Duke's freshman Marvin Bagley III is the consensus top pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, In his first 18 games, he's averaging 22.0 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks, hitting 61.3% from the field. He has good size at 6'10.5" and is quick, energetic and has good footwork. He's a lefty and doesn't show a great right hand yet, but is said to be a strong worker and is pretty driven in practice. Has a good motor. Most think he will develop three-point range, though he's at about 33% right now. Said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski Seems like a strong center candidate in today's NBA, but his wingspan isn't through the roof (7'0") for his size and he needs to add some weight. He's only 18. Everyone is raving about him... Who needs this guy more than anyone? Dallas, New York?
Definitely not the consensus #1 pick.. though that speaks to the potential strength of this draft class as much as anything. Bleacher Report just came out with a mock draft with Bagley going 4th. Ayton has played just as amazingly as a college freshman, Trae Young has obviously been insane, and there's still Doncic. The crazy part is this hasn't mentioned Michael Porter Jrs name at all. How would I rank the above 5?? I have no clue. If I had access to millions of dollars of scouting tools, maybe I'd have a better clue, lol. I'm generally less optimistic abut more true center types being game changers in todays nba. But of course, there's Embiid, who if he was healthy, would be exactly that. Still, I'd probably move Ayton down just for that fact. Plus, he was born summer 98, which means he'll be 20 by draft time. Not a big deal of course, but it definitely puts him on the old side for his class. I love Doncic... but have to not he's a level below athletically, no doubt. A level below these super insane crazy athletes, which still makes him super athletic, and his performance in the big leagues of Europe can't be overlooked. And as for Trae, I really don't know what to say... it's the type of guard performance, by a freshman, I can't recall ever happening. Hard to look past a skill-set that is such a mirror image of a Steph type in college, just more prolifically in a bigger conference. Is it because Oklahoma has given him the greenlight and type of offense and spacing you hardly see in college, so it's almost like any player that is a definite producer at the NBA level given that green light and system, but not necessarily indicative of superstardom? Porter Jr. I can't comment on. Then Bagley... I mean I concur with you Clutch, he seems almost the most sure fire. He can swing from 3 to 5, and would be a prototypical 4 man or great small ball 5. He scores from all over. He boards. Crazy athleticism. Has the size. Is the youngest of the bunch, 9 months younger than Ayton. Duke and Coach K coaching and that comment from him. Certainly at this point if Bagley goes #1 it won't be a shocker or anything.
I hope whatever team drafts him doesn't pigeonhole him in the "new 4" role. While he obviously looks to have the tools to do it, I always worry about a young player bulking up too quickly. Its better for the league and for him if he can play the KD/ Tmac role.
The Suns should forget Ayton and draft Bagley... Think Bagley is gonna be a superstar in this league...
Can't even defend a pogo stick. And in a guard driven league..he has less value than other top picks in the draft.
The best player isn't even a guard lol. Look at Giannis, Simmons, AD, Porzingis, the future best players aren't guards either. The reality is while the NBA is guard driven, there are also tons of great guards in the NBA. The "freaks" are what you have to be on the look out for.
Bagley is an absolute scoring machine and perhaps the best at it in this draft. I can vouch with what K said, his 2nd jump ability is insane. It's easy to forget that there's plenty of players in the league that are getting by with sub-par defense. It's also worth mentioning that Ayton isn't the most sound defensively either and unlike Bagley he isn't capable of switching on perimeter guys when necessary. And if it is a guard driven league then having bigs that CAN do that is essential. Between Bagley, Ayton, Bamba, Jackson and even Carter Jr., it's hard to say who I think will be the best of that bunch. The latter three are all superior defensively. I'd even consider Bamba and Jackson to be elite in that category.
How do you know that? Mitchell got drafted 13th, Kuzma got drafted in the 20s. We never know exactly how these kids will pan out.
What does that even have in common with the "freak" category? C'mon now. Kuzma & Mitchell ain't no "freaks". They are good players, just about it. Bagley may be a good player, but he is trash on the defensive end. No player would need a switch on him, because it's barbecue chicken the minute he steps on the floor. He is that bad. Low IQ player, looks lost every damn time. Every smart coach would explore that. He is exceptionally good on the offensive end though, against poor skinny college students. Let's just wait and see what he can do against grown ass players in this league, and a lot different defensive schemes than he saw in college. Because I'm not sold..
Bagley's athleticism is off the charts, the fluidity, the second jump, the quickness are all there. The problems are that he can't really shoot well enough to play the 4, and his rather unimpressive wingspan (7'1" for a guy listed at 6'11") will limit his ability to protect the rim as a 5, these lead me to think that he is more of a Blake Griffin/Aaron Gordon than an Anthony Davis. I wouldn't take him above Ayton, Doncic, or JJJ. But with Bamba and Porter's injury concerns he should still go in the top 5.
I don't know if I never knew this or if my brain deleted this information because the shoes were so ugly Hopefully puma has better designers now