“He made strides as a playmaker in his sophomore season and operating out of the pick and roll … However, he still plays too fast at times, not always reading the defense and making the simple play … He also lacks the ideal height and court vision to see over the top of the defense, especially with bigger opponents guarding him … He has a tendency to settle for tough, contested two-point jumpers, partially due to his inability to consistently get all the way to the rim, and also because of his average decision making skills … While he can make some of these attempts, it will not be a reliable way to score at the next level, and it will decrease his overall offensive efficiency, as it has in college.”
From NBAdraft.net, that was part of last year’s scouting report on Donovan Mitchell. Those concerns led to him being passed over by 12 teams and then traded by the one that did select him. Mitchell was viewed as an undersized player for his position who needed to land in the right situation to be successful.
He blew away expectations, of course, providing the Jazz with the go-to scorer they needed after the loss of free agent Gordon Hayward. Mitchell became a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award and reminded us that the draft remains hard to predict, no matter how closely the prospects are studied.
It’s easy to criticize the teams that didn’t see Mitchell as a future star. It’s much harder to pick out a similar surprise from this year’s crop. The first 10 selections in the latest mock draft by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony are Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, Jaren Jackson Jr., Luka Doncic, Mo Bamba, Wendell Carter Jr., Michael Porter Jr., Trae Young, Kevin Knox and Mikal Bridges. The next version of Mitchell might be somewhere outside that group. Here are a few candidates:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — The late-blooming Kentucky star has exceptional size for a point guard, standing 6’6″ with a nearly 7-foot wing span. He is an aggressive defender who can guard several positions, and scouts are confident that his offense will improve as he ages.
- Lonnie Walker — Miami’s shooting guard is blessed with considerable athletic ability and a nice shooting stroke that should transfer well into the NBA. He was impressive at the combine both on and off the court, as teams took notice of how he smoothly conducted himself with the media.
- Collin Sexton — For all the attention that went to Young, Alabama’s Sexton may have been the best pure point guard in college basketball. He displayed a combination of strength, speed and agility and seemed to raise his game in big moments.
- Zhaire Smith — Athleticism stands out for the Texas Tech freshman, who proved to be a dangerous scorer from all over the court and is particularly adept at drawing fouls. He also made strides on defense and as a rebounder and could develop into an all-around player.
- Miles Bridges — An A-plus athlete who can match up with guards and forwards, Bridges might have been a certain lottery pick if he had left Michigan State last year. He has a smooth jumper and can get easy points on cuts to the basket, but scouts are most impressed by his athleticism and competitive drive.
Of course, there are a lot more candidates, and we want to get your input. Which player projected to be drafted outside the top 10 has the best chance to turn into a star? Please leave your feedback in the comments section below.
Can’t believe the Pistons didn’t take this guy
12 teams didn’t
Yeah but it would’ve made sense for the Pistons to do it at their spot. I thought they were going to take him over Kennard.
Wendell Carter Jr. He’s not projected out of the top 10 but there’s a bigger than not chance he falls. He’s extremely skilled in the post, has a nice shot, is unselfish and a solid passer, and is a smart defender. He might not have the immediate impact that Mitchell had, but in a couple years we’ll be wondering how he wasn’t picked higher.
“Mitchell was viewed as an undersized player for his position who needed to land in the right situation to be successful.” But that is exactly what happened. Utah didn’t have a go-to scorer and then they got one.
I don’t think the player matters as much as the opening on the team for the player. For example, if Kawhi gets traded and the Spurs pick a wing at #18…you might have a Mitchell situation. Same with the #8 pick if LeBron leaves.
I had Mitchell in the 8-11 range last year, and thought he could go higher than that, so I was surprised when he was there at 13. He was the guy I most wanted at 14 for the Heat heading into the draft, but I knew he wouldn’t be there. When Denver was coming up at 13 and he was still on the board, I got really excited, until the trade was announced lol. I knew right then he was getting drafted. That being said, even people high on him couldn’t have known he would do what he did in year 1
This year, ignoring lottery picks, I feel like Zhaire Smith, Aaron Holiday, and some of the guard/wings in the early 20s have chances to outplay their draft position.
Sexton is the most physically Mitchell-like but Alexander, who is not, offers a bigger set of abilities. I think Sexton should be a 2G alongside a bigger PG like SGA, who can cover the bigger opposing guard, and just get after it without having to think a lot. Mitchell likes being clever & using his personality & is alert to go off at any time. Sexton might start his attack before halfcourt! Maybe Walker too, but planning to rely on size in the end. Miles B is a good traffic negotiator like Mitchell. Smith is different, an adaptable more wellrounded athlete, who will be getting it done in time. So sayeth my crystal ball.
I mean Sexton should be free to rush the D, and let SGA do the deliberating.
Agree with Philly fan, WCJ is the type of player I really like, I think he will be an all-star a great value for your money, maybe won’t reach the heights of Ayton & Bagley but might overtake Bamba & JJJ, time will tell.
I hate Mikal Bridges so much… he ruined my first days in middle school because he bullied me. I will never forgive him for what he did and now there might be a chance that my favorite NBA team, the Sixers, might get him… smh. He already made me feel bad for supporting my favorite college basketball team, Villanova, and now he might just make it to the Sixers possibly… I don’t know how this can even happen… Yes I understand that what happened in the past should be forgotten but what I can’t stand is that people are cheering this guy like he’s some hero or something when nobody knows what his past was like. I was just a new student in Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School and it was my first day in an American school, since I had just moved from another country. He and his accomplice cornered me and started intimidating me, leading me to cry since I had no other option having never been in a situation like this before. I was so lucky that a teacher saw me and separated them from me and moved me away from the situation. However, he wasn’t done with me yet… apparently he rode the same bus I rode and his stop was across my bus stop. When I was coming off the bus, he looked at me, snapped a pencil in front of my face, and chased me off the bus. I have never run as fast as I did that day, and it was worse for me since I was fat and he was leaner and faster. Somehow, I managed to escape him and the next day I heard that he had been given some form of punishment by the school and the bus driver and he had to switch buses. I thought that that would be the last I’d hear from him but that alas I was wrong. During homeroom one day, there was an anti-bullying group that asked the students in the class if they ever faced any sort of bullying in their life without discussing any names. When it was my turn, I explained all of this but I said his name out loud, ignoring the anonymity rule, because I felt so strongly about what had happened. It was a traumatic moment so I didn’t care about the rules then. Apparently, he was in the class next door and had heard me say his name, according to him. After the class was over, he came to talk with me and asked me why I said his name. Later, he asked if we could be friends and I said no. Why would I try to forget what he did and then be friends with him? What was he trying to prove? Did he think he was better then me or something? There is no way in the world I can forgive him for what he did! I normally would be really proud and happy to know that, as a normal person, that I got to go the same school as a professional athlete but not on this occasion. If people ask me why I’m saying this now after so many years, it’s because: 1. I don’t really have that much of a platform to speak about this anywhere. I was lucky that HoopsRumors is even talking about this person. 2. I moved to another state after middle school and finally got to get away from him permanently and just put this issue aside but never forgot it. He may have been punished in the past but I want people to know what he did now so they know he had this kind of a problem in his past. I don’t want people to blindly love him without knowing the full details in his life. I will always hate him for what he did to me in middle school and can never forgive him but I can hate him less if others know about this issue too.