With the NBA Draft just one day away, here is a list of who I believe to be the top 60 prospects of 2018 are. Below my rankings, there are lists and descriptions of players I put higher or lower than the consensus.
| Rank | Player | Position | School/Country | Year |
| 1 | DeAndre Ayton | C | Arizona | Fr |
| 2 | Mohamed Bamba | C | Texas | Fr |
| 3 | Marvin Bagley III | PF/C | Duke | Fr |
| 4 | Luka Doncic | PG | Slovenia | – |
| 5 | Jaren Jackson Jr. | PF/C | Michigan St. | Fr |
| 6 | Wendell Carter Jr. | C | Duke | Fr |
| 7 | Michael Porter Jr. | SF/PF | Missouri | Fr |
| 8 | Trae Young | PG | Oklahoma | Fr |
| 9 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | PG/SG | Kentucky | Fr |
| 10 | Miles Bridges | SF/PF | Michigan St. | So |
| 11 | Kevin Knox | SF/PF | Kentucky | Fr |
| 12 | Mikal Bridges | SF | Villanova | Jr |
| 13 | Collin Sexton | PG | Alabama | Fr |
| 14 | Mitchell Robinson | C | High School | – |
| 15 | Robert Williams III | C | Texas A&M | So |
| 16 | Lonnie Walker IV | SG | Miami | Fr |
| 17 | Troy Brown Jr. | SG | Oregon | Fr |
| 18 | Keita Bates-Diop | PF | Ohio St. | Jr |
| 19 | Melvin Frazier Jr. | SF | Tulane | Jr |
| 20 | Chandler Hutchison | SG/SF | Boise St. | Sr |
| 21 | Khyri Thomas | SG | Creighton | Jr |
| 22 | Zhaire Smith | SG | Texas Tech | Fr |
| 23 | Elie Okobo | PG | France | – |
| 24 | Jerome Robinson | PG | Boston College | Jr |
| 25 | Aaron Holiday | PG | UCLA | Jr |
| 26 | Josh Okogie | SG | Georgia Tech | So |
| 27 | Donte DiVincenzo | PG | Villanova | So |
| 28 | Jacob Evans | SG/SF | Cincinnati | Jr |
| 29 | Kevin Huerter | SG | Maryland | So |
| 30 | De’Anthony Melton | PG/SG | USC | So |
| 31 | Shake Milton | PG/SG | SMU | Jr |
| 32 | Dzanan Musa | SF | Bosnia | – |
| 33 | Landry Shamet | PG | Wichita St. | So |
| 34 | Anfernee Simons | SG | High School | – |
| 35 | Grayson Allen | SG | Duke | Sr |
| 36 | Jalen Brunson | PG | Villanova | Jr |
| 37 | Tony Carr | PG | Penn St. | So |
| 38 | Bruce Brown | SG | Miami | So |
| 39 | Moritz Wagner | C | Michigan | Jr |
| 40 | Jevon Carter | PG | West Virignia | Sr |
| 41 | Gary Trent Jr. | SG | Duke | Fr |
| 42 | Rawle Alkins | SG | Arizona | So |
| 43 | Hamidou Diallo | SG | Kentucky | Fr |
| 44 | Kevin Hervey | SF | Texas Arlington | Sr |
| 45 | Trevon Duval | PG | Duke | Fr |
| 46 | Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk | SG | Kansas | Sr |
| 47 | Devonte’ Graham | PG | Kansas | Sr |
| 48 | Alize Johnson | PF | Missouri St. | Sr |
| 49 | Justin Jackson | SF/PF | Maryland | So |
| 50 | Billy Preston | PF | Kansas | Fr |
| 51 | Chimezie Metu | PF/C | USC | Jr |
| 52 | Rodions Kurucs | SF/PF | Latvia | – |
| 53 | Devon Hall | SG | Virignia | Sr |
| 54 | Jarred Vanderbilt | SF | Kentucky | Fr |
| 55 | Allonzo Trier | SG | Arizona | Jr |
| 56 | DJ Hogg | SF/PF | Texas A&M | Jr |
| 57 | George King | SG | Colorado | Sr |
| 58 | Isaac Bonga | SF | Germany | – |
| 59 | Gary Clark | PF | Cincinnati | Sr |
| 60 | Issuf Sanon | PG | Ukraine | – |
I must note that this is not the order I am projecting these players get drafted in, as my Mock Draft will be released sometime Thursday before the first pick is made.
