A few days ago, I posted what I called my "official" big board 1.0, but I decided to take that down because I really didn't feel good about my education level on some of the prospects I had on there. I've taken quite a bit of time over the last few days to do some research, and now I am ready to come back and do sort of a reset with my big board. I feel much better about these rankings, and although it really isn't super long yet, I am happy with how it's starting to look. I decided to do this in a post format to make it a more cohesive read, but I will still be posting this using the big board tool at a later day. Anyways, lets get right into what you are here for, if your still reading this and haven't skipped right into the rankings (don't worry I won't blame you if you do that lol).
Tier 1 - #1 pick candidates
1. Darryn Peterson
There have been a lot of concerns that are being pushed by the media surrounding Darryn Peterson, and I think a lot of them are really unfair. I think the narrative that he doesn't like playing basketball is wrong, and I am not all that concerned with his supposed injury issues. I make my rankings based on a lot of things, but one of the biggest (and most obvious) is rankings players based on who I think will be the best NBA player. I don't believe in destiny, but the more I watch Darryn Peterson, the more that I am convinced that he was born to be a superstar in the NBA. Everything on offense comes so effortlessly for him, and I do buy into him being a positive defender at the NBA level. I'm not going to say that I don't have any question about his game, but there really is not much I don't like. He has the talent and the skill to be one of the best players in the NBA one day period. I've seen some people try to compare him to Kobe, and while I think that is not a good comparison, it is hard to not see how Darryn could reach similar levels of success if he reaches his ceiling. I don't think I can dismiss everyone else from being a candidate for this spot on my board yet, but Darryn will probably hold onto this spot for the foreseeable future.
2. Caleb Wilson
Okay put down the pitchforks and torches for a moment and allow me to explain myself. I am not saying that I hate Boozer or AJ by having Caleb Wilson above them, nor am I saying that Caleb Wilson is a better prospect. All three of them are in the same tier (slight spoiler alert I suppose), and I can see myself moving them around interchangeably. So why does Caleb Wilson get the nod over them right now? Well, let me put it this way. I think Caleb has the highest ceiling of any prospect in this draft period. The athleticism, the motor, and the defense are already elite, AND he has flashed elite elite upside on offense. I don't think it is unreasonable to believe that he will tap into that potential more likely than not. I understand he may not be quite as advanced at this stage as Boozer or AJ, but I believe in standing by my opinions and not shying away from them because they are controversial, and my opinion in this case is that Caleb Wilson is an elite prospect and deserves to be in that number one pick conversation. I am fully willing to be wrong on this one, and the more I watch him the more certain I am that I won't be wrong.
3. AJ Dybansta
4. Cam Boozer
I am grouping these guys together because I already have written a lengthy scouting report on Boozer and probably will have one soon for AJ. I really like both of these prospects, and just because they are a little bit lower than where the consensus has them currently doesn't mean I hate them. I can still see myself putting either of these guys at the #1 spot on my board depending on how the rest of the draft process goes. They are both elite prospects! I just like/am betting more on the two guys I have ranked above them for now, and again that gap is tiny.
Tier 2 - Elite
5. Mikel Brown Jr.
I don't want to go too in depth into scouting stuff since I plan on releasing a longer scouting report on him soon, but man is this kid insanely talented. He is an incredibly confident and skilled player already, most notably on offense (although I do like some of the things I see on defense too). I have more concerns about certain aspects of his game than the top prospects, which is honestly the only thing keeping him out of the top tier. He has elite potential, and I am willing to bet that he is going to be one of the best guards to come out of this draft class, and maybe even one of the players we look back and see as one of those guys who should've been drafted closer to the top.
6. Keaton Wagler
I'm not going to say too much here, but go check out my scouting report about Keaton Wagler if you want some more information about how I view him as a prospect. He has a really unique and funky style of play, but I am buying into his upside. He is another guy who could go much higher in re-draft a few years down the line if everything clicks for him.
7. Kingston Flemings
I should preface this by saying I still need to do more work to fully form my opinion on Kingston Flemings. Based on what I have seen though, he looks like a super talented prospect with a ton of upside. He is easily the best defender of anyone in this tier, and I like a lot of what I have seen from him offensively. Definitely someone to keep an eye out for as a potential riser on my board.
