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20. Christian Braun (Kansas, SG/SF, Junior)
19. Jaden Hardy (G League Ignite, SG, 2002)
18. Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Milwaukee, PF, Freshman)
Some scouts questioned if Baldwin would bother returning from an ankle injury in January. There was some speculation he’d shut it down to prepare for the draft. But he came back last week to shoot 9-of-34 during a three-game stretch before exiting the lineup again, this time for undisclosed reasons.
It’s safe to say his decision to play for his father at Milwaukee hasn’t worked out well, with the 6’9″ “shot-maker” shooting just 34.4 percent and 26.6 percent from three. We’ve seen teams ignore freshman stats for high-school scouting and eye-test results before, like when the Memphis Grizzlies took Ziaire Williams at No. 10 last season.
Baldwin has obvious questions tied to his inefficiency, lack of explosion and jumper-heavy shot selection. But over the years, there is enough evidence suggesting Baldwin is a far better shooter than what he’s shown. And though not the most athletic, he hasn’t had trouble creating separation around the perimeter.
17. Jean Montero (G League Ignite, PG, 2003)
16. Walker Kessler (Auburn, C, Sophomore)
After a 12-block game against Texas A&M, Kessler is having the most productive shot-blocking season of any college player on record. He’s the only player who may wind up averaging over 4.5 per game in less than 26 minutes. No other player has recorded a 20.0 block percentage over the course of a season (minimum 500 minutes).
His anticipation and reaction time are terrific, while his knack for baiting guards into a shot-blocking trap highlights his special IQ. Though a limited scorer, the occasional flashes of shooting should help justify top-20 looks for such an elite, 20-year-old rim protector.
15. Ochai Agbaji (Kansas, SG/SF, Senior)
14. Kendall Brown (Baylor, SF, Freshman)
13. MarJon Beauchamp (G League Ignite, SF, 2000)
12. Tari Eason (LSU, PF, Sophomore)
There is some question among scouts about Eason’s plus skill for the NBA, but at some point, you have to buy the consistent impact and idea that finding ways to score/contribute is a skill. He’s also shooting the three better as of late, having hit nine of his last 18. Otherwise, at 6’8″, 216 pounds, he’s flashed an appealing mix of face-up play into drives and physical finishing. And he’s on a shortlist of players to finish a season with a 6.0 block percentage and 4.0 steal percentage (minimum 500 minutes).
11. Jalen Duren (Memphis, C, Freshman)
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