Chad Ford 3.0

[mef730]

Ford 3.0:

As of this printing, we have 3/4 (We really need to bring in Belichick for the coin flip.), 13, 18 and 31. Individual team needs not taken into account.

Mike

1. Ben Simmons


Previous rank: No. 1
LSU
Freshman
Forward

Simmons is the prize of this draft. There really isn't a close second right now. His combination of size, athleticism, court vision and rebounding prowess is unique, and he's ultraproductive, ranking No. 7 in the country in player efficiency rating.

Yes, his jump shot is a source of concern; he's made just 13 shots away from the rim all season and is shooting just 28.6 percent from there, according to hoop-math.com. But given all the other skills he brings to the table and a solid free throw percentage, scouts don't think it will keep him from being a star.

Simmons video

2. Brandon Ingram


Previous rank: No. 4
Duke
Freshman
Forward

Ingram bounced back from a slow start to the season in early December with a 24-point explosion against Indiana, followed by a 23-point game against Buffalo and a 26-point effort against Georgia Southern. During that three-game stretch he shot 8-for-14 from 3 and 27-for-43 (63 percent) inside the arc.

Obviously, that's a pretty small sample size; two of the three opponents were mid-majors and Indiana is a pathetic defensive team. Still, scouts get excited whenever you talk about a long, 6-10 small forward with athleticism who can shoot. Ingram needs to get stronger and continue to work on his defense, but the tools are there for him to be a star if he can keep it up.

Ingram video

3. Dragan Bender


Previous rank: No. 3
Croatia
Age: 18
Forward/center

After he impressed scouts in September with exhibitions in Chicago and Brooklyn, things have quieted down for Bender. In nine Israeli league games, he is averaging just 3.6 PPG and 2.0 RPG in 11 MPG for Maccabi Tel Aviv. In Euroleague play, that number drops to 2.1 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 10 MPG.

Scouts were hoping to see him play a much bigger role. I don't think lack of playing time has hurt his stock at all, but it has kept him from climbing up a board that's wide open after Simmons.

4. Skal Labissiere


Previous rank: No. 2
Kentucky
Freshman
Center/forward

Scouts are preaching patience with Labissiere ... but it's hard to be patient. He dropped a zero-point, zero-rebound game in a win against Arizona State on Saturday and was a complete nonfactor on both ends of the floor. His lack of strength has hurt him to the point where there's been only one game in which he has grabbed more than five rebounds. But there's still reason to have hope.

Head coach John Calipari is trying to toughen up Labissiere by asking him to play in the post. He's much more comfortable on the perimeter, though (he's shooting 47.6 percent from there and 63 percent of all his shots have been jumpers), and projects as a potential stretch-4 in the NBA. We haven't seen his 3-point shot, but he has one. However, if this keeps up through the entire season, his stock could plummet. He turns 20 in March. That's old for a player with such little production.

5. Jaylen Brown


Previous rank: No. 5
Cal
Freshman
Forward

Brown continues to look the part athletically, but the production has been shaky so far. He's playing out of position at power forward, which explains some of the problem, but it's his shot that has scouts wringing their hands.

He's shooting just 15 percent on his 2-point jumpers this season and just 25 percent from 3.

6. Henry Ellenson


Previous rank: No. 7
Marquette
Freshman
Forward/center

Scouts continue to warm on Ellenson to the point that he might be a hot month away from surpassing both Brown and Labissiere on our board.

He is big and mobile, rebounds and can really shoot the basketball. His 3-point shot hasn't really been falling, but he's shooting a red-hot 51 percent on 2-point jumpers. He's the prototypical stretch-4 in the new NBA.

7. Jakob Poeltl


Previous rank: No. 12
Utah
Sophomore
Center

It looks like Poeltl made a great decision to go back to Utah for his sophomore season. He got stronger over the summer and it has paid off big-time on the court. He's averaging 20 PPG and 10 RPG on 70 percent shooting from the field, adding in 2.2 blocks per game -- and he leads the NCAA in PER at 39.1.

While the league doesn't obsess over big men the way it once did, Poeltl has a lot of fans in the NBA ranks at the moment.

8. Jamal Murray


Previous rank: No. 6
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard

A little bit of that shine Murray picked up over the Nike Hoop Summit and FIBA Americas tournament seems to be wearing off. He is the Wildcats' leading scorer, but turnovers and poor shooting have haunted him. And there's still a raging debate among scouts about whether he's a 1 or a 2.

Still, Murray's talent keeps him strongly in the top 10.

Murray video

9. Kris Dunn


Previous rank: No. 13
Providence
Junior
Guard

Most of the scouts I've spoken with love Dunn, and there are plenty of reasons why. He's an athletic assist machine averaging a whopping 3.4 steals per game. But he has actually regressed in a key area this season: His 3-point shooting is down to just 23 percent.

