-Jim Root

First - this board has some noticeable exclusions, as I don't feel I've seen these guys enough to rank them (commonly found in other Top 50s): Elie Okobo, Anfernee Simons, Dzanan Musa, Arnoldas Kulboka, Isaac Bonga, Issuf Sanon (this is a college basketball website, after all!). 

Second - here's the lottery portion of my board, where you can find the Top 14(+2), as well as a quick outline of what I'm looking for in players. 

Tier 5

17.      Kevin Knox

a.      What I Like – Extremely young prospect; solid shooter with high release; ideal measurements for the NBA - big, long, frame to add more strength
b.     What Worries Me – Not impactful on D despite athletic and size advantages; was simply a decent scorer in college - seemed like he could have been dominant more often (see WV game); can he score off the dribble/get all the way to the rim?; passing/shot selection leave something to be desired

18.      Shake Milton

a.      What I Like – Excellent positional size and length for a combo guard; knockdown shooter from NBA range; can function as a secondary ball-handler thanks to his experience at PG; moves the ball well around the perimeter (good passer, but not quite high-level reads); great IQ on both ends of the court
b.     What Worries Me – not explosive vertically or laterally (relies more on length), which could impact his switchability; very thin – needs more strength

19.      Josh Okogie

a.      What I Like – Has the length, strength, and quickness to became a lockdown defender; shot the ball extremely well from the FT line and solidly from 3 (low volume); very productive despite being relatively young
b.     What Worries Me – Not a good driver or finisher at the rim; low volume three-point shooting for a team that desperately needed it makes me wary of translation to NBA; is the awareness there on both ends?

20.      Jalen Brunson

a.      What I Like – Superb understanding of the game on both ends; uses the threat of his shot and changing pace to get to the rim and draw additional defenders; was a tremendous finisher at the rim in college (70.3% per hoop-math); very good passer who makes the right reads
b.     What Worries Me – Not a top-shelf athlete (certainly limits his ceiling); smallish frame means he’ll get targeted in switches

21.      Lonnie Walker

a.     What I Like – Superb athlete; promising shot form; could look better after playing with two shoot-first, shoot-second guards in Chris Lykes and Ja’Quan Newton
b.     What Worries Me – Wasn’t productive in college, despite Miami needing more from him; the shot form didn’t translate to a ton of makes; some bball IQ questions on both ends

22.      Jacob Evans

a.      What I Like – Good athlete with a versatile skillset – can make shots, create some as a secondary ball-handler, and defend multiple positions thanks to his size and strength (6’5.5” tall, 6’9.25” wingspan)
b.     What Worries Me – Shot form is a little odd (low release), and he struggled against better competition; better on-ball defender than off-ball

Tier 6

23.      Robert Williams

a.      What I Like – Dynamic athlete in a huge body (his windmills in the NCAA tourney were o_O); excellent shot-blocker despite often playing the 4 (he’s a center); decent perimeter mobility – some potential to switch/corral ball-handlers on PnR; decent passer (though not advanced reads)
b.     What Worries Me – abominable shooter, just horrific from the field and FT line (47% this year); some questions about his motor; needs to be a dive man on offense; not quite as big as some of the dominant dive men (DAJ, Capela)

24.      Omari Spellman

a.      What I Like – Real potential as a stretch-5 – was actually Nova’s 2nd-best shooter by % this year; attacks rebounds on both ends; can block shots (though not a true rim protector); vertical athleticism should improve as he gets in better shape
b.     What Worries Me – perimeter defense could be a problem, though he uses his length (7’2” wingspan) to recover well vs. guards; older for only having played one year of college ball; although his shot is smooth, he loads up quite a bit in his legs (needs time to get it off)

25.      Mitchell Robinson

a.      What I Like – Nearly limitless potential on defense with his combo of length, fluid movement, and jumping ability; top-shelf rim protector who could also be switchable onto guards
b.     What Worries Me – Any role on offense outside of screener/dive man; very few ball skills; he doesn’t really seem to have his shit together (sat out the entire college season); will he be content sliding into a Capela-esque role on a team?; needs to add strength

26.   Keita Bates-Diop

a.      What I Like – Became a leader and a knockdown shooter during 2017-18; easily Ohio State’s best defender (fell off a cliff without him); has enough athletic juice to be switchable onto 3-4 positions; very lanky frame projects well (7’3.5” wingspan)
b.     What Worries Me – Older, so the improvement track isn’t as clear; not all that vertically explosive (but he does find ways to block shots); missed a year with injury in college

