The 2017 NBA draft is shaping up to be one of the strongest in the last decade. What top prospects should fans look forward to?
Our first 2017 Big Board has three very strong No. 1 candidates at the top of the draft and a host of exciting lottery picks. We're projecting as many as six to eight future All-Stars in this group.
The day after the draft, we debuted our first Top 100 of 2017. The Top 100 reflects a consensus of what NBA scouts and GMs are saying about players in the draft.
Our Big Board is a more detailed look at the top 30 players (essentially the first round) in our Top 100. It tracks player movement and stock fluctuation, and gives you the latest intel from NBA scouts. There have been a few changes based on the performance of players in summer camps and various international tournaments.
The biggest takeaway so far? If you need an elite point guard, this is your draft.
1. Josh Jackson
6-foot-8
Kansas
Freshman
Forward
There is no consensus No. 1 pick among NBA scouts right now, but it does appear that Jackson is the slight favorite. His combination of elite athleticism, competitiveness and feel for the game make him a matchup nightmare on both sides of the court.
One scout referred to him as a higher energy Andrew Wiggins, while another went with a more offensively polished Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. His inconsistent jump shot is his biggest weakness at this stage.
2. Harry Giles
6-foot-11
Duke
Freshman
Forward
Were it not for two torn ACLs (one during his sophomore year and one to start his senior year), Giles would be the hands-down consensus No. 1 pick right now. He's blessed with the rare combination of both elite physical tools and basketball skills. He ticks every single box an NBA scout would look for in a modern power forward.
If those knees are 100 percent and Giles can still show off the same level of athleticism he did in high school, then he could easily end up as the top pick in 2017. However, until scouts see him prove that on the court, there's a certain level of skepticism factored into this ranking.
3. Markelle Fultz
6-foot-5
Washington
Freshman
Guard
No one has had a better spring and summer than Fultz. After dominant performances at the McDonald's All-American game and the Nike Hoop Summit, Fultz wowed NBA scouts again by leading Team USA to a gold medal in the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship. Fultz earned MVP honors for the tournament, averaging 13.8 PPG, 5.2 APG, 4.0 RPG and 3.2 SPG in drawing raves from scouts.
He's got elite size, a great feel for the game, can score from anywhere and delivers on the defensive end. In a draft loaded with stellar point guard prospects, he's the most complete player of the group. If the team that lands the No. 1 pick needs a point guard, he's going to be hard to pass up.
4. Dennis Smith
6-foot-2
NC State
Freshman
Guard
Fultz may be the top-ranked point guard prospect in the draft right now, but he certainly has plenty of competition. Smith tore his ACL last summer playing for Team USA but seemed to show off a full recovery at Adidas Nations last week.
Smith is one of the most explosive athletes in the draft and is a monster off the bounce and finishing at the rim. His quickness and aggressiveness are great on both ends of the court as well. He's very, very difficult to stop when his jump shot is falling
If his knee holds up all year and he has a dominant freshman season, he could move into the discussion for the No. 1 pick. He's that special.
5. Frank Ntilikina
6-foot-5
France
Age: 18
Guard
Scouts are still drooling over Ntilikina after a standout performance at Basketball Without Borders at the NBA All-Star Game in Toronto in February.
While Fultz might be the most complete prospect and Smith the most explosive, Ntilikina may best fit the pure point guard mold. He has an elite feel for the game for someone so young and is the consummate floor general. At 6-foot-5 with a 7-foot wingspan, he's got great size as well.
His jump shot is the weakest part of his game right now, and sometimes he can be too reluctant to look for his own shot, but scouts love his long-term potential.
6. Lonzo Ball
6-foot-5
UCLA
Freshman
Guard
Ball is more polarizing than Fultz, Smith or Ntilikina -- but the scouts that love him, really love him.
He averaged -- that's right, averaged -- a triple double his senior year. He's the most exciting playmaker of the group; there's a ton of sizzle to his game. He sees plays before anyone else on the floor does. He also has elite size for his position and while he's a streaky shooter, he has serious range on his jump shot.
Some scouts question whether the freewheeling style of ball he played in high school alongside his two younger brothers will translate to the college game. But if it does? We probably have him too low.
7. Jayson Tatum
6-foot-8
Duke
Freshman
Forward
A number of teams have Tatum ranked in their top five, and he could easily end up there with a strong freshman season. He's versatile, has an aggressive knack for scoring and has prototypical size for his position.
His lack of a 3-point shot (most of his work is done in the midrange game), lack of great defensive effort and lack of court vision all are working against him, though. Modern wings that don't pass or shoot 3s aren't particularly the rage right now, so I'm a little skeptical.
