1. Cleveland Cavaliers – Duke SF Jabari Parker (Rookie of the Year prediction)
I know what you’re thinking twitter followers. I admit it.I’m guilty of a bait-and-switch. I’ve spent the past seven months selling the Andrew Wiggins product, but I am now in favor of the Cavs taking the 6’8” scoring forward out of Duke, primarily for two reasons.
First, most NBA fans consider Cleveland’s 2013 draft pick Anthony Bennett to be a bust, and rightfully so. The 21 year-old power forward recorded two double-doubles in fifty-two games while averaging an abysmal fifteen minutes per game. Even though I wouldn’t categorize Bennett as a bust quite yet, I believe that the Cavs need to take the best player in this year’s draft, and I believe that player to be Jabari Parker.
Parker brings a lot to the table. He is as versatile of a scorer as any other prospect in the draft. His mid-range dribble jumper is one of the best I’ve seen, and is often compared to Melo’s. JP’s NBA body allows him to post up on the blocks, or take his man from the perimeter to the rim. In other words, he is very aggressive.
Second, JP is more “NBA ready” than Andrew Wiggins. Basketball fans heard this statement throughout the entire NCAAB season; however, I am taking a different approach to this notion. I feel like Parker is more MENTALLY ready for the next level.
JP is use to the spotlight. He attended Simeon Vocational in Chicago, an exceptional basketball school most famous for the slain top high school prospect Ben “Benji” Wilson. Parker then chose to bring his talents to Durham where he was coached by Coach Kryzewski for one year. He is also a man of faith, for he is an active member of the Latter-day Saints restoration church.
When I watched Jabari Parker this past year, I saw a young star with personality. The charisma that he carries with himself on and off the court will be tempting for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Drafting Parker will be the Cavs best chance to make the playoffs in 2015.
NBA Comparison: Carmelo Anthony
2. Milwaukee Bucks – Kansas C Joel Embiid
Milwaukee Bucks fans, your team has options with the second pick. Personally, I feel that Parker, Embiid, and Wiggins are all interchangeable with the first three picks of the draft. Anything can happen. Assuming the Cavaliers choose Parker (which is unlikely according to most sources), I think Milwaukee’s best bet is to go with the big man from Kansas, Joel Embiid.
For those of you who know me know that I do not watch much college basketball. I pick and choose which games I watch based on the NBA prospects playing in them. When the Embiid-Wiggins hype was peaking in January I watched three Kansas games. What I saw in Joel Embiid blew my mind. How could this 19 year-old kid from Cameroon who reportedly had only been playing basketball since 2011 dominate the game like he did? Where did these post moves that 90% of NBA Centers can’t do come from? As an NBA fan, I was drooling over Embiid. He’s the pure center that many have been waiting for.
Embiid is built like a Greek God. His shoulders are square and arms are ripped. He towers at 7’0” tall and brings a scary 7’5” wingspan to the paint. His physical stature and athleticism allows for him to run the court and make the big finish, or guard the rim with some of the most tenacious shot blocking I have ever seen.
There is so much about his game that makes all thirty NBA teams jaw drop which is why he could go number one overall in a heartbeat. It’s almost a certainty that Embiid ends up in the Eastern Conference, so I will not even hesitate to add that he will be an NBA All-Star by 2017. Bucks fans will need to be patient with him, but he will be a must-see from day one and will be beloved just as he was as a Jayhawk.
NBA Comparison: An athletic Roy Hibbert; Hakeem Olajuwon
3. Philadelphia 76ers – Kansas SF Andrew Wiggins
You’re probably thinking, “How the hell do you have A-Dub falling to number three?” The truth is I’m asking myself the same thing. I think it comes down to me liking Parker and Embiid a lot more. Parker is flat out better than Wiggins, and Embiid is too scary to pass up. Being picked third in this draft class shouldn’t be a disappointment for this young kid. Philly would be a nice landing spot for him.
Wiggins has had a lot to live up to since he re-classified himself from the 2014 college recruiting class to the 2013 class which immediately placed him over the former number one prospect, Jabari Parker. I did not have a problem with this. He murdered the competition for years in Canada before transferring to Huntington Prep in West Virginia for his final two years of high school. However, it’s obvious that JP had the better freshman season and appeared to be more NBA ready than Wiggins.
If Wiggins somehow falls into the Sixers lap they will have a nice young trio with Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams controlling the point and the anticipated debut of Nerlens Noel manning the post. Perhaps Philly’s “tanking for Wiggins” strategy may end up paying off despite not receiving the first overall pick. Who knew?
NBA Comparison: Rudy Gay
4. Orlando Magic – Australia PG Dante Exum
If I had a name as cool as Dante Exum, I would maybe be somewhere in life. Having a cool name isn’t why I think he could be the best player in this draft when it’s all said and done. Exum is only 18 years-old right now and doesn’t turn 19 until a couple weeks after the draft in June. He’s an Australian born prospect who has little footage to go off of. He brings a bag of tricks to the table and will be a perfect fit for the Magic.
The 6’6” point guard is an aggressive scorer, but has the ball handling skills and basketball IQ to remain at the point position. His 6’9” wing span allows him to finish over the defense when taking the ball to the rim, and also provides the defense with passing lane steals and perhaps blocked shots. His shooting is the only blemish on his resume, but this does not worry me. From what I can see he struggles with shot selection and can get himself in trouble when he doesn’t get some air underneath his jumper. A flat shot is an easy fix especially at Exum’s age.
I thought Victor Oladipo was the best player in last year’s draft and Orlando was lucky to get him. Oladipo was often forced into a point guard role last year, a role that I don’t think he’s comfortable in. If the Magic can draft Dante Exum they’ll be looking at an exciting backcourt for years to come.
NBA Comparison: Derrick Rose
5. Utah Jazz – Kentucky PF Julius Randle
There’s been debate as of the late in regards to which power forward should be taken off the board first. I for one feel like it’s a no brainer. The 6’9” lefty power forward out of Kentucky has one of the best touches around the rim I’ve seen in quite some time. Randle is outstanding at getting defenders to bite on his head fake, and then going up with his left hand for the finish. His ability to get defenders to jump also gives him many opportunities to get to the free throw line, yet another place where he has a nice touch.
Randle is a double-double machine. He is a ferocious rebounder on both ends of the court. If Utah takes the opportunity to draft Randle he has a good chance to provide them with at least 25 double-doubles his rookie season. It’s difficult to question his motor because he does it all and he does it all well. Randle is almost a can’t-go-wrong draft pick in my eyes.
NBA Comparison: Zach Randolph
Triple Threat 