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Joined ESPN.com in July 2017
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Who were the biggest NBA draft risers and fallers after a full weekend of high-level competition at the PK80 Invitational in Portland?
We break down our 10 key takeaways, including Marvin Bagley III's compelling case for the No. 1 pick, Mohamed Bamba's up-and-down play, a few surprising breakout players and more.
A round of applause for the PK80
The PK80 was the most ambitious nonconference tournament organized in the history of college basketball, and will be remembered for years to come for the quality of the games, the depth of talent and the outstanding organization. Being able to walk 360 steps between arenas and take in as many high-level matchups and big-time performances as we did was an unprecedented treat.
NBA teams universally lauded the event and are hoping that the highly successful outcome in terms of ticket sales and media coverage leads to more of its kind down the road. There is little doubt that college basketball players and their fan bases will want to be a part of an event like this down the road, so we'll see if anything like it can be pulled off again. -- JG
Marvin Bagley's statement weekend
Bagley didn't leave any doubts regarding his talent in Portland, delivering an impressive 82 points and 45 rebounds in three games while helping Duke to a 3-0 record and winning PK80 MVP honors in the process.
He showed a highly versatile skill set throughout the weekend, scoring consistently inside the post, finishing acrobatically around the basket, crashing the offensive glass aggressively, making a number of outside shots and even demonstrating the ability to switch onto guards on the perimeter and move his feet impressively. He is extremely hard for collegiate big men to contain due to his combination of size, quickness, body control, strength, footwork, aggressiveness and touch, making him a magnet for fouls, and he even knocked down free throws (24-35, 69 percent) better than he had in the past. Bagley is starting to look more comfortable creating his own shot from the perimeter and finding the open man out of short rolls or in drive-and-dish situations, and his willingness to fire away from the perimeter with projectable shooting mechanics is a good sign for him moving forward as well.
Marvin Bagley III is staying hot early and showing off all parts of his game in the first half.
Marvin Bagley III with the huge block and hustles to the other end for the lay-in.
Bagley doesn't have the same type of experience in FIBA competitions, events like the Nike Hoop Summit or even in high school state championships that many of his freshmen peers do, but that didn't seem to bother him in the least, as he looks extremely confident in his natural talent and brings a level of competitiveness and aggressiveness you love to see in a player his age.
NBA decision makers are still debating what his ideal position is long-term in today's NBA. Is he a power forward you pair with another traditional big man, or is he better off as a small-ball center surrounded with shooting? He doesn't have elite length, reach, strength or instincts defensively, looking a split-second late in his reaction time on occasion. What kind of defender will he be in the NBA is a point of interest for teams, but by the end of the weekend, this really felt like excessive nitpicking, especially considering how young he is still at this stage, and how much more room he clearly has to grow. Bagley had about as good of a weekend as you could have hoped for, and he is making a very strong case as the No. 1 pick in the draft. -- JG
Mohamed Bamba shows both sides of the coin
Arguably the most tantalizing long-term prospect in the 2018 draft, the 7-foot Bamba showed exactly why scouts have been hot and cold on him since he first emerged as a prospect. He looked dominant in Texas' opening game against Butler, switching every screen and putting a lid on the rim in the half court, while playing with the type of vigor that could make him a top pick if his fight were consistent. He finished the tournament averaging 13.9 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per 40 minutes as a defensive anchor and rangy rebounder.
For long stretches against Duke and Gonzaga, however, Bamba coasted, struggling with physicality and displaying the same casual nature that has plagued him too often at the high school level. While Bagley alpha-dogged his way to a monster tournament, Bamba took a bit of a back seat at times during his first big-stage college tournament in front of NBA scouts. There's no doubting that he has tools to eventually become one of the best defenders and rebounders in the NBA, and he showed that for stretches in all three games, but Bamba's inconsistent motor has led some scouts to question whether or not he has the fire to take on that role consistently.
On the offensive end, he remains a work in progress, despite a sound foundational skill level. Although he settles a bit too often, he does have the stroke and footwork to develop into a perimeter shooter and skill finisher in time. On the flip side, Bamba's lack of ferocity as a screener and diver shows in the half court, as he's rarely a lob threat despite his agility and 7-9 wingspan.
