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Bricktown Beat: Composite Big Board

Photo Credits: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

With the NBA Draft less than 24 hours away, months and months of draft homework and intel are about to be flushed away — the real deal is finally here.

Having that said, people’s answers to various prospects have been polarizing to say the deal. Here’s how you settle things, the Big Board.

This Big Board is the first and only iteration up on Bricktown Beat. This Big Board is based on how it is believed a “2021 redraft” may look a couple of years down the line. This Big Board is not based on where it is believed prospects will be selected in the draft, or where their potential ranks them. This is a matter of making the hot-pressing takes on prospects.

Here’s a list of first-round graded prospects:

No.NameCollegePositionHt.Wt.Age
1Cade CunninghamOklahoma StatePG/SG6’8”22019
2Jalen GreenG-League IgnitePG/SG6’618019
3Evan MobleyUSCC7’021519
4Jonathan KumingaG-League IgniteSF6’821018
5Scottie BarnesFlorida StateSF6’823019
6James Bouknight UConnSG6’521020
7Jalen SuggsGonzagaPG6’520519
8Davion MitchellBaylorSG6’020222
9Alperen SengunTurkeyC6’1024018
10Keon JohnsonTennesseeSG6’418519
11Josh GiddeyAustraliaPG/SF6’820518
12Usman GarubaReal MadridC6’822919
13Moses MoodyArkansasSG6’521119
14Sharife CooperAuburnPG6’318019
15Trey Murphy IIIVirginiaSF6’920621
16JT ThorAuburnPF6’1020319
17Isaiah ToddG-League IgnitePF6’921019
18Cam ThomasLSUPG6’421019
19Nah’shon “Bones” HylandVCUPG6’216920
20Kai JonesTexasPF/C6’1022120
21Ziare WilliamsStanfordSF6’818819
22Corey KispertGonzagaSF6’622422
23Chris Duarte OregonSG6’619024
24Tre MannFloridaPG/SG6’417820
25Isaiah JacksonKentuckyC6’1020619
26Jared ButlerBaylorPG/SG6’319320
27Franz WagnerMichiganSG/SF6’922019
28Jaden SpringerTennesseePG/SG6’320218
29Jalen JohhsonDukeSF6’821019
30Filip PetrusevAdriatic LeaguePF/C6’1122521
31Charles BasseyWestern KentuckyPF/C6’923020
32Kessler Edwards PepperdineSF6’820022
33Juhann BegarinParis BasketballPG6’518518
34 Vrenz BleijenberghAntwerp Intl.PG/SF6’1121021
35Ayo DosunmoIllinoisPG6’519421
36Daishen NixG-League IgnitePG6’519519
37Josh ChristopherArizona StateSG/SF6’521519

Biggest Risers/Steals

Isaiah Todd leads the pack as a steal climbing the board from a presumptive late-twenties to early-second-round candidate to a steady mid-first at pick no. 17. A notch above Todd in the board comes with another lengthy four in Auburn’s JT Thor. Thor has been in the mix as a first-round candidate for most of the draft process though his name, just like Todd’s, is wavering near second-round territory. Sharife Cooper sneaks into a lottery grade at selection no. 14 as a product of the guard’s explosive play as a ball-handler and passer.

Major risers outside of consensus first-rounders kick back up with Adriatic League MVP Filip Petrusev. Petrusev, if brought over, has shown signs to be a proficient stretch big off the bench. Charles Bassey also sneaks under the radar as a sharpshooting big.

Juhann Begarin steals the show as this year’s “Paul Reed” pick, better known as your late-second round darling. Begarin is a top of the line athlete in his class, and at 18-years-old — he has a bright future ahead of him. The 6-foot-5 combo guard has dabbled in a bit of everything overseas, and I liken his game as a higher-flying, less-crafty Theo Maledon, though he’s still extremely gifted lasering in passes. Just like many though, he’ll need to transfigure his spotty shot-creating into a full-time gig.

Jonathan Kuminga at pick no. 4 is a tad unconventional to most, but as I view it — Kuminga should be able to reach his potential shooting. The rest of his game sorts itself out.

Draft Slides/Busts

The most glaring “slide” on the list found his way to pick no. 27 in Franz Wagner. Wagner, age 19, was a gifted defender for Michigan, but his sharpshooting abilities are far from a done deal like many project. Wagner slips in as a solid bench contributor in my eyes as a corner sitter and switchable defender, but nothing of lottery value.

Small forwards Jalen Johnson and Ziare Williams are the most polarizing picks in the draft in my eyes — they are graded as such. Jalen Johnson has the mold of point forward with a good passing game, but he is so raw that his projection is almost contingent upon who selects him. Johnson will be a solid project, but I think a lack of a legitimate blow-by or three would kill him if not produced. Ziare Williams gets a better grade from me as his quickness boosts his value on both sides, but he too needs to get the wrinkles out of his shooting inconsistencies.

Jalen Suggs sliding to seven is a take that may be blown out of proportion. The separation between seven and five is minimal on this list, and pick four is fairly close as well. Suggs pans out to be an elite-level passing Marcus Smart for me. A guy who can explode on the offensive end, but not on a night-to-night basis. The one thing he can lean upon though is his passing, and he’s arguably the best one in the class.

All thirty-seven of these men are anticipated to be selected in tonight’s sixty-player NBA Draft. The Draft will begin at 7 pm CST.

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