15 best sleepers in the NBA Draft
8. Jevon Carter, PG, West Virginia
The same day Brunson won the award for national player of the year, Carter won the award for national defensive player of the year. Carter, the point man of “Press Virginia,” is a terror on defense. Donte DiVincenzo said Carter was the best defender he played against. A two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Carter is gritty and a strong athlete. His offensive game improved throughout his collegiate career, but he still has work to do in that realm. Nonetheless, he should get minutes at the pro level because of his defensive tenacity.
7. Isaac Bonga, SF, Germany
Bonga, 6-foot-8, can switch any spot from 1-4. Call him a point forward. Bonga made his pro debut in Germany at age 16. He eventually became the youngest player (at age 18) to qualify for Germany’s senior national team in 40 years. Bonga, who has nearly a 7-foot wingspan, is a stat-sheet stuffer. He’s another player who needs to put on weight; bulking up should greatly increase his effectiveness. Bonga has stellar court vision and passing ability.
6. Lonnie Walker, SG, Miami
Walker, 19, was the No. 18 player in his class, and he had a strong college campaign, earning the ACC’s Freshman of the Year honors. Walker led Miami in scoring with 11.5 points per game. His best moment came when he hit a three against Boston College with only two seconds remaining to give the Hurricanes a 79-78 win – ice cold. Walker, 6-foot-5, has long arms and the athleticism to excel defensively, but he has a habit of looking disengaged on that end. He is an aggressive scorer who’s confident in his abilities; his moxie should be a big boon as he makes the NBA leap.
5. Anfernee Simons, PG, IMG Academy
If Simons – who was named after Penny Hardaway – had spent one year in college, he’d likely rank higher on big boards. The 19-year-old elected to go straight from IMG Academy to the league, becoming the first American to leap from high school to the pros since the draft rules changed in 2005. Simons is only 6-foot-4, but he has a 6-foot-7 wingspan. He’s a natural scorer and reliable outside shooter. He’ll probably fall out of the lottery, but Simons will make teams regret passing on him.
4. Keita Bates-Diop, SF, Ohio State
Bates-Diop, the Big Ten Player of the Year, was a consensus second-team All-American. The 6-foot-8 junior has a 7-foot-3 wingspan, and he’s a stellar athlete to boot. He needs to improve his ball handling and shooting, but he averaged 19.8 points per game nonetheless. Bates-Diop has tremendous three-and-D potential. The Illinois native is another elder statesman – he’s 22 – but he still has room to develop. Bates-Diop stands out for his physical gifts, maturity, and basketball IQ, and he’s comfortable banging around the rim.
3. Omari Spellman, PF, Villanova
Spellman revolutionized his body in college, dropping from 300 pounds all the way down to 245. As a redshirt freshman, he started the whole season and was a force in the NCAA Tournament. In the Final Four against Kansas, he put up 15 points and 13 rebounds. A gifted forward with a beautiful outside shot, Spellman is also a vicious rim protector; he blocked 1.5 shots per game this season. Spellman is still coming into his own, and it’s not clear which position he’ll play – but as we’ve seen with Draymond, that doesn’t really matter as long as you can play.
2. Jacob Evans, SF, Cincinnati
Evans, a junior, made first-team All-AAC this year. The Baton Rouge native gradually improved through his three collegiate seasons. With a strong, 6-foot-6 frame and 6-foot-9 wingspan, Evans is versatile. He was one of the NCAA’s best defenders this season and averaged 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. Evans needs to improve his consistency and rebounding, and as weird as this sounds, he needs to become more selfish – he passed up opportunities in college too frequently. If he lands in the right situation, Evans could blossom into the steal of the draft.
1. Zhaire Smith, SG, Texas Tech
Smith has flown under the radar for his whole basketball career. The 19-year-old was only a three-star recruit, but he shined in his lone season with Texas Tech. Smith qualified for the Big 12’s All-Defensive Team. He’s not viewed as a major offensive threat, but he posted 11.3 points per game and shot 57 percent from the field. Smith, 6-foot-4, simply knows where to be at the right time; his court sense is amazing. Smith still isn’t a real playmaker on the offensive end, but he has the potential to become one – and he’s already a standout defender. Look for Smith to go about 10 picks after he should.
Aaron Mansfield is a freelance sports writer. His work has appeared in Complex, USA Today, and the New York Times. You can reach him via email at aaroncmansfield@gmail.com.