Tier 3 - Upside + Elite Role Players
8. Allen Graves
I'll admit I wasn't super familiar with Allen Graves until a couple of weeks ago, but now that I am and have watched some film, I am fully on board the hype train. He is a stellar defender and efficient shooter. He may not be an obvious star, but mark my words he is going to be an elite role player in the NBA: the type of guy that teams are willing to spend big money on because they have such a big positive impact on winning basketball.
9. Yaxel Lendeborg
I understand the concerns some may have over putting an old prospect this high in the draft, but I just can't bring myself to have that knock him down too far in my rankings when he is as talented and well-rounded as he is. Yaxel has been one of the driving forces behind Michigans success due to his elite, well-rounded skillset. I buy into that translating to the NBA, making him an impact player right off the bat, and becoming one of those role players that every NBA team wants on their roster.
10. Labaron Philon
Labaron is a really interesting prospect, and I actually liked him quite a bit in last years cycle before he decided to return. That decision has worked out incredibly well for him, as he now is looking at potentially being a top ten pick in the draft. He is an electric player oozing with upside, but also questions about how he will hold up on defense. I need to do more research, but I can definitely see him rising a lot more on my board.
11. Darius Acuff Jr.
Acuff went on an absolute tear in his freshman season and in March, and that has gained him a lot of fans in the media, who are now pushing the idea that he is in that top tier of first overall pick candidates. I don't view him as highly, but there is certainly a lot to like with Acuff. He put up some really impressive numbers as a freshman guard, and I expect at least some of that to continue on into the NBA. The reason he is a bit lower on my board is due to a lot of questions I have about much his offense can outweigh his complete lack of defensive ability. Regardless, he is still a talented prospect worth top ten consideration.
12. Patrick Ngongba
Ngongba has had a really underappreciated season, and I think its about time he gets the respect he deserves as a prospect. He isn't the flashiest nor does he put up crazy box score numbers, but he has a big impact on winning with his defense, playmaking, and play-finishing. I have him a tier above the rest of the bigs in this class because I buy A LITTLE BIT into him having some all-star upside, but even without that I believe he is going to be a good starter in the NBA for a longtime.
Tier 4 - Good role players
13. Dailyn Swain
Swain has been a fast riser on my board, and that may continue to be true over the next few months. He is a really fun wing who's biggest concern is probably the shot currently. If it weren't for that, he would be an easy top ten prospect on my board, and I can still see him reaching those heights. I expect him to at least have be a solid role player, and he has the potential to be a whole lot more.
14. Aday Mara
15. Hannes Steinbach
16. Motiejus Krivas
I grouped these three centers together because they are pretty interchangeable in terms of where they rank for me. All of them are good players who I think have starter potential in the NBA. Motiejus Krivas may be a bit more controversial in that spot since he is generally viewed as a second rounder, but I really buy into his defensive impact translating well to the NBA.
17. Bennet Stirtz
18. Christian Anderson
Another couple of prospects that are pretty interchangeable in their rankings for me. Stirtz is older, but he is a really well rounded offensive player that probably will be better right away. Anderson has quietly had a really good season, and he has some sneaky upside too. Both probably project long-term as really good backup guards.
Notable Exclusions
These are no longer rankings, but rather prospects who aren't on my board that are generally ranked somewhere in those top 15-18 spots and explaining why they aren't there.
Nate Ament
I just don't see it with him. I can see the potential for sure, but it is really difficult for me to rank him high with how many deficiencies and question marks he has right now. I am not against betting on upside, but I am for it when there is a reasonable amount of evidence that the prospect can tap into that upside, and I just haven't seen enough from Ament for me to believe that he can do that. He is probably a late first, early second round guy for me honestly.
Jayden Quaintance
It's really hard for me to rank someone with as small of a sample size as Quaintance. He has a lot of upside for sure, but based on what little we saw from him, I have a lot of questions about how that actually translates to the NBA. Probably a late first round or early second round guy for me.
Koa Peat
Don't know enough about him to feel comfortable ranking him, but honestly he probably wouldn't be all that high anyway based on what I have seen.
Brayden Burries
Don't know enough about him to feel comfortable ranking him
So there it is! This is just the first official version of this that I feel good about, but it is certainly subject to change. Please let me know what your thoughts are!