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ESPN- NBA draft analyst and writer
Joined ESPN.com in July 2017
Founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams
Who are the best NBA draft prospects expected to go in the first round?
We break down the top 30 players in our rankings, including strengths, improvement areas, draft ranges, physical comps and more.
Get the first batch of player profiles for prospects here.
Jalen Brunson | PG | Age: 21.7 | Villanova
Strengths
Strong frame at 198 pounds. Loves to take less physical guards into the post, where he spent 8.1 percent of his offense last season and finished in the 98th percentile as a scorer. Has short turnarounds and jump hooks. Can pass from the block.
Extremely efficient offensive player with a 64.1 true shooting percentage and a 2.59 assist-to-turnover ratio. Reliable standstill shooter (97th percentile on catch-and-shoot jumpers) and capable off the dribble with time and space (91st percentile on 161 attempts). Strong feel for the game. Can make most basic reads in the half court. Rarely plays outside of himself.
High intangible guard with two national championships. Competitive defender. MVP of the 2015 U19 Worlds that also featured Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles, Josh Jackson.
Improvement areas
Not a very shifty athlete. Lacks wiggle with the ball, playing mostly at one speed. Struggles to break down athletic big men after switches. Capable shotmaker with room but not all that dynamic creating space. Plays more of a ground-and-pound style. Tough positional defender in college but can he stay in front of quicker NBA guards? Average length.
Has feel but not quite the playmaker his numbers suggest. Benefitted from Villanova's system. Was more of a scorer at the high school level. Doesn't always play with his head up. Doesn't use both sides of the floor as a pick-and-roll playmaker.
Will have to add more finesse around the rim as a finisher. Attempted only seven floaters last season. Plays mostly below the rim. Very left-hand dominant. Doesn't get great extension.
Projected role: Old-school backup PG
Aaron Holiday | PG | Age: 21.6 | UCLA
Strengths
Strong frame with excellent length (6-7½ wingspan) despite measuring only 6-0¾ in shoes. Good athlete who has the quickness to put pressure on the rim in the half court. Doesn't shy away from contact in traffic.
Excellent blend of shotmaking and penetrating -- 21.6 points per 40 minutes. Tremendous balance and touch. Made 2.8 3-pointers per 40 minutes at a 42.9 percent clip as a junior. Rates 98th percentile on guarded catch-and-shoot jumpers. Comfortable operating on or off the ball. Maintains balance on pull-ups, even after advanced combo moves and step-backs. Deep range. Has a killer mentality. Not afraid to take and make big shots.
Pitbull defender who should be able to earn minutes early in his career because of his defense. Pressures the ball. Gets skinny over screens.
Improvement areas
Doesn't have elite size for a point guard at 6-0¾ in shoes.
Struggles to play in traffic at times because of his size. In the 49th percentile as a finisher at the rim in the half court. Shot 45.4 percent from 2-point territory against teams with a win percentage over .500 (24 games).
Still developing as a facilitator. Doesn't have great peripheral vision. Struggles with hard hedges and aggressive pick-and-roll coverages. Had 4.4 turnovers per 40 minutes against teams with a win percentage over .500 and 18.6 turnover percentage in pick-and-roll overall.
Projected role: Tough scoring guard
Kevin Huerter | SG | Age: 19.7 | Maryland
Strengths
Good positional size at 6-7¼ in shoes. Still only 19.7 years old despite being a sophomore -- younger than freshmen Michael Porter Jr., Mohamed Bamba and Deandre Ayton. Solid athlete.
Complete offensive player. Great balance on his catch-and-shoot jumper. In the 88th percentile as a spot-up player. Excellent timing attacking closeouts. Can sprint off screens into shots with range. Tremendous balance. Ball comes out cleanly. Outstanding passer out of a variety of actions. Quick thinker out of pindowns. Can see over the top out of pick-and-roll, uses both sides of the floor. Hits the roller comfortably. Delivers the ball with either hand. Can rise into pull-ups off the dribble or get to the rim in space. Touch on floaters. Smart cutter. Had 64.2 true shooting percentage as a freshman.