8. Jonathan Isaac
6-foot-11
FSU
Freshman
Forward
Isaac is auditioning to be this year's Brandon Ingram -- the rail-thin, super-long forward who can score from anywhere on the floor. He needs to add a lot of strength and get more consistent, but if he breaks out at Florida State, he too could end up being worthy of a top-five pick.
9. De'Aaron Fox
6-foot-4
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard
Given how strong Kentucky's incoming class is, it's hard to believe they don't have a prospect ranked in the top five. It just goes to show you how strong this incoming class is.
Fox has the best chance of getting there. In a normal draft, he could easily project as the top PG. He's got size, quickness, aggressiveness on both ends of the court and looks like a promising playmaker.
He needs to get stronger and improve his jumper, but there are a lot of tools there that can make him successful in the NBA, especially on the defensive end.
10. Ivan Rabb
6-foot-10
Cal
Sophomore
Forward
Rabb is the first non-freshman on the board, which speaks more to the strength of the freshman class than to his own abilities.
Rabb had a strong first season at Cal and proved to be both a capable rebounder and defender as well as a player who can score both in the paint and in the midrange. He needs to continue to get stronger, but with Jaylen Brown and Ty Wallace off to the NBA, this is his team now, and he could end up dramatically increasing his scoring totals as a sophomore.
11. Jarrett Allen
6-foot-11
Texas
Freshman
Center
Allen impressed NBA scouts at the Nike Hoop Summit and again at the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship, where he averaged 10.6 points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes per game. He needs to get stronger and be willing to play more physically, but his elite length and mobility combined with good defensive instincts should all translate to the next level.
If he has a big freshman season at Texas, he could end up being the first center off the board.
12. Edrice Adebayo
6-foot-9
Kentucky
Freshman
Forward
"Bam" Adebayo already has the NBA body and athleticism that teams crave in their power forwards. He's an explosive athlete who plays with a great motor. He's going to be a rebounding and shot-blocking machine for Kentucky.
However, his offensive game is still pretty raw. He really needs to develop some sort of perimeter game.
13. Marques Bolden
6-foot-11
Duke
Freshman
Center
Scouts are hoping that Bolden's on-court decision making catches up with his elite physical tools. He's got NBA-level size for his position (including a huge 7-foot-6 wingspan) and the strength to hold his own in the league right now. He also has the skills to score in the paint and be a great defender, but his effort on both ends is often lacking.
If Mike Krzyzewski can get him to play hard at Duke, he'll move up the board quickly; this isn't a great draft for big men and Bolden has all the physical tools NBA scouts are looking for.
14. Edmond Sumner
6-foot-5
Xavier
Sophomore
Guard
Sumner had a solid freshman year at Xavier, but scouts expect to see a big jump this year after a terrific performance at the Nike Skills Academy this summer.
He's up to 190 pounds, which is a major plus. He's got the size and athleticism that teams covet in a point guard. He just needs to show more consistency as a jump-shooter.
15. Malik Monk
6-foot-3
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard
Monk is an athletic freak and a big-time scorer. He's relentless at getting to the rim and his ballhandling abilities are strong enough that some teams believe he can play both the 1 and the 2 at the next level.
The biggest knocks on his game right now are his jump shot and size for a 2-guard (6-foot-3, 185 pounds).
16. OG Anunoby
6-foot-8
Indiana
Sophomore
Forward
Anunoby broke out during a stellar performance in the NCAA tournament. He shut down Jamal Murray in one game and projects as the type of 3-and-D player scouts really love.
If he gets a lot more touches this season, he could have a Victor Oladipo-type rise. There's lots of raw talent there.
17. Lauri Markkanen
6-foot-11
Arizona
Freshman
Forward
Markkanen had a huge week at the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship in late July. He averaged 25 PPG, 8.5 RPG and made 13 3s in the tournament -- a stat that really caught NBA scouts' attention.
Seven-footers who can shoot the ball, rebound and move well on both ends of the floor don't come along very often. Seen as a borderline first rounder before the summer, Markkanen has moved up to the lottery on the boards of several scouts.
18. Omer Yurtseven
7-foot
NC State
Freshman
Center
Yurtseven was also impressive at the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship -- especially considering that he just turned 18 years old and was averaging only 18 minutes per contest for Turkey. His numbers of 10.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 1.5 BPG were very strong for a player his age.
He's a very polished low-post player and rebounder for his age. As long as the NCAA clears him to play at NC State, he could have a monster year alongside Dennis Smith.