Scouts want to see major improvement going forward, and with just a couple of months before he turns 22, I'm not sure Dunn has much of a ceiling left.

10. Furkan Korkmaz


Previous rank: No. 11
Turkey
Age: 18
Forward

Korkmaz's minutes off the bench have been slipping. He's averaging just 2.6 PPG in 9 MPG for Anadoulu Efes Istanbul in the Euroleague. His numbers jump up to 6.9 PPG in the Turkish league. Nothing to wow you, with the exception of his 48 percent shooting from deep.

Without a lot of elite 2-guards in the draft, Korkmaz's value should continue to hold steady, even if his playing situation doesn't improve.

11. Ivan Rabb


Previous rank: No. 19
Cal
Freshman
Forward/center

After the top 10 are off the board, the draft drops off pretty rapidly in terms of talent. Scouts were skeptical that Rabb would be so productive so quickly, but his early returns are encouraging. He's shooting nearly 80 percent in the paint and a very impressive 50 percent on his 2-point jumpers. His rebounding rate is just a little lower than Poeltl's and he has been a terrific shot-blocker early.

Teams covet mobile bigs who can defend the rim and stretch the defense, and Rabb shows early signs he can do a little of both. Scouts hope he follows Poeltl's lead and stays for another year to add strength, but if he does declare, he's looking more and more like a legitimate lottery pick.

12. Demetrius Jackson


Previous rank: No. 18
Notre Dame
Junior
Guard

While most of the early point guard discussion has centered on Murray versus Dunn, don't count out Jackson, who is having a terrific junior season. His ability to shoot at a high percentage from anywhere on the floor and some major toughness are his biggest selling points.

13. Cheick Diallo


Previous rank: No. 9
Kansas
Freshman
Forward/center

The NCAA finally gave Diallo the green light. Bill Self? Not so much.

In KU's two games that were close, Diallo played just seven minutes in each. The energy is there, but his offensive awareness is still a work in progress. Teams love his long-term potential, but right now he looks pretty far away from contributing in the NBA.

14. Caris LeVert


Previous rank: No. 23
Michigan
Senior
Guard/forward

With the exception of one horrific 1-for-13 shooting performance against SMU, LeVert has been terrific for Michigan. He is shooting the ball well, has three games with seven or more assists and has been relentless getting to the line. Seniors typically struggle to crack the lottery, but remember, LeVert is a year younger than most of the players in his class.

15. Timothe Luwawu


Previous rank: No. 28
France
Age: 20
Guard/forward

Luwawu is currently the starting small forward for Mega Vizura in the Adriatic League. He's averaging 15 PPG and 4.4 RPG and shooting 37.6 percent from 3. His defense is ahead of his offense, but if his shots keep falling, he has a chance to crack the lottery.

16. Thomas Bryant



Previous rank: No. 16
Indiana
Freshman
Center

Bryant struggled at the Maui Invitational, and the general consensus was he was still too raw on both ends of the floor to seriously consider jumping to the NBA. However, given the dearth of top-end talent this late in the draft -- along with Bryant's scintillating 72 percent field goal percentage (nearly 90 percent of shots are at the rim) -- someone will take him on as a project and give him time to grow.

17. Jonathan Jeanne

Previous rank: N/A
France
Age: 18
Center/forward

I wrote about Jeanne in the last mock draft and the response from NBA scouts was telling -- the cat is now out of the bag. He's the young European whom virtually every team hopes will slide to them. He's super thin, but his size and versatility are both coveted in the league right now. Given the lack of depth in this draft, he is a project whom teams could gamble on early.

18. Wade Baldwin IV


Previous rank: No. 29
Vanderbilt
Sophomore
Guard

Baldwin continues to lure scouts with his scoring ability and court vision. He's shooting 50 percent from 3 and 61 percent at the rim, but his midrange game is still a major work in progress. Baldwin doesn't particularly wow, but he's one of the most stable point guards on the board.

19. Stephen Zimmerman



Previous rank: No. 17
UNLV
Freshman
Center

Zimmerman is selling himself as a mobile big who can face the basket and protect the rim. He has been a solid shot-blocker for UNLV, but his back-to-the-basket game still needs work and teams question his toughness right now.

20. Damian Jones


Previous rank: No. 14
Vanderbilt
Junior
Center/forward

Jones hasn't taken the big leap scouts thought he'd take this season. He's roughly the same player he was last season. His size and athleticism continue to make him an intriguing prospect, though scouts seem to be lowering their expectations on what he could be in the NBA.

21. Diamond Stone


Previous rank: No. 15
Maryland
Freshman
Center

Ten years ago, Stone probably would have ranked 10 spots higher on this list. He's an old-school center with a knack for scoring with his back to the basket and he's off to a very solid start for Maryland. However, with the new emphasis on bigs who stretch and protect, he's not quite as valuable.

