Written by Sway Uzokwe (@LL_CoolSway) — 06/18/2019

Introduction:

The NBA Finals are over, the Warriors dynasty seems to be on the brink of collapse, and Kawhi Leonard has cemented his place in NBA history as one of the most clutch playoff performers of all time, leading the Toronto Raptors to their first ever championship. The NBA Draft is this Thursday (June 20th 7 PM E.T. ESPN) when teams will be aiming to find young college and international players capable of enhancing the outlook of their franchise. Take newly minted NBA champion Pascal Siakam, for example.

A young, raw, lanky forward from Cameroon, Siakam had only picked up basketball for the first time at age 15. Upon being noticed by former NBA forward Luc Mbah Moute at a “Basketball Without Borders” camp in his home country, Siakam moved to Texas to attend high school and continue developing his basketball skills. He was able to earn a scholarship to New Mexico State University, and after sitting out his freshman season, Siakam spent the next two years using his athleticism, energy, and length to wreak havoc in the Western Athletic Conference. Although he averaged 20 pts & 11 rebs his final season, upon declaring for the NBA draft scouts were concerned with the level of competition he played against in college, his lack of overall skills, and questioned how high his ceiling could be, given he was already 22. Despite these questions, Raptors GM Masai Ujiri selected Siakam with the 27th pick in the 1st round of the 2016 draft. Siakam was headed to Toronto, and the rest is history.

In the 2019 NBA draft, other GM’s across the league will be looking to write their own Siakam story. In the meantime, we’ll review the top-10 prospects who’ve made themselves available to be selected this year, as well as placing them into tiers to denote the level of prospect they are (Yes, Zion is a full tier two tiers better than any other prospect in this draft). While this year’s crop has been knocked for its lack of obvious star power (sans Zion Williamson), it boasts a number of players with NBA skills who have the potential to be high-level role-players. And as we’ve seen over the last decade, finding the right role players can have a tremendous impact on a championship roster.

Tier 1:

1. Zion Williamson — Duke — PF — 6’6” — 275 lbs

Strengths- The Naismith College Player of the Year and arguably the greatest prospect of this decade, Zion is the rare talent who combines other-worldly athleticism with fiery competitiveness, elite defensive instincts, and A+ intangibles. While built like an NFL defensive end, Zion moves like a gazelle on the court, making him virtually unstoppable on the fast break. At the point of attack, he can use spin moves, brute strength, or explosiveness to shake his defender. And when Williamson gets to the basket, it’s hard to argue that he isn’t the best finisher we’ve seen since LeBron James. But he isn’t just an athletic finisher on the offensive end. Zion displayed a tighter-than-expected handle during his year at Duke and flashed high-level playmaking instincts throughout the season.

On the defensive end, Zion displays generational explosiveness and lateral movement for his size, and can legitimately guard all 5 positions on the court. He uses his fast hands to be a disruptive force in passing lanes, and given his leaping ability, he is also able to operate as a rim protector on occasion. Zion probably has the best closeout I’ve seen, as highlighted here.

Most impressive is the effort he brings to every possession, rarely (if ever) taking plays off. We have witnessed Zion willing his team to victory with sheer passion and desire. Simply put, the Duke one-and-done is the full package.

Weaknesses- While he doesn’t have any fatal flaws, Zion’s jump shot needs work. He shot a respectable 33% from the 3-point line in college, but his form leaves a lot to be desired. He also only shot 64% from the line. There’s also concern about how his body will hold up in the NBA, given his 275lb. frame and the explosiveness of his movements. Williamson managed to stay in incredible shape at Duke, but his weight will be something to monitor at the next level.

Tier 3:

2. R.J. Barrett — Duke — SG/SF — 6’6” — 210 lbs.

Strengths-The beleaguered teammate of Zion at Duke, Barrett was long thought of as the #1 prospect in the country coming out of high school. To his credit, Barrett had an incredible freshman season in his own right and showed a willingness to step up in the big moments. Born in Canada, the crafty left-hander is an all-around offensive player, showing the ability to put the ball on the floor, finish at the rim with a variety of moves, but also create looks for his teammates. He finished his lone season at Duke averaging a 22/7/4 line. He is an extremely underrated playmaker, finishing 5th in the nation in points created, and was the only non-PG in a power 5 conference to finish top 10. Similar to Zion, Barrett also showed a passion for and willingness to compete on the defensive end. Although he only shot 30% from the 3-point line on the season, his shot is projectable. And at 6’6” with a 6’10” wingspan, Barrett has great size at the wing position.

Weaknesses- While Barrett showed a willingness to step up in the big moments, some would argue that he displayed a lack of self-awareness not to defer to the better player in Zion. At season’s end, the Duke wing’s usage rate led the ACC at 32%. Barrett, although a skilled player with passing skills, showed a lack of court awareness, often driving into a crowd of defenders. He knows how to drive to draw contact, but only shot 66% from the FT line as a freshman. Lastly, Barrett is a good, but not a great athlete. This could affect his ability to get by longer defenders at the next level.