First Round NBA Draft Grades: UConn Guys Earn High Marks, Did ATL Make a Mistake?
The first round of the NBA draft has come and gone and I watched every minute of it. I also did a bit of scouting in the week before the draft to learn about each and every one of the players whose names were called tonight. While I’m far from an expert, I have built opinions on each of the picks which I’ll be expressing in the form of draft grades.
Lottery Pick Grades
1. (ATL) Zaccharie Risacher: C+
Risacher is not a great shooter, not a great creator, and not an elite defender. Atlanta is betting on the Frenchman’s athleticism and upside, but I do not see what they see.
2. (WAS) Alex Sarr: B+
Sarr, on the other hand is more of a developed product and unlike Risacher, has shown the ability to dominate games like he did in two showcases against the G-League Ignite. He’s an athletic seven-footer who can shoot which are all solid signs.
3. (HOU) Reed Sheppard: A-
Whether or not you think the Rockets should target Kevin Durant affects this grade. I am on the side that they should ride with their young core, and Sheppard can be an real part of that with his elite shooting, clutch gene, and scrappy defensive play.
4. (SAS) Stephon Castle: A
Castle is a proven winner and is a step to building a dominant defensive unit with Victor Wembanyama. He’ll know how to get Wembanyama the ball with his unselfish mindset, and although he needs to develop his shooting, can be an immediate impact player for the Spurs.
5. (DET) Ron Holland: C+
Detroit passed on young athletic wings for a guard who can’t shoot. I’m not sure the logic behind this pick given that Jaden Ivey has struggled shooting and Ausar Thompson can’t shoot. The Pistons should have put aside their fetish for young non-shooting guards and prioritize positional needs.
6. (CHA) Tidjane Salaun: B+
Salaun is one of the most intense players you’ll ever see which I like for a Charlotte team that is young and seems undisciplined. He’s a bit clumsy but is extremely athletic and is a tad resemblant of Jaylen Brown paired alongside Brandon Miller who plays like Jayson Tatum.
7. (POR) Donovan Clingan: A-
Clingan slid further than expected, largely due to the three teams before the Blazers having established young big man. The fit with DeAndre Ayton is questionable, but Clingan’s defensive prowess and upside is undeniable. And like Castle, he’s was a winner at UConn and can help kickstart a winning culture in Portland.
8. (MIN from SAS): Rob Dillingham: A-
I understand that Dillingham has a very small, slim frame, but he is the exact type of scorer that Minnesota needs off the bench—a bucket-getting, explosive point guard—that they didn’t have in Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Monte Morris last season. Mike Conley’s bad defense didn’t hurt Minnesota last year, and therefore, I think Dillingham will get by.
9. (MEM) Zach Edey: C-
Like most people, I don’t like the Edey pick. I don’t have a problem with the selection in terms of his offensive ability. I think he’s a capable Zubac-type of center and will be the heaviest player in the league. My questions are about Edey clogging the paint when Ja Morant drives inside. He is also a very slow defender and will get hunted in the playoffs but the elite guards of the Western Conference.
10. (UTA) Cody Williams: B+
Cody Williams has a lot of his brother’s traits, and if that’s any indication, he’ll be a good player. Unlike J-Dub, he is slender and will need to bulk up to boost his finishing and on-ball defending, but he’s got a good handle and a developing jumper, giving him strong upside.
11. (CHI) Matas Buzelis: A
Buzelis was probably the steal of the lottery. Most mocks had him falling to the Pistons at No. 5, but Chicago picks him up here. I’ve followed his game for years and have always liked his flow and feel for the game. He is a smart player and can shoot at a reasonable clip from al spots on the floor. While you might be able to overpower Buzelis in size, nobody beats his mentality and I believe that will pay dividends in the league.
12. (OKC) Nikola Topic: B+
Topic appears to me to be a European Josh Giddey. He’s 6’7 but has elite vision and passing. His craftiness has earned him comparisons to Goran Dragic, who I believe is the type of scorer the Thunder needs. On the flip side, Topic is still recovering from an ACL injury and will probably not see the court until next year. I wanted OKC to target Dillingham, but I believe Topic is the next best option.