22. Grayson Allen


Previous rank: No. 22
Duke
Sophomore
Guard

Allen has been a dominant scorer for Duke and a lights-out shooter from 3 this season. However, his one bad game against Kentucky highlighted the major concerns. He's undersized to play the 2 at the next level and his decision-making as a point guard leaves a lot to be desired. If he were two inches taller, his stock would be much higher.

23. Denzel Valentine


Previous rank: N/A
Michigan State
Senior
Forward/guard

Valentine doesn't check the normal boxes scouts are typically looking for in a wing. He lacks elite size and athleticism for the position. However, he has been a triple-double threat for the Spartans all season, and given the NBA's recent emphasis on versatility, he's drawing significant interest from scouts.

24. Zhou Qi



Previous rank: No. 21
China
Age: 19
Center

Zhou is our fifth international prospect. It's his elite size and versatile skill set that have NBA teams intrigued.

He's averaging 18.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 4.2 BPG while shooting 68 percent from the floor for Xinjiang this season. He's even 4-for-6 from 3 this season. He just needs to add a lot of strength to handle the rigors of the paint in the NBA.

25. Isaiah Briscoe


Previous rank: No. 25
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard

Briscoe has been a strong defender for Kentucky and aggressive getting to the basket. With Tyler Ulis out, he has shown signs of being able to handle the point guard spot. But his poor shooting, both from 3 and the foul line (39 percent!), gives scouts pause.

26. Malik Newman


Previous rank: No. 10
Mississippi State
Freshman
Guard

Newman is off to a disappointing start for Mississippi State. Billed as a hybrid point guard with elite scoring ability coming out of high school, he has struggled to hit shots and run Mississippi State's offense so far. His numbers don't really warrant his being this high, but teams still are intrigued with his talent if he figures things out.

27. Domantas Sabonis



Previous rank: No. 26
Gonzaga
Sophomore
Forward

Sabonis continues to dominate the paint as both a rebounder and a low-post scorer. But his lack of elite athleticism and 3-point shot make him a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to the modern NBA power forward.

28. Carlton Bragg



Previous rank: No. 27
Kansas
Freshman
Forward

Bragg is playing just 12 minutes a night for the Jayhawks, but every time he steps onto the court, good things happen. He most likely will spend at least one more year in Lawrence, Kansas, but NBA teams love versatile forwards like Bragg who thrive both inside and outside the paint.

29. Buddy Hield


Previous rank: N/A
Oklahoma
Senior
Guard

Hield has been on the NBA radar for a while, but scouts always have been concerned about his inconsistency. As a senior he's putting it all together, shooting 50 percent from 3, getting to the line six times a game (shooting 90 percent from the stripe) and scoring a career-high 22.7 PPG.

He's undersized for his position, but scouts love his moxie.

30. Isaac Haas


Previous rank: N/A
Purdue
Sophomore
Center

Haas has been incredibly efficient both as a low-post scorer (73 percent shooting at the rim) and facing the basket (57 percent shooting on 2-point jumpers). He's not an elite athlete, but at 7-2, 297 pounds, he doesn't have to be. Plus, he ranks second among all college players in PER.

Next five in

Melo Trimble, PG, So., Maryland; Marquese Chriss, F, Fr., Washington; Chinanu Onuaku, F/C, So., Louisville; Dwayne Bacon, F, Fr., Florida State; Malik Beasley, SG, Fr., Florida State

[Big333223]

TP for posting. I'm allowing myself to fantasize about adding Ben Simmons to Brad's system and that's keeping me happy through the losing streak.

[Rondo9]

So if the Celtics don't get Ben Simmons who else on the top ten is good?

[letsgoblue86]

TP for posting.  Ingram is starting to show some star potential and I'd be quite happy with him as a consolation prize.

On the other hand, Skal Labissiere has not looked good, so if we don't land 1 or 2 I think Ainge should look to trade the pick.

[loco_91]

24. Zhou Qi



Previous rank: No. 21
China
Age: 19
Center

Zhou is our fifth international prospect. It's his elite size and versatile skill set that have NBA teams intrigued.

He's averaging 18.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 4.2 BPG while shooting 68 percent from the floor for Xinjiang this season. He's even 4-for-6 from 3 this season. He just needs to add a lot of strength to handle the rigors of the paint in the NBA.

I do not understand how Qi is ranked so low. He's 7'2 with a 7'6.5 wingspan and a 9'6.5 reach, and his numbers are awesome (4.2 blocks per game! 19 PPG on 68%!). He is a very good midrange shooter, and he even has a post-up game. It's unclear what makes him a significantly worse prospect than Porzingis, who is less skinny with better range on his shot. Zi has a better skill level and much better stats.

Perhaps something to do with being Chinese.

