Marquese Chriss has come out of nowhere, into the heart of the lottery
With the NBA draft right around the corner, June 23rd to be exact, we thought it was time to take a look at some of the prospects likely to hear their names called early in the draft. We will start with the forwards, with guards and centers coming later. While some of the players on this list may have played a bit of center in college, and may do so in the NBA, their abilities and size project them to be primarily power forwards at the next level.
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Stand Out Forwards
Ben Simmons (LSU)
Hailing from Australia originally, Simmons spent his lone collegiate season playing at LSU. The 6’10” forward averaged a double-double with 19.2 points and 11.8 rebounds while also chipping in 4.8 assists per game as the Tigers went a disappointing 19-14. Throughout LSU’s entire season, all eyes were on Simmons as he was projected to be the top pick in the 2016 draft from day one.
In some of LSU’s biggest games down the stretch, Simmons did not display his usual effort. That brought up questions about his competitiveness and heart, some calling it his greatest weakness. However, for fantasy purposes, the real concern is his lack of shooting ability. As Simmons showed a lack of range, teams learned to back off in the half-court and dare the Aussie to shoot from the outside, which he hesitated to do. With more talented players and sophisticated schemes in the NBA, the forward’s overall scoring ability will be tested early.
Even if he is off with his shot, one of the primary reasons he has been at the top of the prospect lists is his ability to distribute and handle the ball. His ability to grab rebounds and then run the floor on the fast break is uncommon for a man of his size. Blessed with incredible foot speed and agility, Simmons showed the capacity to get to the rim even if he did shy away from contact at times.
Brandon Ingram (Duke)
Playing heavy minutes for Duke, Ingram proved to be a dynamic offensive weapon as he averaged 17.3 points while shooting 44.2 percent from the floor and 41.0 percent from beyond the arc. During the NCAA tournament, Ingram was one of the brightest stars, averaging 23.0 points while showcasing his explosiveness and shooting range.
An extremely fluid shooter, Ingram should not have much trouble adapting his offensive game to the NBA. His versatility to shoot outside or as a spot up shooter has helped the former Blue Devil enter the conversation as the top prospect in the draft. He possesses great size for a wing player at 6’9″ and shows the quickness needed to develop into an above-average defender.
Weighing less than 200 pounds, the biggest concern of future NBA teams will be the lack strength and mass on Ingram’s frame; that contributed heavily to his inefficiency at finishing around the rim. Despite being an excellent athlete, Ingram also does not have an explosive first step limiting his ability to create his own shot off the dribble.
Dragan Bender (Croatia)
The 7’1″ Croatian big man spent the last two years playing professionally in Israel. In 2014-15, he averaged 9.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game while playing 28 minutes per night. The following season, Bender switched teams and saw his minutes plummet to only 14 per game. The 18-year-old’s older teammates earned most of the playing time as his team was trying to win a title, making it a less than ideal place for player development.
Bender’s size and length, combined with an improving ability to knock down shots from the perimeter make the young Croatian the perfect fit for a league looking for floor-spacing big men. The added benefit of his floor vision and passing touch, give Bender the ability to be a more dynamic version of Kristaps Porzingis.
Just like many young big men, Bender needs to add size to his frame. His lack of strength leads to being pushed around defensively causing him to make silly mistakes and get into foul trouble. While hailed as someone with an exceptional basketball mind, Bender has had little opportunity to put his intelligence on full display. His limited playing time in Israel and Europe has slowed down the development of his talent, putting his potential a few years away.
Marquese Chriss (Washington)
While playing his lone college season at Washington, Chriss quickly developed into one of the best freshmen in the NCAA. He averaged 22.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per 40 minutes. Even though he only took 60 shots from three, Chriss displayed some surprising range by making 35 percent of them.
One of the most gifted athletes in the draft, Chriss has been rocketing up the mocks as teams drool at his physical talents. Combining quickness, explosiveness, and excellent body control, the 6’10” forward can beat his man off the dribble and finish at the rim. Combine that with his blossoming three-point shot and you have a dynamic offensive weapon that fits the mold of the NBA’s future at the power forward spot.
The two worries that pop up most when examining Chriss are his weakness on the defensive end and a surprising lack of defensive rebounds for someone his size. Also, as one of the youngest players in the draft, Chriss turned just turned 19 in May, his lack of experience puts him more as a working project than someone who can step in and be an immediate force in the NBA.
Jaylen Brown (California)
A highly sought after high school prospect, Brown surprised many by committing to Cal instead of powerhouse programs Kentucky and Kansas. In his freshman year, the 6’7″ Georgia native won Pac-12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 14.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.
Despite the above average stats, Brown struggled with his shot during his brief college career, especially from deep. After hitting nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc in high school, the small forward was off target regularly making only 29 percent with Cal. The flaws in his shooting fall primarily onto mechanics. His awkward motion is something NBA teams will need to work on right away. The same can goes for his ball handling. At times, Brown got a bit careless and lacked focus with the ball leading to extremely high 3.1 turnovers per game.
On the positive side, Brown’s athletic ability and long wingspan give him the tools to be successful on the defensive end. If his shooting stroke gets fixed and he maintains his intensity, Brown has star potential in the NBA.
Other notable forwards
Deyonta Davis – Leaving Michigan State after his freshman season, the 6’10” Davis needs to work on his offensive game to be a factor his rookie season. However, his knack for offensive rebounds and blocks can make him an immediate asset in fantasy.
Domantas Sabonis – Averaging 17.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game in his sophomore season at Gonzaga, Sabonis possesses great post presence on both sides of the ball. If he continues to develop his outside shot, the son of former Blazers big man Avrydas, could be a solid stretch-four in the NBA.
Taurean Prince – In his four years at Baylor, Prince showed he could be a tenacious defender and above-average outside shooter at the NBA level. While he most likely will not develop into a star, the 6’8″ forward was the talent to contribute across multiple categories in his rookie season.
Timothe Luwawu – The native of France played in Serbia last season where he averaged 14.5 points while making 2.1 threes per game. The 21-year-old’s offensive game may take a few seasons to blossom in the NBA, but he should get plenty of opportunity due to his defensive prowess.
Dale Redman is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Dale, check out his archive and follow him @DTRedman.