High intangibles. Competitive. Rebounds his position. Tremendous feel. Impressing teams throughout the interview process. Will maximize his potential.
Improvement areas
Not a prolific or overtly aggressive scorer -- 15.0 points per 40 minutes in two seasons at Maryland. Comfortable ball-handler but not overly shifty.
Shies away from contact at times in the paint. Shot only 3.6 free throws per 40 minutes as a sophomore and 1.2 as a freshman. Wants to load up off two feet.
Defensive upside is a bit limited. Not overly long for his position. Can be a bit upright on the perimeter. Caught on screens. Doesn't quite have the frame to contain legitimate NBA wings right now.
Projected role: High-IQ shotmaker
Kevin Knox | SF/PF | Age: 18.8 | Kentucky
Strengths
Impressive physical profile at 6-foot-9, 213 pounds with a 9-foot standing reach. Has the size and reach to play the 4 comfortably, especially as his frame fills out. Can play above the rim in space. Fluid in transition.
Versatile offensive attack. Greatly improved shooter with great rotation and soft touch -- 57th percentile on unguarded catch-and-shoot jumpers. 1.9 made 3s per 40 minutes. Capable of attacking a closeout or stepping into a pull-up jumper when run off his spots. Spent most of the season sprinting around screens for midrange jumpers and floaters. Added ability to shoot on the move. Tremendous touch on floaters -- 25-61.
Tools to defend multiple positions in time.
Improvement areas
Lacks a degree of physicality and toughness. Only 6.7 rebounds per 40 minutes. Is he tough enough to play the 4? Will disappear for long stretches. Confidence fluctuates. Shies away from contact in the paint as a finisher. Settles for perimeter jumpers. Sees himself as more of a wing than a modern forward.
Plays with a high center of gravity. Handle is a bit loose. Not much of a shot-creator at this stage of his development. Feel for the game is average. Had 53 assists and 85 turnovers in 1,198 minutes at Kentucky. Doesn't make his teammates better.
Struggled defensively at Kentucky. A bit tight in the hips. Can do a better job of sitting down and sliding on the perimeter. Not the defender his tools suggest. Up and down motor.
Projected role: Versatile combo forward
De'Anthony Melton | PG/SG | Age: 20.0 | USC
Strengths
Impressive frame and length for a combo guard at 193 pounds with a 6-8½ wingspan. Proportionate upper and lower body that should continue to fill out. Not overly explosive but long strides. Has some side-to-side agility.
Versatile defender who can check either guard spot. Competitive on that end of the floor. Elite basketball instincts. Tremendous anticipation in the passing lanes. Quick hands. Digs off the ball. Rotates for blocks. One of the best rebounding guards in the draft; 5.1 steals, 3.1 blocks and 12.3 rebounds in twp games at the combine. Always around the ball. Not afraid to play with physicality. Great cutter.
Impressive vision as a playmaker -- 5.1 assists and 2.6 turnovers per 40 minutes as a freshman. Willing passer in transition. Can hit the roller or shooter circling up in pick-and-roll. Capable of moonlighting as a point guard for stretches. Improved shooting mechanics as well.
Improvement areas
Not overly dynamic with the ball. Very dominant right-hand as a ball-handler. Plays mostly at one speed. Handle limits his ability to play on the ball for long stretches. Needs to play next to a more ball-dominant guard.
Only 12.3 points per 40 minutes as a freshman. Not a very instinctual scorer. More of a ball-mover on offense. Greatly improved shooting mechanics but still questions to answer from the perimeter. Shot only 28.4 percent from 3 as a freshman. Lacks range off the dribble. Not going to create much offense for himself.
Struggles to finish in a crowd. Not overly explosive in traffic.