[manl_lui]

24. Zhou Qi



Previous rank: No. 21
China
Age: 19
Center

Zhou is our fifth international prospect. It's his elite size and versatile skill set that have NBA teams intrigued.

He's averaging 18.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 4.2 BPG while shooting 68 percent from the floor for Xinjiang this season. He's even 4-for-6 from 3 this season. He just needs to add a lot of strength to handle the rigors of the paint in the NBA.

I do not understand how Qi is ranked so low. He's 7'2 with a 7'6.5 wingspan and a 9'6.5 reach, and his numbers are awesome (4.2 blocks per game! 19 PPG on 68%!). He is a very good midrange shooter, and he even has a post-up game. It's unclear what makes him a significantly worse prospect than Porzingis, who is less skinny with better range on his shot. Zi has a better skill level and much better stats.

Perhaps something to do with being Chinese.

personally is the history of past Chinese players...maybe also their responsibility to play in the summer

Yao, Yi...injury prone

[tazzmaniac]

24. Zhou Qi



Previous rank: No. 21
China
Age: 19
Center

Zhou is our fifth international prospect. It's his elite size and versatile skill set that have NBA teams intrigued.

He's averaging 18.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 4.2 BPG while shooting 68 percent from the floor for Xinjiang this season. He's even 4-for-6 from 3 this season. He just needs to add a lot of strength to handle the rigors of the paint in the NBA.

I do not understand how Qi is ranked so low. He's 7'2 with a 7'6.5 wingspan and a 9'6.5 reach, and his numbers are awesome (4.2 blocks per game! 19 PPG on 68%!). He is a very good midrange shooter, and he even has a post-up game. It's unclear what makes him a significantly worse prospect than Porzingis, who is less skinny with better range on his shot. Zi has a better skill level and much better stats.

Perhaps something to do with being Chinese.

The Chinese league is considered to be much weaker than the Euro leagues.  Stephon Marbury went over there at age 32 and dominated.  I think Porzingis is clearly the better prospect.  A better comparison would be Skal and Qi.  They both have questions about their weight, strength and durability.  The difference is Skal is looked at a possibly being a stretch PF whereas Qi is definitely a C.  At this point, its hard to imagine Qi physically dealing with NBA centers like Cousins and Drummond.   

[mr. dee]

How come Sabonis is that low? He can play 5 in modern NBA.

[Denis998]

24. Zhou Qi



Previous rank: No. 21
China
Age: 19
Center

Zhou is our fifth international prospect. It's his elite size and versatile skill set that have NBA teams intrigued.

He's averaging 18.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 4.2 BPG while shooting 68 percent from the floor for Xinjiang this season. He's even 4-for-6 from 3 this season. He just needs to add a lot of strength to handle the rigors of the paint in the NBA.

I do not understand how Qi is ranked so low. He's 7'2 with a 7'6.5 wingspan and a 9'6.5 reach, and his numbers are awesome (4.2 blocks per game! 19 PPG on 68%!). He is a very good midrange shooter, and he even has a post-up game. It's unclear what makes him a significantly worse prospect than Porzingis, who is less skinny with better range on his shot. Zi has a better skill level and much better stats.

Perhaps something to do with being Chinese.

try to find some videos of him playing defense online, you wont find anything

[tarheelsxxiii]

Shaping up to be a soft, 2 deep draft. Hopefully an undersized combo guard with little upside rises for DA to splurge on.

[Rondo9]

Shaping up to be a soft, 2 deep draft. Hopefully an undersized combo guard with little upside rises for DA to splurge on.

Someone who's like Avery Bradley?

[tarheelsxxiii]

Shaping up to be a soft, 2 deep draft. Hopefully an undersized combo guard with little upside rises for DA to splurge on.

Someone who's like Avery Bradley?

Sarcasm? Smart, Rozier. Could use another, I think.

[Rondo9]

Shaping up to be a soft, 2 deep draft. Hopefully an undersized combo guard with little upside rises for DA to splurge on.

Someone who's like Avery Bradley?

Sarcasm? Smart, Rozier. Could use another, I think.

You don't know where Smart and Rozier could end up as especially Smart.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Shaping up to be a soft, 2 deep draft. Hopefully an undersized combo guard with little upside rises for DA to splurge on.

Someone who's like Avery Bradley?

Sarcasm? Smart, Rozier. Could use another, I think.

You don't know where Smart and Rozier could end up as especially Smart.

You're right about that... he could end up developing some offense. Im not oprimistic at yhis early stage, but it's possible. But if you're suggesting we need another player like that crop, then you're all around wrong.

[nickagneta]

If the a Brooklyn pick stays in the 3-6 range and Simmons and ai gram are gone, I want Poetlt. He is for me, easily, te third best player in this draft. Let others take the chance on Bender and Skal. Don't think either will amount to much but I think Poetlt has a long and very productive(like All-Star game productive) career ahead of him.