I've seen Cauley Stein three times this year, and I'm not sure exactly who will be available with our pick. I haven't seen most of the eligible guys more than once, but WCS is a guy that if I'm being realistic, I could accept as the best choice with our first pick if we finish the season strong.
Case against: junior, lack of stats improvement, benefits from pro teammates, stamina untested
Case for: Smooth 7 footer with elite rebounding, length and rim defense and a solid J to 18 feet
He's playing under 24 mins and averaging over 10 pts a game on under 7 shots with 6.6 rebounds a game playing next to another 7 footer along with 1.7 blocks & steals each, and a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio.
That's a per 36 of 15 pts on 10 shots along with, next to a 7 footer, 10 reb, 2.5 blk and 2.5 stl
There's questions about picking a junior over a top freshman or sophomore, and questions about how much playing with Towns against most of America is going to make him look dominant, but this guy seems to possess everything we talk about when fantasizing about a rim defender. He has the size, length, speed, quickness, athleticism and instincts to be elite.
Offensively, his ceiling is above Tyson Chandler because he can shoot at the with range out to 15-18 feet, I've seen it consistently, allowing Sully to thrive inside against a power forward, or roam near the basket if Olynik is in creating passing and driving lanes, setting screens and being a real threat to grab boards. He has some scoring ability inside too.
Right now, Towns, Okafor, Mudiaye, Stanley Johnson, Winslow, Looney, Harrell are the guys I'd consider ahead of him, but I need more due diligence and more games to get more educated.