1. Karl-Anthony Towns - Minnesota Timberwolves
He’s 6’11, athletic, can shoot with range, defend multiple positions, and even has an imaginary friend named Karlito. He’s Karl-Anthony Towns, and no matter what team selected him, they were going to win this draft. Kudos to the Minnesota Timberwolves for doing the right thing, especially when they’re infamously known as the team who drafted Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio over Stephen Curry. They found a partner-in-crime for reigning Rookie Of The Year, Andrew Wiggins, who’s a part of a young core that includes Zach LaVine and Gorgui Dieng. In a matter of a year, the Timberwolves went from losing the face of their franchise (Kevin Love) to being one of the most exciting, young teams in the NBA.
Grade: A
2. D'Angelo Russell - Los Angeles Lakers
By surprising Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers basically surprised the basketball world when they drafted D’Angelo Russell, a promising guard out of OSU, instead of Jahill Okafor, an offensively-polished center from Duke. Many believed the Lakers historical lineage of big men (Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabaar, Shaquille O’Neal, etc.) would prompt them to take a big man in Okafor, but instead, the Lakers drafted their guard of the future. With Kobe Bryant’s retirement looming in a matter of years, Russell will hopefully earn the Laker reigns by bringing his exceptional basketball IQ, court vision, passing ability, and shooting. He also does not lack in confidence, noted when he himself stated, “I’m the best in the draft.” Hollywood will welcome Russell with open arms as he takes the first steps necessary to be the next Lakers star.
Grade: A
3. Jahill Okafor - Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers are notoriously known as the front office that fully embraces tanking, or putting a team in a constant position to lose to hopefully acquire a high draft pick. By implementing this plan, Philadelphia put themselves in positions to acquire two prospective centers in the past two drafts: Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid. Ideally, the 76ers would use this years draft to add a much-needed guard or wing to complement their young seven-footers. However, the 76ers instead drafted Jahill Okafor, a 6’11 center from Duke who possesses the strongest and most versatile low-post skill set for a college player in years. While drafting Okafor would align with the 76ers philosophy of gathering assets (Okafor was believed to be the best available player in the draft), it creates a excess of talented centers and begs the question: how many assets are the Sixers going to accumulate until someone figures out what the hell their end-game is?
Grade: B
4. Kristaps Porzingis - New York Knicks
As the league constantly progresses, one thing remains the same: James Dolan and the Knicks make it too easy to pick on the New York organization. Sure, maybe Kristaps Porzingis, a 19 year-old 7’2 Latvian forward, might be the next Dirk Nowitzki or Pau Gasol. But even analysts predict that’s three to four years down the line – 31 year-old Carmelo Anthony can’t be too happy about that. Instead of helping an aging Melo by drafting a player that could have a more immediate impact (such as any of the following six draft picks after this one), the Knicks opted for the prospect, a project that will require time and patience. Knicks fans and the city of New York have waited long enough.
Grade: C+
5. Mario Hezonja - Orlando Magic
Looking to add to their list of recent lottery picks (Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton, and Victor Oladipo), the Magic drafted a 6’8 Croatian swingman in Mario Hezonja. Mario is an intriguing international prospect, with scouts reporting that he has the skills and potential to win both the three-point contest and the dunk contest. Equipped with an extremely high sense of confidence, a streaky shooting stroke, and sneaky athleticism, Hezonja is a fine addition to a core of exceptional young talent in Orlando.
Grade: B+
6. Willie Cauley-Stein - Sacramento Kings
You can’t talk about the Kings without talking about DeMarcus Cousins, the Kings star center who has been the center of trade rumors in the days leading up to the draft. It came as a partial surprise that the Kings drafted Willie Cauley-Stein, a defensive-minded big that plays the same position as Cousins. With both players being former Kentucky Wildcats under John Calipari, Cousins and Cauley-Stein are apparently good friends, and might be able to play alongside one another… but the lack of spacing may lead to a fit that’s more forced then natural. At the end of the day, the Kings missed on a great opportunity to fill their gaping voids in the backcourt.
Grade: C
7. Emmanuel Mudiay - Denver Nuggets
Yes, the Denver Nuggets already have a formidable point guard in Ty Lawson. Yes, a video of Ty Lawson predicting that he’ll soon be traded has surfaced. And yes, the Denver Nuggets made a great pick by drafting Emmauel Mudiay, who was the top-ranked point-guard in the nation as a high-school senior. Although he declared that he would attend Southern Methodist University (SMU), he quickly changed his mind and signed a contract to play professional basketball in China. Many believe Mudiay's decision to skip college may have hurt his draft stock, especially with a lack of recent game footage for scouts to scavenge. Even with a talented point guard already occupying the roster, drafting Mudiay at the seven spot is a steal for Denver.
Grade: A-
8. Stanley Johnson - Detroit Pistons
As Pistons President of Basketball Operations and head coach Stan Van Gundy beings to mold an identity for his organization, his decision to draft Arizona swingman Stanley Johnson speaks volume to the culture Van Gundy seeks. Johnson is a physical specimen – he’s 6’6”, weighs as much as some seven-footers at 242 pounds, and has the quickness to match any guard. His offense is a work-in-progress, but the basic components are all there. Factor in Johnson’s high motor and exceptional work ethic, and the Pistons are hopeful that they have the next Jimmy Butler – a two-way player who thrives on hustle.
Grade: B+
9. Frank Kaminsky - Charlotte Hornets
Just like Michael Jordan was a much better shooting guard on the hardwood than an outfielder on the baseball diamond, it appears that MJ is probably a much better player than he is a team executive. With the exception of Kemba Walker (and maybe Michael Kidd-Gilchrist if you excuse his reprehensible jump-shot), MJ and Charlotte have made it a tradition to draft mundane talent, including Adam Morrison, Bismack Biyombo, Cody Zeller, and Noah Vonleh. Like Adam Morrison, Frank Kaminsky overcame athletic barriers and was regarded as one of the best college basketball players among his peers. And like Zeller and Vonleh, Kaminsky is a big man. Passing on players, such as Justice Winslow and Devin Booker, meant passing on fulfilling obvious needs on the wing. Instead, MJ and the Hornets drafted their third big man in three years, meaning Charlottle used its last three lottery picks on players who all essentially play the same role. Plus, they picked a player with physical limitations that limit his potential to succeed in the league . For Jordan, it’s just another swing and a miss.
Grade: C-
10. Justise Winslow - Miami Heat
Call it a steal, a robbery, or just wring it up as Pat Riley starring in Miami Vice. No matter how you put it, the Miami Heat should be ecstatic that Justise Winslow fell to 10th slot. Winslow is an athletic defender who thrived in the spotlight during this past NCAA Tournament, playing a massive role on one of the top basketball programs in the country (Duke), and eventually going on to win the NCAA Championship. Although he’s known for his defense, Winslow’s offensive game took tremendous strides as the season progressed, showing a strong ability to improve his skills in a timely manner. As a player, Winslow is regarded as having a high-ceiling with a high-floor, meaning he’s a low-risk, high-reward type of player. With previous talks of him being a top-five pick, Winslow provides the fire the Heat have been missing.
Grade: A+