13. (SAC) Devin Carter: B
Carter is a gamer and a winner as we saw at the college level when he played for a successful Providence team. He is undersized, but uses it to his advantage on offense where he is a good finisher and a capable shooter. My questions are about what Sacramento will do with their overload of point guard depth. De’Aaron Fox is their best player, they just signed Malik Monk to a four-year extension, and I like both Keon Ellis and Davion Mitchell as defensive spark plugs.
14. (WAS from POR) Bub Carrington: C
George told me last night that Carrington transferred away from his high school in Maryland which made me dislike the kid to begin with, but all bias aside, I’m not sure what Washington’s plan with Carrington is. He is a Jordan Poole type of player—the last thing the Wizards need—with a sporadic jumper and an unwillingness to attack the rim. The Wizards need more established NBA players and not projects like Carrington in order to compete.
Non-Lottery Pick Grades
15. (MIA) Kel’el Ware: B+
Ware is a good contrast to Bam Adebayo with shades of Dereck Lively’s athleticism and Myles Turner’s shooting. However, he needs to improve his consistency and focus. Heat culture should help with that.
16. (PHI) Jared McCain: A-
McCain and Maxey in the backcourt may be small, but McCain is a feisty defender, one of the best shooters in the draft which everyone needs, and is a spark in the locker room with his bright personality.
17. (LAL) Dalton Knecht: A
The Lakers got the steal of the draft with a guy who is ready to contribute now, provides elite shooting and shot creation, and won’t show fear playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis as a former SEC player of the year.
18. (ORL) Tristan Da Silva: B
Da Silva gives the Magic some much needed shooting and finishing, but doesn’t earn high marks because his skills muchly overlap with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
19. (TOR) JaKobe Walter: B+
Toronto got a bit of a steal here, and with Immanuel Quickley and Gary Trent Jr. in the backcourt, Walter provides the fearless off-the-dribble aggressiveness and shooting that the Raptors need.
20. (CLE) Jaylon Tyson: A-
Tyson is a pure hooper and gives the Cavs more scoring options off the dribble as well is positional flexibility as Tyson can play guard and wing and well as get to the post every once in a while.
21. (NOP) Yves Missi: B-
Missi is a good lob threat and rebounder and is a good contrast to what wasn’t working in New Orleans with Jonas Valanciunas, but he’s still a big work in progress with low minutes during his college career and undisciplined defense.
22. (DEN from PHO) DaRon Holmes: A-
Denver’s had their eye on Holmes through the entire draft process, so they’re happy with this pick. He’s the polar opposite of Nikola Jokic and will fit perfectly as a backup, and has already shown signs of domination in college at Dayton.
23. (MIL) AJ Johnson: C+
Milwaukee has had an unbelievably low hit rate with their recent draft picks and Doc Rivers isn’t too keen on playing young guys. Just ask MarJon Beauchamp, who was drafted a pick later than Johnson in the 2022 draft. More than anything, I feel badly for Johnson.
24. (WAS from NYK) Kyshawn George: A-
With Washington expecting a fair share of guys on the roster to create, including Bub Carrington, George should be able to play off the ball where he thrives—he shot 40.8% from beyond the arc in his only season at Miami.
25. (NYK) Pacome Dadiet: A-
Dadiet is a project which the Knicks need after giving up five first round picks in their deal for Mikal Bridges. He is extremely athletic, but unlike many young, athletic foreign kids, he cant shoot and has a high basketball IQ.
26. (OKC from WAS) Dillon Jones: B-
Jones is a good player but I don’t agree with trading five second round picks for a player that will be in a log jam behind OKC’s other wings for minutes.
27. (MIN) Terrence Shannon Jr: A-
Shannon is NBA ready, but his rape charge and similarity to some of Minnesota’s other young guards don’t allow him to earn an A+.
28. (PHO from DEN) Ryan Dunn: A-
Like Bill Simmons says, anytime you can get a guy late in the first round that is excellent at one thing—for Dunn, it’s his defense—, he is a steal.
29. (UTA) Isaiah Collier: B+
Collier is explosive and is a tank when he gets downhill. He provides shot creation that Utah needs at the guard position but doesn’t fix their shooting and defensive needs for now.
30. (BOS) Baylor Scheierman: A
Boston got a big, strong, experienced, well-rounded sniper from three that is ready to play now. What more could they have asked for at No. 30?