16. Deng Adel- Junior/Louisville

Deng Adel has seen marginal improvement on his production this season with a larger jump in his efficiency despite a small decline in his shooting from behind the arc. His continued improvement from the charity stripe gives way to the idea of him potentially developing into a threat from behind the arc eventually, but he has balance and footwork issues that need to be worked on.

Defensively, Adel plays in a switch-heavy scheme that can make it difficult to judge how he might translate that to a more traditional style. Synergy likes his isolation defense, but his lateral quickness and instincts didn’t stand out. His positional flexibility is probably limited to wings for the most part.

15. Rodions Kurucs- 19 years old/Latvia

Rodions Kurucs has the size of a small forward but his most used play type in halfcourt sets right now is the post-up, according to Synergy. He looks comfortable there with quick moves both to the middle and baseline. Kurucs hasn’t displayed much shooting range to this point, but he has shown competence running a P&R to get his own shot so there are ways to hide his lack of shooting.

Defensively, Kurucs racks up stocks (steals+blocks) at an impressive rate, but I have my doubts on whether it will translate to a more athletic league. He hasn’t been as strong enough on the defensive boards to operate as a small ball four full-time, but that may be where he finds the most success. I would suggest Kurucs not put his name in this draft at this point.

14. Arnoldas Kulboka- 20 years old/Lithuania

Arnoldas Kulboka has shown a confident shot that extends to NBA range as well as the ability to knockdown contested looks at a high clip off the catch. He struggles shooting off the dribble and at the rim in the half court at this point but is able to score efficiently in transition finding open lanes and capitalizing before the defense finds him.

Defensively, Kulboka will struggle defending on the perimeter against quicker wings and guards, but defending spot-up shooters is something he has the potential to do. He may struggle ending possessions on the boards against bigger forwards, but against wings should be adequate. Kulboka may have difficulty finding a defensive position in the NBA, and for that reason is a high risk pick.

13. Bonzie Colson- Senior/Notre Dame

Bonzie Colson hasn’t shown quite the shooting from range that would have propelled him up draft boards this season, but he has at least been able to knockdown the unguarded catch and shoot at a high rate. Colson is a threat on the offensive boards and if his shot doesn’t improve there could still potential at the four, thanks to his ridiculous 6'11.5 wingspan.

Defensively, Colson has really upped the pressure and has almost doubled an already impressive stock per game average from 2.5 to 4.4 stocks. He has shown skill defending the P&R both as a big and as the on-ball defender this season pointing towards him being comfortable defending multiple positions at the next level. He may get a look late in the 2nd round, but I think a summer league contract to prove himself is the likely outcome for Colson unless his three-point shooting sees an uptick by the end of the season.

12. Chandler Hutchison- Senior/ Boise St.

Chandler Hutchison has been given the ball more this season and has responded with a higher 3PAr and FTr. His efficiency from those two locations has remained pretty constant from his junior to senior season, which is encouraging in a sense, but they are both right below what I would consider for confident projection to the NBA. He also doesn’t have the quickest release, which could hurt.

Defensively, Hutchison fights through picks, but he occasionally takes a bad angle getting himself caught on screens or re-screens. He lacks elite lateral quickness, but has the length to potentially make up for that. Hutchison could be a fit for a team late in the second round, possibly slightly higher if they are really sold on his shooting translating, and a summer league contract is all but assured if he doesn’t get drafted. Hitting shots from outside at a high rate at that venue would instantly pique teams interests who may have doubted him before.

11. Sam Hauser- Sophomore/Marquette

Sam Hauser has had an impressive sophomore campaign showcasing many tools you look for in a forward off the bench. Offensively he has the shooting down, currently knocking down 48.4% of his 5.8 three-point attempts per game. He doesn’t project as a playmaker, but he moves the ball well and makes smart decisions. He can operate as the screener in the P&Pop and shows a good mix of setting and slipping the screen with advanced footwork and the ability to transition into a dribble pull-ups on hard closeouts.

Defensively, Hauser does a good job forcing opponents into jumpers and help defense rather than allowing penetration to the rim, but may lack the lateral quickness to do so at the next level against some wings. His long arms should allow him to cover some fours, possibly better than he can cover some threes. Hauser’s shooting will be tough for teams to pass on as the second round gets under way.

10. Kenrich Williams- Junior/Texas Christian

Kenrich Williams has seen a rise in both his three-point percentage as well as free throw percentage has him rising on boards. He is an unselfish player who looks to create for others. He is adept at knowing when the help defense on the opposite side of the court has sagged too far and skipping the ball over. If he was more of a threat from midrange his high-low passing could be utililized, and still could be from farther out for post-entry passes. Williams finishes well at the rim when he gets there, but keeps his head up looking for the open man if the defense collapses.

