Player comparisons in the NBA are endless as everyone is looking for the next Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. We heard a number of pre-Draft comparisons for the top prospects but now that we’ve seen some of them play, here are some more accurate comparisons to players currently in the NBA:
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Comparison: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks
While Towns isn’t elite in any one area, he is a 6’11’’, 250-pound beast that does so many different things well at both ends of the floor. That reminds a lot of people of Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford. Towns has a similar no-elevation 18-foot jumper and his ability to hit those shots around the elbow is one of the more advanced aspects of his offensive game. He does have some decent post moves but he will have to polish them up. Towns might never be an elite superstar player like Anthony Davis but he has the potential to become a bigger, longer version of Horford that can hit the three-point shot and bring a ton of versatility at both ends of the floor. That makes him a very special prospect with a high potential ceiling.
D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
Comparison: James Harden, Houston Rockets
Russell has garnered so many comparisons to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook but in reality he compares more favorably to Westbrook’s former teammate, James Harden. The primary concern about Russell is the slower pace he prefers to play at and whether or not he has the speed and athleticism to play at a consistently high level at both ends of the floor. But if you recall, there were similar criticisms of Harden at the beginning of his career too. At the same time, both Russell and Harden are lead guards, they are both 6’5’’ and left-handed, they are both very difficult to defend off the pick-and-roll and they both like moving horizontally on the floor in order to get defenders off of them. Russell and Harden have so many similar tendencies that the comparison should be obvious. The key for Russell will be whether or not he can consistently hit his shots at the NBA level and get to the line to draw fouls in the same fashion that Harden does. If he can do that, then Russell will undoubtedly become a star.
Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers
Comparison: Al Jefferson, Charlotte Hornets
The comparisons between Okafor and Jefferson have been widespread in big part because the rookie third-overall pick has a very polished post game and a nifty baseline jump shot that looks just like Jefferson’s. The 76ers have to be hoping that Okafor can be just as dominant in the paint and while it usually takes a little time for centers to develop at the NBA level, the good news is Okafor is already ready to handle starting minutes because of his massive body as a 19-year-old. Okafor will have to prove his jump shot is a reliable weapon and that he can consistently deliver with the same post moves that he regularly showed off in college.
Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks
Comparison: Dirk Nowitzki/Pau Gasol/Andrea Bargnani
There aren’t any 7’2’’, 220-pound forwards that can run off screens and hit jumpers, knock down three-point shots like a pure shooting guard and then crash the post and throw down massive jams. However, Porzingis can do it all and that’s what makes him such a special prospect. Our best comparison includes Nowitzki’s shooting, Gasol’s post game and Bargnani’s size. Porzingis will need to work on his strength in order to become a more efficient player in the post and on the boards, but the raw tools are there and he’s already ahead of most rookie guards in terms of his pure shooting. Porzingis translates to a taller version of Nowitzki that could create unstoppable size mismatches. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for him to reach his potential in the NBA – or if he ever does – because the ceiling is quite high for him.
