his shooting percentage shows that he can make his living within the short-range. While he doesn't possess the premium shooting ability everyone is looking for, Williams will certainly bring elite talent to whatever NBA he joins.Age: 20.7Height/Wing: 6'6"/-Position: SFADP: 25.8Player Comps (Low/High): Adam Morrison/Dion WaitersPER: 21.9TS%: 0.575WS/40: 0.233BPM: 11.8Points/40: 17.6Rebs/40: 5.9Assist/40: 4.3Blocks/40: 1.3Steals/40: 1.73PM/40: 2.4Evans has the look, measurements, and advanced stats to be a quality NBA wing. While his counting stats are generally muted and his older age creates less excuse for a muted role, the diversity of Jacob's counting stats give him increased opportunity to contribute/breakout in the NBA. While I am not sure of any of this, I do think Evans has the best probability of helping an NBA team out of any prospects left here.Age: 18.6Height/Wing: 6'7"/6'10"Position: SFADP: 16Player Comps (Low/High): Shabazz Muhammad/Caris LeVertPER: 17.1TS%: 0.538WS/40: 0.124BPM: 4.8Points/40: 14.8Rebs/40: 8Assist/40: 3.9Blocks/40: 0.3Steals/40: 23PM/40: 1.2In the thick of potential NBA wings, Troy Brown sticks out because of his youth and physical measurements. However, his actual stats all leave me wanting a bit more. Because Brown is younger and because the role he plays is so desired, there is a lot of upside here but Brown simply hasn't proven very much yet.Age: 19.2Height/Wing: 6'4"/6'10"Position: SGADP: 16.8Player Comps (Low/High): Terrence Ross/Wesley MatthewsPER: 16.8TS%: 0.529WS/40: 0.133BPM: 5.3Points/40: 16.8Rebs/40: 3.8Assist/40: 2.9Blocks/40: 0.7Steals/40: 1.43PM/40: 2.5Much like Troy Brown, Lonnie Walker has relatively pedestrian stats but is still drawing a lot of attention due to his physical measurements and his ability to play wing positions. It is no secret that every NBA team could use another quality wing player and Walker has a lot of potential to be one of those players. Unfortunately, the advanced stats are currently suggesting that that all might be wishful thinking. Still, Walker is a nice high-upside pick here.Height/Wing: 6'6"/-PER: 19.3TS%: 0.562WS/40: 0.145BPM: 7.9Points/40: 16Rebs/40: 4.7Assist/40: 5.9Blocks/40: 0.7Steals/40: 1.93PM/40: 0.7SGA is a big point guard that can contribute in a few different ways. His counting stats are pretty diverse and his advanced stats aren't too shabby. However, what gives him pause with Gilgeous-Alexander is his lack of shooting for a smaller player. I have been harping on a lot of bigger players for the same thing and that issue is only magnified for smaller players. For that reason, I am not too hot on him, though I can't deny he is one of the more proven talents left here.Age: 20Height/Wing: 6'7"/-Position: SGADP: 35.3Player Comps (Low/High): Taurean Prince/Manu GinobiliPER: 23.4TS%: 0.584WS/40: 0.230BPM: 9.6Points/40: 18.4Rebs/40: 7.1Assist/40: 2.2Blocks/40: 0.8Steals/40: 1.23PM/40: 1.3De'Andre Hunter was not ranked by most of the draft boards I consulted but I am a big fan of his advanced stats and diversity of counting stats. He has not proven too much yet for his age given the slightly muted nature of his counting stats but I do think he is a quality sleeper here because everything suggests that Hunter can be an integral part of winning basketball.