The NBA draft has turned into a year-round process. We are in the information age, which means there’s more intel on prospects than ever, from first-hand scouting reports at young ages to high school analytical databases. The process may have gotten more scientific over the years, but there’s still an art to devising projections — especially early in the season.



This is the first installment of my mock draft board for The Fieldhouse. I will be updating it regularly between now and next June. Here are some guidelines on how it was assembled:



— The order of the teams is based upon oddsmakers’ preseason win-total projections. It typically takes about 20 to 25 games for stats to normalize throughout the league. On average, teams have played only 14 so far;



— Team needs are taken into account;



— This draft includes freshmen in the first round only. The lone exception is Brian Bowen, who is dealing with a difficult situation at Louisville as a result of the FBI scandal that has engulfed college basketball.



Let’s get to it.



FIRST ROUND



Doncic is on pace to be the most accomplished teenager in European basketball history. Following a summer in which he won all-tournament honors at EuroBasket, the Slovenian star has taken his stellar play into Real Madrid’s regular season. Through seven games, he’s leading the EuroLeague in scoring. Keep in mind, this competition is clearly the second-best in the world, featuring many professionals talented enough to play in the NBA. His feel for the game is off the charts, as is his passing, rebounding and handle. The biggest keys to his success will be the athletic adjustment and jump shot consistency. As long as he shows the ability to get consistent separation or knock down shots from deep, he’s going to be a highly successful NBA player. Right now, it’s hard to place anyone else at the top, and he’s the kind of player the Bulls could build around with fellow European forward Lauri Markkanen.



There is not a more talented player in this draft from a physical standpoint. Ayton has prototypical size for the NBA. He is 7 feet tall with a near 7-6 wingspan, moves fluidly for his size with high-level explosiveness and possesses the skill level to go out on the perimeter. He’s the matchup nightmare 5 that every team in the league is looking for — a true rim-protecting 5 who can also step away and space the floor. The key for Ayton: playing with energy and aggressiveness. Because his physical skills developed so early, Ayton has rarely been pushed and he’s developed some bad habits in terms of motor. If Arizona coach Sean Miller can get the most out of him, he’s a very real candidate for the No. 1 overall pick. If not, as we’ve seen in the last two drafts, teams are becoming more unforgiving to big men they can’t trust. The Hawks are simply in the market for the best talent, and Ayton is just that.



Athleticism is the key to Bagley’s game. For his size, he will be among the most explosive, yet fluid athletes to enter the NBA draft process in a long time. He is productive through sheer energy and force, as it’s impossible to keep him off the glass and extremely difficult to stay in front of him when he faces up. He finishes far above the rim and moves his feet as fluidly as a wing. The keys to rising above this level are two-fold. He needs to become a more consistent shooter from deep than his mid-20s percentages in the Nike EYBL showed. He also needs to show defensive awareness and the ability to be a primary rim protector, so that he can play the position he fits best at in the NBA — the 5. Still, Bagley is among the most talented high schoolers to come through the system in a long time. With the future of LeBron James up in the air, the Cavs — who get this pick via the Nets — will be in the market for the best available piece if they end up keeping this selection.



‌‌‌Porter Jr.