I’m trying something new y’all! So probably around once or twice a month all the way up until the draft, I will release a prospect stock update. Basically, this is just a list of prospects I’m becoming higher on or lower on in the days/weeks before the post is made. It’s a way to get my thoughts out on prospects I’m liking more and also liking less. So that’s pretty much it, so let’s get right into the first prospect whose stock is rising for me!
Rising: Reed Sheppard
I am officially on the Reed Sheppard bandwagon! Reed is one of the best prospects in this draft and it’s about dang time he get that type of recognition. I don’t think he has superstar upside, but I am very confident that he can be one of, if not the most important player on an NBA team one day. He doesn’t need to be a star to have an impact. He is going to be an efficient scorer, good playmaker, and good defender. Reed will be able to do just about anything his team could ask out of him. I value that very highly, which is why Reed Sheppard is rising even higher on my board than he was before.
Rising: Ryan Dunn
I’ve had a difficult time trying to figure out where to rank Ryan Dunn on my board, but I am liking him more and more every time I watch him. He is unarguable the best defender in this draft class right now, maybe one of the best perimeter defender we have seen in a while. The big question mark is his offense, but I think he is kind of underrated in that aspect. He isn’t great on the ball or as a shooter, but I’m liking what he is doing off the ball. He is trying his best to not be a liability, and I think that should hold value for NBA twams considering drafting him. No matter what happens with his offense though, he is going to be an ELITE defender in the league, and I will definitely be moving him up my board in upcoming updates.
Falling: Alex Sarr
Alex Sarr is a guy I have really liked, but there are so many concerns I have that seem to go unnoticed by the consensus. He isn’t a good rebounder at all for his height, which is weird because he has the tools to be a good one. His decision making is poor, and he relies too heavily on his perimeter game offensively, which is unpolished and inconsistent. I am still confident that he is going to be a good defender in the NBA, but his floor is scary low offensively. I have him top 3 for now because I do buy his upside, but he could potentially be moved down my board soon.
Falling: Matas Buzelis
I want to like what Matas has to offer, but his performance with the G-League Ignite has been very disappointing. At this point I don’t buy the self creation, and he hasn’t been good enough in other areas to make up for it. I do think he still has potential because he does have a unique skillset for a 6”10 wing, but I have a lot more questions and doubts with Matas at this point.