With the NBA season behind us and the 2018 NBA Draft on the horizon, multiple teams are looking to find stars in the draft to push their teams to championship contention. There is no shortage of fantastic prospects that we need to keep an eye out for. This year is looking to have a great pool of players to choose from. Here are a few prospects that happen to be my favorite coming set to become the newest members of the NBA.
Luka Doncic- Real Madrid
The first time I heard about Doncic was a couple of months ago when Bleacher Report did a feature on him and his time on the Slovenian National Team with star PG Goran Dragic. Right from the start I fell in love with the type of player he is. I followed this up with highlights and I seriously believe that Doncic has what it takes to be a superstar in this league. The generational swingman has a knack of getting the basketball in the basket, even if he’s draped by defenders. He has the pedigree to be a great player and has shown in past performances that he can lead a team. He led the senior Slovenian national team to a EuroBasket title in 2017 and assumed a leading role for the Real Madrid basketball club this past season. Madrid eventually won the 2018 EuroLeague title and Doncic was named both EuroLeague MVP (he was the youngest person to ever do this) and EuroLeague Final Four MVP. Not only do I think he's going to be great, but he is so exciting to watch because you really don't know what he's going to do. Whether he heaves it from downtown or drives for a monstrous dunk, it's just fun to watch. I’ve also used the guy in NBA 2K MyLeague mode with the downloadable draft class feature and he is unbelievably good (he's also a three time MVP lol). I believe this kid has the stuff to be a star.
Mohamed Bamba- Texas
What do you get when you mix superb interior defense, a 7’10” wingspan, an ability to hit outside shots, nice touch around the rim, and insane speed? You get the freak of nature that is Mohamed Bamba. This dude is simply a freak who makes it seem like he can do anything on the basketball court. Most likely the biggest boom/bust prospect available this year, he has #1 pick upside and could possibly be the best player in this draft class 3-4 years down the line. The only real knock on this guy is that he doesn’t have the motor or drive to propel him to get better. I feel that a questionable motor is very subjective in the draft process. His sheer upside is enough for me to take interest in the type of player that he can be. His ceiling is incredibly high, but his floor is incredibly low. He could be an All-Star, or he can be a huge bust. This huge difference makes Bamba one of my favorite players in this years draft class.
Jalen Brunson- Villanova
Jalen Brunson may not be the best player in the draft, but what he brings to the table is immeasurable for any team trying to win a championship. He comes with championship pedigree, winning 2 National Championships with Villanova. But where Brunson shines is his ability to be a leader on the court, keeping a locker room together, and being able to get the absolute best out of his teammates. This is the reason why I like him so much, he's unselfish and extremely humble. He’s multi-dimensional on offense, and though he does get lost a bit on defense he isn’t necessarily horrible. He took the unorthodox path to the NBA by staying at school for so long, but I believe that will only help him as he has been able to mature as a person. He also is a proven winner, and his experience on these high powered teams gives him an edge over some guys who may be more talented than he is. Brunson is severely looked down upon if though he is still an excellent player. His backstory makes him very likable, at least for myself.
Honorable mention
Collin Sexton- Alabama
Mikal Bridges- Villanova
Kevin Knox- Kentucky