Projected role: 3-and-D off guard
De'Anthony Melton details his preparations for the NBA draft after being deemed ineligible at USC.
Elie Okobo | PG | Age: 20.6 | Pau-Orthez
Strengths
Nice size and length. Frame has improved. Smooth athlete. Can play at different speeds. Shows flashes as a defender.
Extremely productive and an NBA-caliber shotmaker with deep range. Streaky and shoots a bit of a set shot with a low release point but he made a big jump this year with his consistency -- 41.3 percent from 3 on 172 attempts. Punishes guards for going under screens. Creates space with step backs. Really comfortable off the dribble. Savvy pick-and-roll player with 3-level scoring potential. Knows how to manipulate ball screens. Soft touch on floaters. Had 63.4 true shooting percentage in 35 Pro A games last season.
Improving facilitator. Can make pick-and-roll pocket passes. Shows flashes of creativity on the move. High intangible prospect.
Improvement areas
Still developing his PG skills. Gets a bit lackadaisical with his handle against ball pressure. Plays a bit upright. Not always the most comfortable playmaker in traffic. Inaccurate passes. Doesn't always have the best feel for when to facilitate and when to get his own shot. Wants to settle for tough pull-ups. More of a ball-screen player than one-on-one shot creator.
Not always the most engaged on- or off-ball defender. Relaxes in his stance too often. Needs to play with more consistent effort on that end.
Benefited from having ultimate freedom with Pau-Orthez. Has battled bouts of inefficiency (31.3 2-point percentage at the 2017 under-20s) and inconsistency in the past. Struggles to finish through contact. Still improving his off hand.
Projected role: Shotmaking bench guard
Josh Okogie | SG | Age: 19.7 | Georgia Tech
Strengths
Outstanding combination of age and physical tools. Powerful athlete in space. Plays above the rim. Excellent in transition. Stud frame with a proportionate upper and lower body. Younger than a handful of freshmen projected in the top 10.
Has the physical profile to guard at least three positions in the modern NBA. Motor dips a little more than you'd expect given his reputation as a "defender" (partially due to offensive responsibility at Georgia Tech) but he's tough overall; 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks per 40 minutes. Covers ground on closeouts. Wingspan a major factor on the defensive end. Has shown a willingness to embrace the role of defender in the past. Rebounds his position. Has made tremendous strides since we first evaluated him at the 2015 Nike Global Challenge.
Improved standstill shooter who made 38 percent of his 3s and 82.1 percent of his free throws; 93rd percentile on 62 catch-and-shoot jumpers. Was tasked with the role of primary shot-creator on an underwhelming Georgia Tech team, which played a big part in his inefficiencies offensively.
Improvement areas
Extremely rigid ball handler. Shouldn't be tasked with shot-creation duties in the half court. Struggles to change speeds and directions. Feel for the game is still a work in progress. Unable to execute simple passes. Partially a function of developed bad habits given his role in college but settles for low-percentage shots in the half court. Head down to the rim. Career 119 assists to 134 turnovers.
Still has questions to answer as a shooter, especially off the dribble. Shoots a set shot on the move. Doesn't get much lift. Needs time and space.
Not the finisher his tools suggest. Career 45.4 percent from 2 on 768 attempts. Shot 43.2 percent from 2 as a sophomore. Shot 44.6 percent at the rim in the half court and 0-for-10 on floaters.
Projected role: 3-and-D wing
Jerome Robinson | PG | Age: 21.2 | Boston College
Strengths
Nice size for a combo guard.
Productive and efficient junior season -- 20.8 points per game with a 61.2 true shooting percentage (up almost 10 percent from his sophomore season). Offers a healthy blend of versatility. Comfortable operating on or off the ball. Tremendous footwork and shot-prep in catch-and-shoot situations. Excellent balance and elevation. Flat trajectory at times but can shoot on the move -- 40.9 percent from 3. Does a great job playing off pindowns. Creates space with step backs. Played point guard as a freshman. Has three-level pick-and-roll scoring potential. Can rise up off the dribble from 3 or mid-range. Capable of making most basic reads as a playmaker.