Overall, Bamba went 9-for-17 from 2 and 0-for-5 from 3, averaging 10.4 points per 40 minutes, with most of his buckets coming at the rim. It's understandable that he's still adjusting to the college game in some areas, but Portland was a reminder that, while loaded with potential, the UT freshman can be one of the more frustrating players to evaluate in this year's crop of prospects. -- MS
Trae Young steals the show, boosts draft stock
Oklahoma's confident, sharp-shooting point guard stole the show in the consolation bracket, averaging an impressive 34.6 points and 6.6 assists per game in three contests, including a 43-point outburst against Oregon. Young doesn't exactly pass the eye test at 6-2 with a 6-4 wingspan and a mediocre frame, but he's ultra-skilled with the ball on a string, range well-beyond NBA 3 and impressive vision. His crisp handle and footwork helps him play at different speeds, dicing up defenses out of ball screens to get to the free throw line or facilitate with either hand. Young got to the charity stripe 13.5 times per 40 minutes despite not being overly strong or explosive, with physical tools similar to a Tyus Jones or Seth Curry. The McDonalds All-American and RSCI No. 21 recruit has made great strides with his shooting consistency and overall playmaking since we first evaluated him at the Nike Global Challenge in 2015.
Young has the keys to the Sooners offense and has looked every bit of a potential first-round pick this season, despite questions about his defense, reliance on tough pull-ups and still improving finishing at the rim. For a freshman to average more than 30 points and 10 assists per 40 minutes through his first five games is fairly unheard of, and Young will have the freedom to continue producing at a high level as the sole source of Oklahoma's offense.
Can Young sustain his efficiency as the season continues? Teams will likely start blitzing ball screens and putting longer, more physical defenders on him moving forward. --MS
Jalen Hudson breaks out
A fourth-year player who underachieved at Virginia Tech and ultimately decided to transfer to Florida, Hudson was relatively unknown coming into this weekend. He changed that in a major way, scoring 76 points in three contests, being especially impressive with the eight 3-pointers he knocked down in Florida's exhilarating double-overtime win over Gonzaga.
Hudson catches your eye right off the bat physically, standing around 6-6 with impressive athleticism. What truly stood out was his shot-making ability, as he's a rare collegiate wing who can go out and create his own shot and make NBA-range 3-pointers off the bounce without needing a screen. Hudson has a quick first step, is quick getting off his feet and can rise up and create separation from defenders smoothly and effortlessly with a high release point and slight fade-away action that makes him extremely difficult to guard, despite the unorthodox side-spin he puts on his jumper.
Jalen Hudson drills two clutch threes in double overtime to push Florida to a 111-105 win against Gonzaga.
He knocked down shot after shot with a hand in his face in Portland, some of which were incredibly difficulty. The fact that he is constantly surrounded by shooters, and often defended by bigger and slower players (in Florida's four-guard lineups) gives him a great deal of space to work with, but he was not able to seal the deal at the end of the championship game, having some bad moments down the stretch that played a role in the Gators blowing a 17-point second half lead.
Hudson has always been lauded for his talent, even at Virginia Tech, with the consistent caveat that he needs to get tougher both physically and mentally. He is the type of player who needs freedom and a simple game-plan in order to maximize his effectiveness, which is why Florida's high-octane offense seems to be perfect for him. Becoming a better ball-handler, learning how to use his athleticism to finish through contact and get to the free throw line consistently -- and especially improving his defense -- will be the next step in his evolution as a prospect. One of the main reasons he wasn't able to cut it at Virginia Tech under Buzz Williams was his inability, or unwillingness, to get down in a stance and stop his man, and we've already seen major strides in that area under Mike White at Florida after sitting out a year.
