Hunter Vaught
Zion Williamson
Pro Comparison: Charles Barkley
Zion Williamson is looked upon by many as the consensus number one pick in the 2019 NBA draft, and I will say that I definintely agree. He is averaging 22.4 PPG to go along with 9.2 RPG and 1.9 BLK per game, all while shooting 68% from the field. Many try to compare him to Lebron James but there is no one that could be compared to such a generational talent, not until they have proven themselves in the NBA, but if you look into it more, you can see that he compares very well with no other than the round mound of rebound Charles Barkley. Barkley’s NBA stats were as followed 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, and .8 BLK, all while shooting 54%. Statistically they are almost identical, while Zion shoots 68% from the floor right now, don’t expect that to stay once he is in the NBA. The way he plays heavy and powerful defense the same way Charles was able to play. Stats don’t lie and their stats are eerily similar.
RJ Barrett
Pro Comparison: Demar Derozen
With RJs ability to shoot and score from anywhere on the court, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get taken with the number one pick also. Right now, for the Duke blue devils he is averaging 22 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 4 AST, while shooting 34% from three. RJ has the ability to attack the rim while causing people to still have to respect him from beyond the arch. You also better watch out when defending him because he has the same ability to dunk on you that Derozen has. The lethality on the offensive end that RJ has is the reason he is going to be a future all-star. His length and athleticism make him almost impossible to guard when he’s making his shots from deep.
Ja Morant
Pro Comparison: Russell Westbrook
Ja Morant is college basketball’s very own Russell Westbrook, he’s averaging 24.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 10.2 AST. This kid is a stat sheet stuffer just like Westbrook, oh and also, he can throw down some highflying posters if you aren’t careful. He also compares to Westbrook in some negative ways, as he averages over 5 turnovers per game. If Morant is going to be just as good as everyone thinks he is going to be, he is going to have to cut down on these high-volume turnovers. He has every ability to be a triple-double machine but to be a future all-star, he is going to need to focus on cutting his turnovers down. With the way he can dribble and drive he could be a deadly scorer for whoever drafts him.
Cam Reddish
Pro Comparison: Nicholas Batum
Cam Reddish seems to have been somewhat forgotten about as he continues to be overshadowed by his two powerhouse teammates at Duke. But he has every opportunity to take the NBA by storm with his three-point shooting and big body, standing at 6-8 and 220 lbs he has the ability to play anywhere from the 2 to the 4 while shooting 34 percent from three. Like Nicholas Batum he has the body to play three different positions in todays NBA which is focused around stretching the floor. If Reddish goes to the right team where he can be a complementary three-point shooter who can play a big 2 guard or stretch four much like Batum, he could become a very strong number two for a team.
Rui Hachimura
Pro Comparison: Jabari Parker
Rui Hachimura seemed to be overlooked at the beginning of this season of college basketball, mostly because of the entirety of the media looking at Dukes all star recruiting class. But recently he has been getting a lot more attention from the media, this is happening mainly because of his ability to fill up the stat sheet. Hachimura is averaging 20.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, .9 STL and .9 BLK. All while shooting an outstanding 60% from the field and 42% from three. His ability to drive inside while also not being a liability from the three-point line compares very well to Jabari Parker. Parkers ability to attack the basket with his athleticism while still weighing in at 245 lbs. is really exactly how I see Rui playing in today’s NBA. If he uses his size to his advantage, he can dominate some of the small forwards in todays NBA as people like to play small.
Naz Reid
Pro comparison: Al Horford
Naz Reid is a NBA prospect that seems to have attacked college basketball by storm with his ability to attack the rim, while still being able to step back and hit a three when needed. He also is a quick and athletic defender averaging a block per game but has the ability to contest people all around the rim with his length and athleticism, much like Al Horford if he gets taken to a team where he can complement a star guard he will be set. The pick and roll with his athleticism will be fantastic to wherever he gets drafted, with his ability to roll to the rim or back out and get hit for the pick and pop. Reid would be the perfect pick for a lottery team looking to make the next step into the playoffs and hopefully playoff contention. He is a real lottery sleeper that some team is going to be very lucky to add to their team. His ability to drive and finish and still be able to step back and pop a three very much like Al Horford is what sets him apart from the other centers in this draft class.
Markus Howard
Pro comparison: CJ McCollum
Markus Howard is probably the best all-around college scorer that you haven’t heard of. Howard has the ability to score from anywhere on the court, he’s shooting 44% from the three-point line this season for Marquette. If Howard keeps up this type of scoring ability once he’s in the NBA he will be able to leave a statement as a top guard in the league someday. But let’s keep it real with the athleticism of today’s NBA he’s going to have to rely heavily on his three-point shot because of his short stature at just being 5’11”. This leads to him playing a lot like CJ McCollum does now, he’s going to need to be a sharpshooting 2 guard who can spot up and be ready for a pass from a slashing forward/guard. If he does this, he will excel in the NBA just like CJ McCollum has done in today’s NBA. The ability to shoot from deep is becoming a thing that all NBA players must have, especially if you are on the shorter end of the NBA average.
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