Defensively, Williams does a good job putting himself in position to force turnovers (4.2 STL%). He doesn’t have elite lateral quickness but knows where to be to make up for that and fights through screens and staying engaged in the play. Currently third in Total Points Added, Williams’ all-around high IQ play should have him on most second round boards.

9. Troy Brown Jr.- Freshman/Oregon

Troy Brown is a slashing wing with a solid handle and the ability to create opportunities for his teammates. He does an excellent job in the P&R engaging the screener’s defender giving the screener a little bit longer to create separation. When Brown has gotten to the rim in the halfcourt (over 2 attempts a game per Synergy) he has scored 1.459 PPP ranking in the 91st percentile. Brown is hitting free throws at a high % but his shooting outside the arc up to this point doesn’t project his shooting from the NBA line favorably.

Defensively, Brown has good numbers per Synergy, and with his length and lateral quickness I can see why. But Brown doesn’t always make a great effort getting through screens. That could be a reliance on a switching system that seems very inconsistent or a lack of will to fight through them, something which he can fix with effort. I could see some team talking themselves into taking Brown in the first round, but it isn’t something I would feel comfortable doing unless his shooting behind the arc picks up.

8. Vince Edwards- Senior/ Purdue

Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images North America

Vince Edwards projects as a potential 3&D role player with great positional flexibility. Offensively, he has been very effective in spot-up and off-screen situations (99th percentile on spot-ups, his most used play type and 87th percentile off-screens). There are scoring play types that Edwards struggles with such as isolation and post-ups, but those aren’t really concerning given the role he is projected for.

Purdue switches most screens, so Edwards is already comfortable playing a style that many teams are shifting towards. He doesn’t compile a ton of stocks, but he does stay consistent with the scheme and keeps a high energy level. He has been playing the four more this season, and thanks to his 7'0 wingspan that could be a trend that continues at the next level. If a team is confident they can maximize Edwards’ strengths while minimizing his weaknesses they could see value in selecting him late in the first. Otherwise I wouldn’t expect him to fall far into the second round.

7. Max Strus- Freshman/DePaul

Max Strus is a shooter who knows how to move off-ball. His most common play type according to Synergy is off-screen. He isn’t going to blow you away with his efficiency coming off the screens at this point currently scoring .97 PPP on over 4 possessions a game, but that is currently top 25 in the country by volume. He doesn’t project for that same volume at the next level, but that activity level keeps help defenses occupied and can help open opportunities for others. With less attention on him at the next level he could benefit from more open looks as well.

Max Strus Synergy Defense 1/16

Defensively, Strus has been very impressive sealing off penetration and forcing offenses into tough contested jumpers. He fights through screens on ball and works to get back into the play when slowed by them. He doesn’t gamble a ton, but when he does it is often well timed. Strus has first round potential and impressive Big East play can solidify that.

6. Admiral Schofield- Junior/Tennessee

Source: Joe Robbins/Getty Images North America

The first thing apparent about Admiral Schofield is that he shouldn’t have an issue with the physicality at the next level. Schofield accompanies his 6'5, 240 pounds frame with a 6'10 wingspan that gives him good positional flexibility. Last season he showed glimpses of an outside shot at a low volume, but this season he has shown improvement on much higher volume. He is currently knocking down over 44% of his attempts and has shot over 75% from the charity in stripe in each season. Schofield doesn’t have the ceiling of a shot creator, but he can absolutely be a crucial piece in a successful offense.

Defensively, he has good instincts and the frame to play at least two positions. I think he may benefit from dropping some of his muscle mass with improved lateral quickness and stamina, especially over the course of an NBA season. It may depend on team fit and whether they want him to defend more threes or fours. At Tennessee he has shown the ability to guard a wide assortment of front-court players and has switched onto guards with some success as well. It isn’t hard to see how he can become a Swiss army knife on defense for a team. Schofield should have plenty of teams interested in him in the later portion of the first round, but seeing him slip to the early second wouldn’t be shocking given Jordan Bell went number 38 last year.

5. Brian Bowen- Freshman /South Carolina

Brian Bowen has transferred to South Carolina, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will be playing for the team. It sounds like the soonest he could be expected to play is next season, possibly the second semester. If Bowen hears from teams that he can be expected to taken in the first round, he would be have to be extremely confident in his ability to rise up the ranks in the next draft to pull his name out this year.

4. Isaac Bonga- 18 years old

Isaac Bonga has an impressive frame standing nearly 6'9" with a 6'11.75" wingspan to accompany it. He oozes potential with a handle that can get him to the rim and a naturally unselfish playstyle. He hasn’t figured out ways to balance scoring and distributing while avoiding turnovers as he is currently turning the ball over on over 50% of his P&R possessions.

