Jayson Tatum, Lauri Markkanen, Kyle Kusma, and ROY discussion

https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_2017.html

With all the media attention on Lonzo "Mah Boi" Ball and Ben Simmions (not a true rookie) I felt obligated to make a thread about the REAL rookie standouts from this draft class and who the CF hive mind thinks is the best.

1. Jaysun Tatum, SF, Boston Celtics, #3 overall
I admit, I'm not a huge NBA scouting aficionado outside of who the Rockets pick, so when I heard terms like "polished scorer" and "NBA-ready offensive game" being thrown at Tatum, I had shades of Carmelo Anthony, not a great athlete, can't shoot 3s well, lives in the midrange etc. What we have been blessed with is the best player in this draft IMO, a versatile SG/SF who may fill out to play some small ball 4, with a mechanically sound jumpshot, a willing defender, with the athleticism to beat many NBA players off the dribble. Not only is he preforming on a good team, a rarity enough, but he is doing it EFFICIENTLY. While I doubt he keeps some of the more redicious percentages up for the whole season, his winning play, reflected in his rookie-leading 1.1 Win Shares (Including Simmions!!!), bodes brightly for the young 19 year old.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/tatumja01.html

2. Lauri Markkanen
I had little concern about his offensive game, tall guys who shoot 3s tend to do very well in the NBA. I did have doubts about his ability to create his own shot against NBA athletes. His above-average wingspan (for a white guy) allows him to create off the dribble against NBA bigs, and his athleticism has been more elite than I expected. Generally I hate the Dirk comparisons, comparing every tall euro with a jumper to Dirk is like comparing every tall black guy with a jumper to Kevin Durant, but for the Finnisher, these comparisons are holding up, 17 PPG, even if slightly force fed thanks to the Bull's talent level, is nothing to scoff at, especially for a rookie.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/markkla01.html

3. Kyle Kusma.
"Who?" Was my first reaction to this man and his refined offensive game and NBA 3 pointer. Kyle Kusma is this years' Parsons, Clarkson, and Brogdon, a late pick at 22 years old who completely overshadows the young bloods selected with the high lotto picks. Kusma screams Elite Role Player to Borderline All-Star. I don't think he gets much better than this, but he doesn't have too! This man, barring injuries, will be a key contributor for YEARS to come. The Lakers, for the 3rd time in 4 years, have selected a player with a late pick far better than their overhyped lotto pick.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kuzmaky01.html

4. John Collins

To Succeed in the NBA, all you need is a skill or two that stands out from other players. For some, thats 3 point shooting, for others, its defense, for John Collins, its being a genetic freak who's more athletic than anyone else on the court. At only 20 years old, the 6' 10", 235lbs PF/C out of Wake Forest is part of the new wave of bigs: smaller, quicker, Übermensch whose job is to out rebound, out defend, and out dunk the competition. While he ranks only 4th amongst rookies in WS (behind the 3 players above), he might be the best defender of the bunch.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/collijo01.html

What does Clutchfans think?

 

He wasn't, class of 2009.

He was a rookie under technicality, but not by draft class.

 

Simmons has had a year of NBA-level training and conditioning programs, unlike the 19 year old Tatum. Yet Tatum still outperforms Simmions in WS (1.1 vs 1.0) and WS/48 (.183 v .148)

Still two future All-NBAers for sure tho

 

Yeah small sample size (Clint Capela is putting up Wilt-esque numbers in the advanced stats department), but if it holds over the season then it has meaning.

fun fact: Harden is the first NBA player ever to lead the league in WS twice and not win MVP (2014-15, 2016-17)