[ChicagoCaseyParticipant]

 Not saying he’s not good or whatever, but I can’t see him as the number one pick in a what seem to be historic draft. With guys like Markelle Fulz, Harry Giles, and Josh Jackson, I can’t see him surpassing them on draft boards w/ his limitations. This is not saying he won’t be better in the NBA, nobody can project how someone will do in the NBA. But, I cannot see a player that’s 6’1" – 6’2" w/ a 6’2" – 6’3" wingspan being the number one pick in the draft. I know that might sound petty on why a player height to wingspan ratio matter in draft projections.

 But, I cannot see a GM taking a guy w/ a low defensive upside as the number one pick when guys like Markelle Fultz, Harry Giles, Josh Jackson, and a host of others seem to be special. In my personal opinion, Dennis Smith is the 4th best prospect in this draft. Markelle Fultz is my number one prospect due to the fact it’s a points guards league and the fact I believe he have the most potential out of everyone besides Harry Giles, 2 ACL injuries. Harry Giles would be my number one if he didn’t have that second injury. 

In a weak draft, I can see Dennis Smith being the number one pick. But this is projected to be a outstanding draft. I believe Dennis Smith will be phenomenal in college and in the league. But, I can’t see a NBA GM picking Smith in from of the likes of Markelle Fultz, Harry Giles, and Josh Jackson.

If I had to make a ranking (top 10) it would be:

1. Markelle Fulz
2. Harry Giles
3. Josh Jackson
4. Dennis Smith 
5. Lonzo Ball
6. Jonathan Isaac
7. Frank Ntilikina
8. Jayson Tatum
9. Ivan Rabb
10. De’Aaron Fox

 

 

 

 

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 These are preseason projections so I generally take them with a grain of salt. I can almost guarantee that there will be at least one player in the top 10 right now who isnt even on the board by draft night and one player who isnt even on the board right now who will end up being a top 10 pick. Would anyone have reasonably thought that Marquesse Chriss would end up a top 10 pick going into last season?

I wouldn’t say there is a consensus number one in this class right now like there was last year with Simmons. Smith, Jackson, Fultz, or Giles are all in the running or someone else could emerge from nowhere. Smith and Giles both haven’t even really played in a year so we’ll have to see how the recover from injuries. I’d personally lean toward Jackson as the guy with the most upside, but I’d feel much more comfortable making an actual projection once the college season begins and we get a taste for how these guys will perform against top competition.

 

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

 Every year seems to be declared a "historic draft class" in the summer nowadays.. What was the last year that was ACTUALLY a historic draft class? 2008 and 2003 are the only ones I would call historic since 2000.

In regards to Dennis Smith, I definitely think he has the potential to be a number one pick thanks to his school choice and his flashy style- I think he can have a 17/4/4 type of year with the role he’ll have in the NC State offense and his sheer athletic prowess. If the team that gets the top pick is in need of a point guard and Smith has a good year, I don’t see why he can’t be the top pick. Markelle Fulz and De’Aaron Fox are both with him in conversations for who the best point guard is in this class, and until we see them play a full college season I don’t think you can rule out any of them going #1. 

To your point in regards to his "low defensive upside", I completely disagree. He may have a relatively lower upside compared to a guys like Markelle Fulz and De’aaron Fox who have inhumanely large wingspans, contrary to popular belief, having a large wingspan doesn’t make you a good defender, and having a short one doesn’t make you a bad one. Obviously you’re measurables help out a great deal but if you bust your ass on defense you can be a great defender even with a relatively short wingspan. I feel like you didn’t watch the adidas Nations games that Smith played in, because he torched everyone he guarded on D. He is an ELITE athlete, just as good if not better then De’Aaron Fox and Fulz, and will be an elite level athlete by NBA standards as well, that combined with his intensity and motor on that end of the floor will allow him to be more than an adequate defender at every level. 

If I was going to pick something to point as a flaw and a reason to not take Smith number 1, it would be his shooting, or lack there of. He has a smooth looking stroke, but it doesn’t find the back of the hoop all that often as he gets further away from the ring. We’ve seen guys like Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo and John Wall all come into the league with a lack of a jumper, and whilst John has gotten to a respectable 35% the last 2 years from 3, none of them have really fixed their long range shot, and these guys have been able to cover for this by being supremely gifted in a multitude of other aspects of the game, and its a question mark whether Dennis Smith is that sort of level of talent. If he is, its Steve Francis v2, if not, then maybe we are looking at more of a Tony Wroten. 

I’m a believer and strongly believe he will be an All-Star calibre point guard, and would be more then worthy of the number one pick even with talents like Fulz, Giles and Jackson in his class. And more to the point, its way too early to be saying he’s no way a chance at being the number 1 pick when we haven’t seen any of these guys compete at the college level.

 

 

 

 

 

[ph90702]

Anybody who takes Harry Giles is a moron.  He’s already torn the ACLs in both knees.  The same thing can be said for Ray Smith.

[RigelzParticipant]

now he is really an exciting player, with a great potential and many ways to improve his game. It will be interesting to follow his season. 

[dbk123Participant]

 Ben Simmons- 6’10 with 7’0 Wingspan

Kyrie Irving- 6’3.5" with a 6’4 Wingspan

Blake Griffin- 6’10 with 6’11 Wingspan

Steph Curry (even though he wasnt a #1 pick)- 6’3.25" with a 6’3.5" wingspan 

 

[airguytonParticipant]

 If he looks like a superstar dunks like a superstar handles like a top nba guard u kno wen he gets to college he’ll be elite wen he gets to the Nba he’ll be one of the best by year 2 guarantee 

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