27.   Chandler Hutchison

a.      What I Like – Hard worker who improved his games in the needed areas (shooting improved); gets to the basket and the line a ton (and finished well when he got there); can serve as a secondary handler (primary facilitator for Boise); long frame and solid bball IQ to be a good defender and contributes on the glass
b.     What Worries Me – The shot still has a way to go to be a viable NBA threat from deep; not an explosive athlete and needs to add strength

28.   Gary Clark

a.      What I Like – Bulldog of a player who plays physically on both ends; yes I’m going to call him a “winner” who makes winning plays a la Marcus Smart; his shot developed as his career went on (could continue into the pros); high-IQ defender
b.     What Worries Me – Will his feet be quick enough to switch onto guards? And will he be long/stout enough to defend some bigs?; if his shooting doesn’t extend to the three-point line, can he provide offensive value?

29.   Bruce Brown

a.      What I Like – Perhaps the strongest guard in the draft, and he uses his wide frame to help attack the rim; can be a secondary ball-handler in the PnR while showing slight upside as a frosh to be a primary at times; impacts the game defensively
b.     What Worries Me – his shooting fell into an abyss his sophomore year (pre-injury); older for a sophomore (running out of time to fix that jumper)

30.  Landry Shamet

a.      What I Like – Knockdown shooter in most situations (catch and shoot, on the move, even some off the dribble); has potential as a secondary creator; solid length (6'7.5" wingspan) and athleticism gives him potential on D
b.     What Worries Me – the defensive ability isn't impactful at this point - not sure he can guard more than one position given his weak frame; doubtful he can get to the rim against NBA defenders (55% of his shots were assisted at the rim last year - high for a lead guard)

31.   Khyri Thomas

a.      What I Like – extremely long and tenacious defender - creates major problems when guarding the ball; good awareness off the ball on defense; very good shooter at a standstill
b.     What Worries Me – what else does he offer on offense besides catch-and-shoot (on the move, getting to the rim, etc.)? 

32. Devon Hall

a.      What I Like – knockdown shooter (very good spot up and one of the best off screen shooters per Synergy); smart defensively (good IQ on both ends, really); can shoulder some secondary creation, although not explosive; good ball-mover within system
b.     What Worries Me – Upside certainly limited by his athleticism; not going to be great at the rim in the NBA; older prospect also limits his ceiling beyond “good role player”

33.   Rawle Alkins

a.      What I Like – NBA frame – ready to guard 1-3 (and more perimeter-type 4s) due to his strength and wingspan; promising shooter, although the results aren’t overly encouraging yet; competes on the glass
b.     What Worries Me – IQ on both ends is still a question mark – will he make the right reads/rotations?; shooting is not a guarantee; somewhat turnover prone despite not having much creator equity

34.   Jevon Carter

a.      What I Like – bulldog and a tone-setter defensively, people hate playing against him; good shooter who has a little bit of off-the-bounce juice; best when playing next to a primary creator a la Pat Beverley-types
b.     What Worries Me – Not big at all, though his competitiveness/ferocity helps negate that (like Marcus Smart); will struggle with switches on D due to his size/length; not a ton of offensive upside given his age and style

35.   Devonte’ Graham

a.      What I Like – Terrific shooter off the bounce will make him a strong PnR threat right off the bat; good vision when defense rotates to stop him
b.     What Worries Me – Smallish size probably limits him to being a backup; finishing at the rim was bad in college (only 44%, though almost all unassisted); 

36.   Jerome Robinson

a.      What I Like – Similar to Milton offensively – very good shooter, can create a little bit (though not advanced reads in PnR, etc.); decent finisher at the hoop; solid build/frame
b.     What Worries Me – sleepy defender, tried as hard as Trae Young but with less offensive burden (aka less of an excuse); awareness isn’t great – risk is that he’s a good stats/bad team guy, hasn’t contributed to winning

37.   Jarred Vanderbilt

a.      What I Like – A Tasmanian devil on the glass – great instincts, positioning, and strength to get boards; pretty strong passer for a big/can make some plays for others
b.     What Worries Me – His feet may disintegrate into dust sooner rather than later; has absolutely no touch shooting (even at close range); not quite an impactful rim protector, although he’s okay there

Tier 7

38.   Aaron Holiday

a.      What I Like – Scoring prowess; shooting gives him off-ball utility when playing with another creator; length (6’7.5” wingspan) should somewhat cover his lack of size
b.     What Worries Me – Ability to command an offense/make others better; decision-making with the ball is not good; finishing at the rim against size; can he guard anyone at all?