Three players that I am HIGHER on than the general public are:
Mohamed Bamba (2) – Although he is a projected top-5 pick, he is not being valued high enough. Bamba has a freak build with his broad frame and incredible 7’10 wingspan. To get a sense of just how physically imposing he is, I suggest checking out this highlight dunk. With his intangibles, I expect him to be a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate. As far as his offensive game, it is still raw, but he’s been working with trainer Drew Hanlen, who is credited for molding Joel Embiid into the offensive all-star that he is now. Bamba has already shown improvements with his shooting in workouts and he will continue to get better once he enters the league.
Mitchell Robinson (14) – Robinson is a wild card in the draft as he did not play this past college season. However, I do not think it will take long for his name to be called on draft night. After all, Robinson was a top-10 high school recruit just a season ago, and while he did not play college basketball, he was able to focus solely on developing his game since dropping out of Western Kentucky. There will be character concerns about him after his decision to leave school, but that did not stop the Lakers from making him a first-round promise at the Draft Combine last month. He has the ability to space the floor offensively and protect the rim on defense. While some see him as a risky pick, I view Robinson as a value since he could fall outside of the lottery.
Melvin Frazier Jr. (19) – Coming out of Tulane, nobody had heard much of Frazier. That changed at the combine when he turned heads with his length on defense and showed the ability to knock down shots from deep. For whatever reason, Frazier is still not considered to go in the first-round by some. The 21 year old has the ability to make an immediate impact, especially with his ability to guard multiple positions. Being a switchable defender will allow him to help out a team from day one.
Three players I am LOWER on than the general public are:
Jaren Jackson Jr. (5) – The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year brings a lot to the table in terms of defensive versatility. He is capable of switching along the perimeter and proved to be an elite rim protector with nearly 6 blocks per 40 minutes as a Spartan. In college he was able to hit the three at a near 40% clip, which is another reason he is going as high as he is, but I do not see this shot translating as well to the NBA. He has a low shot trajectory that will be a lot tougher to get off against the length he will face at the next level. Another big concern is his lack of strength. Jackson will be limited offensively if he does not get stronger and more aggressive. Lastly, his insane foul rate against college post players is a red flag when his opponents will only get bigger and stronger in the league. I like Jackson as a prospect, but not as a top-3 pick.
Zhaire Smith (22) – A 3-star recruit one year ago, Smith shot up draft boards due to his athleticism he displayed at Texas Tech in his lone season. Smith plays bigger than he is when on the floor, but a lot of that was because he spent a lot of time at forward in college. This will not be his position in the NBA as he measured at only 6’4 at the Combine. As someone who will be an off-ball perimeter player, his shot needs to improve if he is going to be able to contribute offensively since his athleticism will not be as superior comparatively. There are also defensive IQ concerns with Smith that will need to be addressed by whichever team drafts him.
Kevin Huerter (29) – Huerter decided to stay in the 2018 draft after the reviews he received at the Combine. A lot of teams see him as a first-round talent, and he has even gotten comparisons to Klay Thompson. I do not see Huerter coming anywhere close to the level of the Golden State star, but I still think he can be a good player. He is a great shooter and decision maker which is where the allure comes from. However, defensively I have concerns with him in the NBA. He has good size for a wing, but his wingspan is just a half inch longer than his 6’7 height. He is not strong or athletic enough to make up for his lack of length which will be a problem. I still think the former Maryland sophomore is worth a pick in the early second-round, but there are players I would much rather take in the first.
2018 NBA Mock Draft
12 Months of March 