Is his ridiculously hot shooting off the dribble sustainable long-term? Can he continue to make strides as a ball-handler, finisher, defender and decision maker? How will he deal with the added attention and notoriety? It's hard to find wing players with his combination of size, athleticism and shot-making ability, so NBA scouts will be monitoring his progress closely as the year moves on. -- JG
Duke's other first-round prospects
Besides Bagley, it was an uneven weekend for Duke's trio of first round prospects, who are all still trying to find their place on what appears to be the most talented roster in college basketball.
Wendell Carter Jr. was very up and down over the course of the three games. While productive statistically, Carter hasn't been able to show the versatility and feel that made him such a highly regarded prospect coming out of high school, partially due to circumstances. He appears to be thinking long and hard about every action he takes on both ends of the floor, leading to indecisiveness. Carter had demonstrated some potential earlier in his career as a perimeter shooter or a pick-and-roll finisher, but we've seen almost nothing in those areas at Duke, using just four total possessions in both categories combined, according to Synergy Sports. Most of his offense comes either by pounding away with his back to the basket, waiting for dump-off passes to finish around the paint or crashing the offensive glass. Defensively, Carter has really struggled, looking heavy-legged moving his feet in space, not much a threat to protect the rim and often caught flat-footed standing around off the ball. There's still plenty of time to make a better impression, but scouts who didn't know much about Carter going into the season say they don't see what all the fuss is about thus far.
Grayson Allen has struggled to make shots consistently since his 37-point explosion at the Champions Classic, going just 8-31 from beyond the arc, and isn't contributing enough in other areas to make up for it. He's had a number of tough moments barreling head first into traffic and either forcing off-balance, low-percentage shots or being called for offensive fouls, which is partially a product of Duke's lack of spacing. Defensively, he is not the quickest player laterally and is susceptible to get burned off the dribble. When Allen is making shots, he looks every bit the part of a NBA rotation player, but when he's not, you wonder what he has to fall back on during nights his jumper isn't falling.
The scouting report on Trevon Duval is out for all to see, and his lack of shooting is a major issue that only compounds the inevitable lack of spacing from playing two or three big men together at the same time. Opposing teams are relishing the moments in which he's on the court but operating off the ball, as it allows them to ignore him completely and play 4-on-5, sending an extra defender to crash the glass or help on Bagley.
Duval still has plenty of virtues, as he is simply outstanding in the open court, fantastic at getting his team shots in the early offense (with a pass or on his own) and a versatile and competitive multi-positional defender. The half-court offense has been painful to watch at times, though, as his decision making still leaves a lot to be desired. -- JG
Bridges and Jackson Jr. don't move the needle
Michigan State's potential top-10 picks, Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr., didn't do much to improve their draft stock in Portland. It's tough to take too much away from Bridges' performance, as he sat the first game with an ankle injury, played only 17 minutes off the bench against UConn, and closed the tournament out with an 11-point, 5-rebound performance in a convincing win over North Carolina. Bridges did compete and showcase his versatility at the coveted combo forward spot, defending multiple positions and proving to be a mismatch as a straight-line slasher in space. He still needs to improve his decision making and has looked a bit bulky at small forward, where he's spent most of the season. Bridges also knocked down only 2-8 3-point attempts and can stand to speed up his release. He's a high-floor physical athlete who checks a lot of boxes in a position of need, but Brigdes still has some work to do before being mentioned in the same breath as this draft's elite.
Jackson has cooled off, while still showing his tremendous potential as a defender and rebounder. There's no questioning his defensive impact moving forward, as he's a plus rim-protector who can switch everything, but he has struggled to defend without fouling for long stretches and is still a bit of a blank canvas offensively. Jackson finished the tournament shooting 7-for-17 from 2 and 3-for-11 from 3, while handing out only four assists to his nine turnovers. He's a bit sped up at this stage, which was evident in the final against UNC. He remains one of the more intriguing big man prospects in the draft but still has a fair amount of development ahead of him. -- MS
Kenny Wooten's coming out party
While 6-7 freshman wing Troy Brown was the expected headliner for Oregon, it was the Ducks' other freshman, 6-9 pogo-stick Kenny Wooten, who impressed scouts with his explosiveness and energy. Already drawing comparisons to former Duck and current Golden State Warrior Jordan Bell, Wooten is an elite athlete with good length and a projectable frame for his age. He can defend on the perimeter and impact the game around the rim as a shot blocker and finisher. He's extremely quick off his feet with good verticality, resulting in 4.7 blocks per 40 minutes in Portland. His offensive game is very much a work in progress, though.