Strong intangibles and feel for the game. Improved every season at BC, especially as a shooter -- 13.1 PER as a freshman, 17.8 PER as a sophomore, 21.4 PER as a junior.
Improvement areas
Not overly long, physical or freakishly explosive from an NBA perspective.
Struggles to finish at the rim against length at times. Could stand to add more finesse in the paint -- 6-for-18 on floaters in 35 games.
Defensive upside is a bit limited. Lacks a degree of toughness. Not all that rangy. Only 1.0 steals and 4.0 rebounds per 40 minutes as a junior. How does he impact the game if he's not making shots?
Projected role: Versatile combo guard
--Schmitz
Grayson Allen | SG | Age: 22.6 | Duke
Strengths
Made a large volume of 3s throughout his college career (38 percent). 85 percent free throw shooter. Shoots it with deep range pulling up off the bounce or with his feet set. Can come off screens and shoot on the move.
Good athlete in the open court. Explosive leaper in space. Attacks closeouts with excellent footwork. Makes a lot of hustle plays. Gets in the passing lanes frequently. Energetic, tough and competitive. Willing to do the little things.
Can play some point guard in a pinch. Runs the offense. Passes ahead in transition. Can drive and dish some. Unselfish player overall. Academic All-American. Ticks a number of boxes NBA teams look for in a role player.
Improvement areas
Clunky ball-handler. Lacks a degree of wiggle and shiftiness. Two-footed jumper who lacks the length to finish efficiently inside the paint. Doesn't get to the free throw line at a great rate. Mostly a straight line driver. Relies heavily on pull-up jumpers.
Heavy footed defender. Doesn't cover ground well. Gets burned off the bounce too frequently.
Didn't show much improvement from his sophomore to senior year. Was an inconsistent player overall. Numbers stagnated against elite-level competition. Struggled to handle pressure at times. Tripping incidents.
Projected role: Energetic shooting backup combo guard
Troy Brown | SG/SF | Age: 18.8 | Oregon
Strengths
Good combination of size, length and frame for a NBA wing. Big enough to play some small-ball 4.
Versatile player. Grew up playing point guard. Good passer with a high basketball IQ. Moves the ball ahead regularly. Keeps the offense flowing with timely feeds. Tough, competitive defender who should be able to guard anywhere from 1-4. Unselfish player who likes doing the little things. Willing rebounder. Good cutter. Jumper isn't broken. Made 74 percent of his free throws.
Doesn't turn 19 until the end of July. Third youngest college player projected to be drafted. Very strong background. Consistently described as an outstanding teammate and worker.
Improvement areas
Wasn't overly productive offensively in college. Struggled to score efficiently as a freshman. Seemed to lose his confidence at times. Made just 29 percent of his 3s.
Just an average athlete. Lacks explosiveness and wiggle with his first step. Wasn't able to consistently create shots off the dribble for himself as a freshman.
Youth and lack of impact on a non-NCAA tournament team means he likely needs a few years to develop.
Projected role: Versatile 3-and-D wing
Keita Bates-Diop | SF/PF | Age: 22.3 | Ohio State
Strengths
Prototypical size, length and frame for a combo forward. Big enough to play some 5 in smaller lineups.
Versatile and prolific scorer at the college level. Made almost two 3s. Can handle the ball smoothly with long strides. Good in the open floor. Can shoot off the dribble with a high release point.
Has impressive potential defensively when dialed in. Can switch onto guards, wings, forwards and big men alike. Uses his length to get in the passing lanes and make plays around the rim. Solid rebounder.
Improvement areas
Doesn't always play with a consistently high energy level, particularly defensively.
Shot-selection leaves something to be desired at times.