39.   Moe Wagner

a.      What I Like – Matchup problem due to his smooth shooting and surprisingly strong dribble moves; intense competitor
b.     What Worries Me – Can he hold up against big men inside, or will be need to be hidden on defense?; not much of a passer (will struggle in the short roll); not a rim protector despite 9’0” standing reach

40.   Kenrich Williams

a.      What I Like – Very intelligent player; superb rebounder as a 'tweener forward; good team defender who was also solid on ball - Dixon put him on Trae Young late in their @OU game; flashes of a shot give hope for development
b.     What Worries Me – T-Rex wingspan limits switchability defensively; low shot volume and FT% in college is concerning for being an NBA 3-point shooter; not a good athlete 

41.   Donte DiVincenzo

a.      What I Like – Shooting, both off the dribble and catch-and-shoot; competitor who has consistently made big plays in big games (not just the national title); excellent vertical athlete
b.     What Worries Me – Dribbling and decision-making against NBA-caliber perimeter defenders (Jevon Carter ate his lunch); average frame – probably can’t defend bigger guards/wings

42.   Grayson Allen

a.      What I Like – Smooth shooting form that should translate to NBA range immediately; good potential as a secondary creator who makes some solid reads (finds shooters cross-court); pretty good handle - got to the rim a lot, until his senior year when Duke's style/spacing changed drastically
b.     What Worries Me – He never really finished against good athletes at the rim, despite his solid leaping and good touch; improvement track in college was weird (regressed as junior and senior IMO); defensive awareness isn't great, though he has very disruptive hands; is a baby

43.   Gary Trent Jr.

a.      What I Like – Absolute knockdown shooter from deep - feels automatic on catch-and-shoot; very good size for the wing (6'5.75" with shoes, 6'8.75" wingspan); pretty good athlete
b.     What Worries Me – Unfamiliar with the general concept of "defense"; IQ on both ends is questionable (shot selection, making the right pass, D rotations) 

44.   Justin Jackson

a.      What I Like – good athlete with excellent size to be a stretch 4 / smallball 5; shot the ball very well from deep in his one full season; potential to be a versatile, switchable defender
b.     What Worries Me – injury concerns - missed almost all of 2018 with torn labrum; shot regressed before the injury; iffy passer - can he make reads in the short roll?

45.   Kevin Hervey

a.      What I Like – Absurdly lanky (6'7.75" with a 7'3.5" wingspan) gives him some solid defensive potential; very good two-way rebounder; shot developed well throughout college (although 3P% never got above 34%); good facilitator - should be able to make reads in the short roll
b.     What Worries Me – Wasn't that impactful on D, although he shouldered a large defensive burden - perhaps that improves?; a bit plodding on the perimeter, could struggle to stay with smaller players; real injury concerns after tearing two ACLs

46.   Melvin Frazier

a.      What I Like – Tremendous length; vertically explosive; solid vision offensively
b.     What Worries Me – Needs to add weight; overall bball IQ isn’t super high; not a good shooter in college (low volulme as a senior, his only decent year)

47.   Keenan Evans

a.      What I Like – Floor general that can run an offense; creates his own shot fairly well; tremendous individual and team defender (though not disruptive like Jevon Carter); very good finisher at the rim; creates relatively well for others and takes care of the ball
b.     What Worries Me – small, both in height and wingspan; getting his shot consistently against NBA defenders will be tough; does the shot extend to NBA 3 range?

48.   Malik Newman

a.      What I Like – Prolific wing scoring; stout frame; potential as a secondary ball-handler
b.     What Worries Me – Smallish on D (and IQ worries me); shot selection can be erratic

49.   DJ Hogg

a.      What I Like – Tremendous size on the wing; fluid shooting motion
b.     What Worries Me – Suspensions in college; can’t really put the ball on the floor; strangely blah FT shooting given his form (66% in his career)

50.  Bonzie Colson

a.      What I Like – I'm a sucker for a highly productive senior to make it as a role player; elite rebounder with monstrously long arms, despite being undersized; was developing as a shooter before missing a ton of his senior year with a broken foot - the form has me optimistic he'll keep getting better (plus good FT %); impactful defender due to his length
b.     What Worries Me – He's small for a hybrid 4/5; there's a chance the shot doesn't translate; not an explosive athlete whatsoever; questionable feet on the perimeter make effectively switching unlikely; probably needs to be a better passer to make it into his likely role