He can play with more physicality at times on the backboards and needs to improve as a passer before he can be considered in the same ilk as Bell, who also didn't bloom until he was 21 years old. With all that said, it will be hard for Dana Altman to keep Wooten off the floor as the season progresses. He certainly needs time to develop his game, but Wooten is an intriguing fit in modern basketball as a rim-protecting, switching, above-the-rim-finishing center who can change the game with his athleticism and energy.
Oregon's premier freshman recruit, Troy Brown Jr., had his ups and downs over the course of three contests. He's still adjusting to the college game and Oregon's roster, specifically playing more off the ball next to Payton Pritchard. -- MS
6-10 French PF/C gaining steam in Spokane
Gonzaga sophomore Killian Tillie, a touted French youth prospect who broke out at the under-16 European championships in 2014, is beginning to emerge as a more legitimate draft prospect under Mark Few. Slowed by injuries early in his career, Tillie's combination of size and fluidity at 6-10, along with his leaping ability, strong instincts, budding skill and competitiveness stood out in Portland.
Tillie is a smart passer and cutter who is always around the ball on the glass and is developing nicely as a perimeter shooter, knocking down 4-of-8 3-pointers in Portland, building on his 11-for-23 mark in limited action last season. Not quite great in one area, Tillie has to continue working on his thin, somewhat hunched frame, while becoming a more dynamic shooter. It may not be this season, but Tillie is beginning to look more and more like a future NBA bench big as a do-it-all utility player.
Fellow 19-year-old sophomore Rui Hachimura, No. 50 in our top 100, also had some nice moments in Portland, capping off the tournament with 20 points in 28 minutes against Texas. Scouts will continue to keep tabs on both Tillie and Hachimura as they develop this season and beyond. -- MS
UNC's talent-level down
North Carolina is synonymous with NBA talent, having produced 45 first-round draft picks since 1972, more than any program in the NCAA. For the first time since the 2001-2002 season, the Tar Heels might not have a single NBA draft pick on their roster, a stunning turn of events for the school that once had Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Billy Cunningham, James Worthy, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace and many others on campus. UNC lost two first rounders off its NCAA championship team last year and hasn't been able to replenish its stable of talent via recruiting due to the embarrassing academic scandal that engulfed the university and its athletic department for years, from which it finally was cleared from this fall.
Despite making the championship game, where they were hammered by Michigan State, none of the players on North Carolina's roster moved the needle in a significant way with NBA scouts or proved worthy of consideration anywhere outside of, at best, the late second round.
Joel Berry doesn't appear to have the size, length, athleticism, court vision or consistency, despite his collegiate production and accolades. Fellow senior Theo Pinson is the type of prospect NBA teams want to fall in love with due to his outstanding physical tools, passing ability and defensive prowess, but his offensive game hasn't developed whatsoever in four years, particularly his shooting, as he's 2-19 for 3 on the season.
One of the lowest regarded prospects on their roster entering college, Luke Maye, may end up having the best shot of anyone down the road. The No. 180 RSCI recruit leads the team in usage rate as a junior, and the fact that he's developed into a legitimate 3-point shooter, while providing a consistently high energy level and toughness on both ends of the floor, gives him somewhat of a chance. His negative wingspan and average athleticism hurts his upside defensively at the NBA level, and he already gets scored on a little more than you'd hope despite his strong frame.
Jalek Felton, Raymond Felton's cousin, has nice size and creativity for a point guard prospect at 6-4 but is struggling with his shooting and decision making in a minor role off the bench thus far.
North Carolina has a player coming in next year, Nassir Little, who is considered a top ten recruit and a potential one and done prospect. Little backed off favorites Arizona and Miami following the FBI/DOJ investigation. -- JG