19. Carlton Bragg
6-foot-9
Kansas
Sophomore
Forward
Most of the NBA scouts that watched Kansas in practice last year swore that Bragg was the best NBA prospect on the team. That will clearly change with Josh Jackson joining the fray at KU, but Bragg's versatility, defensive potential and overall activity make him a very solid prospect.
Scouts were impressed with him at Adidas Nations and said that he seems to have grown an inch or two. With Perry Ellis gone, he should get a lot more touches on offense.
20. Terrance Ferguson
6-foot-7
Australia
Age: 19
Guard
Ferguson impressed NBA scouts with a stellar shooting performance at the Nike Hoop Summit. There just aren't a lot of elite shooters in this draft and when Ferguson gets going, he's very hard to stop.
However, his decision to skip his freshman year at Arizona and play professionally in Australia hurt his draft stock some. He has the talent of a lottery pick, but will he be able to prove it internationally?
21. Rodions Kurucs
6-foot-9
Latvia
Age: 18
Forward
Kurucs is a draft sleeper that some scouts feel will likely take a big jump this year. He's got great size, shoots well and has shown excellent athleticism. He doesn't get any playing time for FC Barcelona, but scouts who have seen him play a lot in practices think he's the real deal.
22. Tyler Lydon
6-foot-9
Syracuse
Sophomore
Forward
Lydon has a coveted set of skills: He can shoot the 3, protect the rim and shows terrific athleticism.
He needs to add some consistency to his game, but that should come as a sophomore.
23. Isaiah Hartenstein
6-foot-11
Germany
Age: 18
Forward
Hartenstein is a skilled big man who can really score from anywhere on the floor. He was another standout at the Basketball Without Borders tournament at the NBA All-Star Game in February, and a few scouts think he could be a lottery pick.
Others feel he's another year or two away, especially with his feel for the game still developing. But all the skills of an NBA player are there.
24. Miles Bridges
6-foot-8
Michigan State
Freshman
Forward
Bridges has an NBA body, elite athleticism and plays with a terrific motor. He's a monster finisher at the rim.
But until he adds a perimeter game and shows the ability to create his own shot off the bounce, some scouts are skeptical he's ready to be a one-and-done.
25. Thomas Bryant
6-foot-11
Indiana
Sophomore
Center
Bryant had a super-efficient freshman season. He's huge, can clear out space and score at the basket, and even has a nice perimeter game. He plays hard, too.
His lack of foot speed and explosive athleticism limit his upside somewhat.
26. Jonathan Jeanne
7-foot-2
France
Age: 19
Forward/center
Jeanne is mostly attractive as a prospect for his upside at the moment. He's a fluid athlete that stands at 7-foot-2 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan.
There are all sorts of skills there, but he needs to add a lot of strength and experience. If he shows some development in France this year, he'll be worthy of a top-20 pick.
27. Kostja Mushidi
6-foot-5
Belgium
Age: 18
Guard
Mushidi has been on the radar for some time, and after a 26-point performance on 8-for-12 shooting for Germany in the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship and a decision to play for Mega Leks next season in Serbia (the same team that produced Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Ivica Zubac last year), many scouts feel he should be a first-round pick next season.
He's an elite athlete and already has an NBA body; he just needs to be a more consistent shooter. He should get consistent minutes at Mega Leks next season, which should help his cause.
28. Grayson Allen
6-foot-5
Duke
Junior
Guard
Allen had a terrific sophomore season but failed to convince NBA scouts he was a first-round pick.
He's a great athlete, can shoot the ball and he's very tough, but his lack of size makes him a bit of a tweener.
29. Jalen Brunson
6-foot-2
Villanova
Sophomore
Guard
Brunson is a do-it-all point guard with great leadership abilities. He'll take over the keys to a team that just won the NCAA title.
The only real question is his lack of elite athleticism. His strong play at the Nike Skills Academy had some scouts ready to say, given all of his other tools, he'll find a way to make it in the NBA.
30. Malik Pope
6-foot-10
SDSU
Junior
Forward
Pope remains an enigma: He has the size, athleticism and shooting skills to be a terrific NBA player, but he's frustratingly inconsistent and can disappear for weeks before showing a dominant performance.
Scouts are hoping this is the year he puts it all together consistently on the court.
Next five in
Jaron Blossomgame, SF, Sr., Clemson; Bennie Boatwright, PF, So., USC Dwayne Bacon, SF, So., Florida State; Frank Jackson, PG, Fr., Duke; Mikal Bridges, SF, So., Villanova