Second-oldest prospect projected to be picked in the first round after Grayson Allen. Wasn't overly impressive his first three years at Ohio State. Missed most of 2016-17 season with a foot injury.
Projected role: Two-way combo forward
Donte DiVincenzo | PG/SG | Age: 21.3 | Villanova
Strengths
Good size for a combo guard at a shade under 6-5. Strong frame. Terrific athlete. Has 42-inch vertical.
Tough, physical and aggressive defender. Picks up opponents full-court and is very disruptive. Great instincts and awareness helping off the ball. Active hands. Puts his body on the line. Steps in for charges. Dives on the floor for loose balls.
High-level shooter with deep range and a beautiful stroke. Quick release and unlimited confidence. Makes deep pull-ups from well beyond the NBA line. Doesn't turn it over. Plays with zero fear. Team player.
Improvement areas
His 6-6 wingspan may make it difficult for him to defend bigger wings. At his best guarding point guards
Average ball-handler. At his best playing alongside another playmaker. Struggles to create in the half court. Picks up his dribble. Doesn't get to the free throw line much.
Age 21 and only really had one standout season in college. Wasn't considered an early-entry candidate until he exploded in the Final Four.
Projected role: 3-and-D combo guard
Jacob Evans | SG/SF | Age: 20.9 | Cincinnati
Strengths
Good combination of size, frame and length for the wing position.
Versatile player who ticks a number of boxes NBA teams look for at his position. Shot 38 percent from 3 in his three seasons in college, while posting a 2-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Was asked to play some point guard his junior year and did a good job of facilitating for teammates. Multi-positional defender at the college level.
Young for his class. Similarly aged with sophomores projected to be drafted.
Improvement areas
Average athlete. Doesn't have a great deal of juice off the dribble. Plays mostly below the rim.
Difficult to see him emerging as a prolific shot-creator despite his solid feel for the game. Tends to blend in at times.
Shooting mechanics are unorthodox.
Projected role: 3-and-D wing
Dzanan Musa | C | Age: 19.0 | Cedevita
Strengths
Has excellent size for the wing at 6-8 without shoes. Theoretically can play some 4, despite having a wing skill-set.
Gifted, aggressive scorer with a nose for putting the ball in the basket. Has done it at every level he's played. Career 23 points per-40 minutes in 228 games. Averaged over 22 points per-40 in an efficient manner, playing against top European competition as an 18-year-old, an extremely rare feat historically. Can create his own offense impressively and make tough shots off the dribble. Advanced pick-and-roll player. Great in the open floor pushing rebounds off the defensive glass. Takes and makes 3-pointers prolifically.
Instinctive, competitive player. Has toughness. Doesn't mind contact. Draws fouls in bunches. Finds teammates creatively. Solid rebounder. Gets in the passing lanes. Plays with a chip on his shoulder. Loves the big moments. Infatuated with the NBA. Idolizes Kobe Bryant.
Improvement areas
Just an average athlete. Upper body is hunched, causing him to play smaller than his size. Needs to continue to improve his frame. Hasn't put on all that much weight over the past few years. Major question marks about his ability to defend his own position.
Competitive nature can get the best of him. Rubs teammates and coaches the wrong way at times. Body language leaves something to be desired.
Shot-selection and decision making could stand to improve. Likes to catch, hold and iso, which won't be his role early on and may not be viable long-term with his average tools. Career 31 percent 3-point shooter on 680-plus attempts.
Projected role: Microwave scorer
Mitchell Robinson | C | Age: 20.1
Strengths
Physical specimen. Measured 7-foot tall without shoes with a long wingspan and gigantic standing reach. Huge hands. Wide shoulders. Decent legs. Fluid, mobile, explosive athlete. Quick off his feet. Bouncy.
Has a degree of natural skill and talent that is difficult to teach. Soft hands. Great touch around the basket and even stretching it out past the 3-point line. Long strides in the open court. Covers a huge amount of ground with a single dribble. Plays a coveted role as a rim-running, pick and roll finisher.
