Now that the NBA draft order has been set, the next step is to see who will be the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. There is a lot of speculation after the Phoenix Suns were the winners of the lottery, giving them the chance to select from a talented group of young men who could very well lead the Suns from oblivion to an NBA title one day.
This is a year with a lot of big men that should be selected within the first five or six picks of the draft. As usually, BetDSI Sportsbook has released the odds for the players that will have the highest chances of being selected as the overall No.1 pick in this year’s draft.
Deandre Ayton (+150) – 7’1, 240 –Deandre Ayton spent a single season at Arizona before opting to enter the NBA draft. That may have been a very wise choice as he looks to be the No. 1 pick overall. Ayton would be the ideal pick beyond pure stats. Because he attended the University of Arizona, he would be an instant hit with Phoenix fans. That should propel him to the top and make him a can’t miss selection by the Suns.
The stats are also another reason to really like Ayton. The center averaged 20.1 points per game, 11.6 rebounds per game as he helped the Wildcats to win the PAC-12 Title. The NBA has become a guard’s league, but he is just too good to pass on.
Luka Doncic (+200) – 6’6, 219 – Luka Doncic is more mature and comes with a lot more polish. He does not have as much upside, but that may not matter if the Suns think that they are much more likely to turn things around if they had a quality shooting guard.
Doncic has starred for Real Madrid and has shown himself to have the kind of skills that could make him a real sniper. He creates his own shots and is the kind of player that you don’t have to fit into a certain system to see him succeed. Instead, he is the kind of player that can easily integrate his game into any system he is placed in, which may make him a more ideal choice for Phoenix.
Jaren Jackson, Jr. (+500) –6’11, 242 – Ayton is not the only big man with a great deal of talent in this year’s NBA draft. Jaren Jackson, Jr. has been a star at Michigan State and would be an instant hit with Phoenix as well. The power forward averaged 10.9 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per contest while averaging only 21.8 minutes per game. He also frequently found himself in foul trouble, which is one of the reasons why many teams are scared off by him.
However, Jackson has incredible upside, not only averaging .513 from the field, but he is a solid free-throw shooter for a big man as well, averaging nearly 80%. His skill set could greatly improve with a little coaching, and Phoenix may see his potential as far too much to pass on.
Marvin Bagley III (+650) – 6’11, 234 – what separates Marvin Bagley III from the other two big men is that he went to Duke. This means he got an exceptional education in the game of basketball, may entice Phoenix to go with the more polished option.
Bagley averaged 21.0 points per game and 11.1 rebounds in the ACC and can play either power forward or center. He’s got quick feet and has a high basketball IQ as well. The only thing that is likely standing in his way from being the No. 1 pick is that Phoenix may want to go with the local guy.
Michael Porter (+1000) – 6’10, 215 – while unlikely, Michael Porter would be an exceptional addition for the Phoenix Suns. What may scare off most teams is the fact that he never really had much college experience because a back injury wiped out much of his only year at Missouri.
Porter is the rare combination of quickness and power and can play anywhere upfront depending upon the system he is placed in. He averaged 17.7 minutes in his three contests, averaging 10.0 PPG and 6.7 RPG. Those are pretty incredible numbers for a guy playing less than half again, meaning his potential upside may be the best of any player in the draft.
Mohamed Bamba (+1500) – 6’11, 225 – another big man that could hear his name being called up among the top 5 picks is Mohamed Bamba. The New York native is most noticeable because of his enormous wingspan, listed at 7-foot-9 inches, which made him a primetime defender and shot blocker.
While spending a single season with the University of Texas, Bamba managed to put up solid numbers as he recorded 12.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game. His defensive skills are his best assets, but his lack of offensive use could be the reason why the Suns will pass on making him their No.1 pick. Our prediction is that he will most likely be drafted by the Mavericks (No.5) or the Orlando Magic (No.6).
Field – Any other player (+500) – Trae Young (Oklahoma, 27.4 ppg, 8.7 apg), Collin Sexton (Alabama, 19.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.6 apg), and a few more players are expected to make the top 10 first round picks.
The 2018 NBA Draft will be held on June 21st at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.
