French point guard Frank Ntilikina has formally filed his paperwork to enter the 2017 NBA draft, his agency CAA Sports confirms to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (Twitter link). The move had long been expected, and now it’s official.
Ntilikina, who has been playing for Strasbourg in France, is considered a probable lottery pick by most draft experts, who generally rank him in the tier of point guards below top options like Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball. Both Givony and Chad Ford of ESPN.com currently have the 18-year-old at No. 10 on their respective big boards.
According to Ford, who praises the Frenchman’s speed, passing ability, toughness, and shooting ability, Ntilikina has the upside to be a top-five pick in a draft class less stacked with top point guards. In this year’s draft, Ntilikina will likely come off the board at some point after Fultz, Ball, Dennis Smith Jr., and De’Aaron Fox are selected.