Possesses significant upside. One of the best shot-blockers and offensive rebounders in Nike EYBL history, a traditionally strong level of competition. Highest PER in event history. Has significant potential defensively with his physical tools, ability to cover ground and solid timing.
Improvement areas
Has made a series of bad decisions that give NBA teams reason for pause. Twice committed and abandoned Western Kentucky, the college he surprisingly elected to attend. Didn't attend the NBA combine. Already on his second agent. Background intel is concerning. Has barely been seen by NBA teams outside of workouts.
Still a project. Hasn't received much coaching and has poor fundamentals outside of his natural talent. Has a great frame but needs to get much stronger to handle the rigors of the NBA, especially in the lower body. Has high hips that cause him to play the game very upright and get knocked off balance too easily. Can he develop his ability to switch ball-screens and be a factor stepping outside the paint defensively?
Doesn't really know what he is at this stage. Wants to step outside and shoot 3s. Fancies himself a power forward. Motor, confidence and approach to the game fluctuate. Feel on both ends leaves something to be desired. Lacks any type of real experience playing against high-level competition.
Projected role: Vertical spacing, rim-running shot-blocker
NBA draft prospect Mitchell Robinson talks about his pre-draft prep and how he sees himself fitting on an NBA roster.
Khyri Thomas | SG/SF | Age: 22.0 | Creighton
Strengths
Not overly tall at a shade under 6-4 in shoes but has a massive 6-10½ wingspan that should allow him to defend any of the backcourt positions. Strong frame.
Highly efficient offensive player. Career 58 percent 2-point shooter and 41 percent from 3. Hit 67 percent of his free throws as a senior. A good passer. Understands his role. Rarely turns the ball over. Strong feel.
One of the better defenders in the draft. Physical player who brings a consistently high energy level. Talks non-stop. Showed the ability to guard anywhere from 1-4 at the college level. Doesn't get posted up despite lack of size. Gets in the passing lanes consistently. Career 2.0 steals per-40. Coaching staff raves about his approach to the game and intangibles.
Improvement areas
Not a prolific offensive player. Was a role-player most of his college career. Doesn't have much wiggle with the ball. Rarely gets to the free throw line. At his best making spot-up jumpers and attacking in the open floor. Struggles to shoot off the dribble.
Already 22 years old. One of the older players projected to be picked among potential first rounders.
Lack of size isn't ideal at 6-2½ barefoot coupled with his lack of ball skills. Will need to be surrounded with creators at the 1 and 3.
Projected role: 3-and-D wing
Zhaire Smith | SG/SF | Age: 19.0 | Texas Tech
Strengths
One of the most explosive athletes in the draft. Fluid and quick off his feet. Not very tall, but has a plus wingspan that allows him to play bigger than his size. Frame that should fill out nicely in time.
Multi-positional defender. Played power forward extensively in college. Toughness and grit makes up for lack of size. Will be the type of player coaches sic on the opposing team's best offensive player.
Strong intangibles that bode well for his long-term development. One of the youngest prospects in the draft. Lauded by coaches for his work ethic, competitiveness and willingness to do the little things. Late bloomer who is on a different development trajectory than most prospects. Shows a little more feel than you might expect at times. Stays in his lane, doesn't make many mistakes, especially relative to his lack of experience.
Improvement areas
Limited offensive player. Made only 18 3-pointers in 37 games. Posted the lowest usage rate of any college player currently projected to be drafted. Doesn't create much offense for himself. Ball-handling skills are unrefined. Will he be able to score enough to stay on the floor early in his career?
Measured just 6-2¾ without shoes. Will likely need to transition to playing the 2 eventually. Will need to be surrounded with skilled teammates, at least early on.
Lacks experience in a major way. Needs time to develop, particularly offensively.
Projected role: Athletic, energizing wing defender
--Givony