Isaac Bonga Synergy 1/15

As Bonga gains experience and strength he should have much better control on his drives and be able to score more than his current .519 PPP. Because of his size he can see passing lanes that most other ball-handlers can’t.

I believe Bonga will at least be able to hit corner 3’s at a decent rate, currently hitting 33% of his attempts from deep and 91% of his free throws. If he can add shots above the break to his repertoire he becomes a much more valuable player both on and off the ball.

Defensively, Bonga has the potential to be an impact player on the perimeter with his length and instincts shooting passing lanes, but he needs to work on some fundamentals including closeouts and navigating screens. Bonga’s range should be late first to early second.

3. Dzanan Musa- 18 years old

Dzanan Musa Synergy Offense 1/15

Dzanan Musa has been lighting up the scoreboards this season. His ability to score both as the ball-handler and spotting up will have teams intrigued with the limit to his offensive skill set with this many tools at his disposal at such a young age. He has good lateral movement on his crossover that allows him to navigate screens and get to the rim consistently. If defenses go under screens he won’t hesitate to pull with a quick trigger. He has good acceleration and in isolation situations (his team will screen for mismatch then isolate frequently) he is extremely shifty getting opponents on their heels and then taking advantage. On spot-up attempts he is capable of scoring from multiple levels when run off the line.

Defensively, Musa may struggle to defend some wings and forwards because of a reported 6'8.5" wingspan to go along with his 6'9" height. He has a high energy level, but doesn’t always take the best angles cutting off drives and his communication needs work. His lateral quickness definitely isn’t a strength, but it isn’t a liability either. His strength could be a problem, but it’s one of the more fixable parts of a long-term prospects game and he is young enough that some natural growth should still be expected. I’d expect Musa to be a first round lock with the potential to break into the late lottery.

2. Keita Bates-Diop- Senior/Ohio St.

Kieta Bates-Diop has been terrific in his senior season after missing most of his junior year with a stress fracture in his left leg. Any concerns about how he would bounce back after surgery should be alleviated at this point with Bates-Diop currently hitting over 40% of his ~5 attempts per game from deep. His FT% is at the point that teams should feel confident projecting him as at least a passable shooter from outside if not more than that.

Keita Bates-Diop Synergy Offense 1/14

As you can see, Bates-Diop isn’t having trouble scoring no matter the method. He is an incredibly smart player who should be able to play off-ball with success at the next level at multiple positions, and you can certainly argue the PF will be his more natural position. He should have the versatility to fit in many different lineups.

Defensively the sky may be the limit for Diop with a reported 7'4" wingspan to go along with his 6'7 frame that will allow him to play either forward position. He switches onto the perimeter frequently without much trouble, although he could use work on the angles he takes on drives starting farther out. He plays the four mostly at Ohio State, so its natural to expect him to have a few hiccups on the perimeter early but something he will absolutely need to iron out if he is going to have success as a multi-positional defender. Bates-Diop should have no trouble finding interest in the first round and with a strong end of season/tournament could get some lottery consideration depending on team needs.

Mikal Bridges- Junior/Villanova

Mikal Bridges is a player that could fit onto any NBA team and probably be a contributor relatively early. Bridges has a game that screams “under-appreciated starter on a great team”, although as basketball analysis has improved those under-appreciated players are beginning to get their credit.

Offensively, he should be able to play off-ball in any system with a high IQ and a shot that should translate to the NBA 3pt line. He is hitting over 80% from the FT line and over 40% of his 3pt attempts at Villanova this season and most of those are off the catch. He hasn’t been successful shooting off the dribble this season, but I don’t find that concerning given his projected role. Around the rim he has been above average and gets much better with his back to the basket. I don’t expect the post-up to be a tool he goes to often, but with the right mismatch it could be an option to force a change from the defense.

Defense is where Bridges will really be able to make his impact on the court. Listed at 6'7" with over a 7'0 wingspan, he starts off with a great foundation for a perimeter stopper and should have the positional flexibility to cover at least two positions and possibly up to four eventually. His wingspan isn’t the craziest I’ve seen, but it is easily good enough to consider a positive. He has great lateral quickness, instincts, and is a very intelligent player who executes schemes. Generating stocks is an good way to create easy offense from the defensive end, and Bridges is currently averaging over three stocks per game.

Mikal Bridges Synergy Defense 1/16

Bridges excels in most categories defensively and most offense know better than to involve him in too many plays. In isolation his biggest issue is being too aggressive on the perimeter and allowing driving lanes, but that is something that could be part of the scheme. Another reason for his less impressive numbers in isolation relative to his other playtypes is a couple opponents making tough shots in a small sample which would fix itself to a point in a longer NBA season. Bridges should be a lottery lock at this point with top 10 being a more accurate range because of his extremely high floor.