We are now just six months away from what is shaping up to be a very special NBA draft. This year’s class has not only lived up to the hype, it has exceeded expectations through the first stretch of the college basketball season. The top prospects have been as good as advertised, led by Duke forward Cooper Flagg and the Rutgers duo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. Let’s take a look at some of the other players who are shooting up draft boards:
- Kasparas Jakucionis, 6-foot-6 freshman guard, Illinois
Perhaps no prospect has been more impressive over the past month than Jakucionis. Since November 25, the 18-year-old from Lithuania has averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 50 percent from the field, 49 percent from three and 89 percent from the free throw line. He is the primary reason the Fighting Illini have climbed to No. 13 in the latest AP poll (and No. 12 in Hoops HQ’s rankings). According to multiple NBA scouts, who requested anonymity so they could discuss prospects freely, Jakucionis has played his way into the top five conversation. He is projected to go fifth in Hoops HQ’s latest mock.
Known more for his court vision and playmaking, Jakucionis’ hot shooting has also helped his draft stock tremendously. His overall composure and confidence as the orchestrator of Brad Underwood’s offense, which ranks seventh in the country in scoring at 87.6 points per game, has stood out the most. Prior to joining Illinois, Jakucionis played for European powerhouse FC Barcelona. At 16, he became one of the youngest players ever to suit up for the club.
After watching him put up 16 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists in the Fighting Illini’s 109-77 win over then-No. 9 Oregon on Friday, here’s what one NBA scout told Hoops HQ about Jakucionis: “He was like an assassin. He was just even-keeled. I compare it to how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is for the Thunder. You don’t see SGA’s facial expression change too much. He just moves with an air of, like, I do this. I’m going about my business. I can’t be stopped. But I don’t need to tell you about it, because it’s just how it is.”
- Jeremiah Fears, 6-foot-4 freshman guard, Oklahoma
Fears reclassified in high school and is one of the youngest players in college basketball. Before the season, scouts weren’t positive he would be one-and-done at Oklahoma. Now he is being looked at as a possible lottery pick. Fears is the primary reason OU has gone from unranked to as high as No. 12 in the country in last week’s AP poll. He is currently averaging 17.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals while shooting 49 percent from the field.
At 18 years old, Fears is incredibly advanced as a scorer. He breaks down defenses with his speed, shiftiness and elite handles. At the Jumpman Invitational in mid-December, an event attended by a large number of scouts, he dropped 30 points and had the game-winning four-point play to lift the Sooners over then-No. 24 Michigan. “He has done it all,” one scout told Hoops HQ about Fears. “He’s got that ‘it factor.’”
With conference play underway, NBA teams will be keeping a close eye on how Fears fares in a historically good SEC. His efficiency and decision-making are the biggest factors to monitor.
- Asa Newell, 6-foot-11 freshman forward, Georgia
Georgia’s second highest-ranked recruit ever has thrived this season, averaging 15.5 points (on 59 percent shooting), 6.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks. His draft stock has risen significantly due to his size, motor, versatility and ability to seamlessly slot into any system. On offense, he does not force the action or demand the ball. He plays within the flow and still manages to produce at a high rate. On defense, he has the lateral quickness to switch onto guards in pick-and-rolls and the athleticism to protect the rim. “He’s gonna emerge as one of these safe [picks]. He can play both ends of the floor,” one NBA scout said. Another sees him as “a guy that’s going to be a winning basketball player in our league for a long time.”
In a previous interview with Hoops HQ, Georgia head coach Mike White raved about Newell’s approach to the game. “He’s a really mentally tough kid that just fights through fatigue, plays the right way, makes winning plays, doesn’t take plays off,” White said. “He’s just ultra-intense and consistent.”
Newell is in the running to be a top 10 pick come June. His ceiling will be largely determined by how well he develops as a shooter. Coaches and scouts don’t see any issues with his mechanics, but Newell has connected on just 27 percent of his three-point attempts thus far. He has been much more efficient from the free throw line of late, hitting 14 of his last 17 (82 percent).
The 6-foot-11 Newell continues to expand his offensive game
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- Kam Jones, 6-foot-5 senior guard, Marquette
Previously projected as a second rounder, Jones is now firmly in the first-round discussion. The senior has averaged 19.7 points, 6.4 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 51 percent from the field and 35 percent from three. He ranks third in KenPom’s player of the year standings behind Flagg and Johni Broome. His scoring has always been impressive, but he is doing it all for the Golden Eagles this season. In a mid-November win over then-No. 6 Purdue, Jones recorded just the third triple double in school history (17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists). With Jones leading the way, Marquette is No. 7 in the AP poll.
- Maxime Raynaud, 7-foot-1 senior forward, Stanford
Multiple scouts mentioned the big man from Paris as a prospect who has begun to climb draft boards. Raynaud has put up monster numbers for Stanford, averaging 20.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. His offensive skill set is particularly intriguing. At 7-foot-1, he can hit from the perimeter (36 percent from three on nearly five attempts per game) and displays excellent touch with both hands around the basket. He is comfortable operating on the low post and in pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop situations. There is some concern about his lack of rim protection and physicality inside, but if he improves in those areas and continues to score the ball efficiently, Raynaud could definitely move up into the first round.
- One scout mentioned Oregon State forward Michael Rataj as a sleeper who could potentially leap into the late first round. The 6-foot-9 junior from Germany is averaging 16.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals while shooting 48 percent from the field and 38 percent from three.
- Another player mentioned in Hoops HQ’s conversations with scouts: BYU freshman forward Kanon Catchings. The flashes of athleticism and shooting from the 19-year-old are enticing. It hasn’t all come together yet (he is averaging just 10.8 points and shooting 33 percent from deep), but as one scout put it, Catchings could be a “home run” pick.
- Both Colorado State senior guard Nique Clifford and San Diego State sophomore guard Miles Byrd are projected as first rounders in our latest mock (Clifford at No. 24, Byrd at No. 22). At 6-foot-5, Clifford has attracted attention from NBA teams due to his versatility, athleticism and ability to stuff the stat sheet. He ranks 12th in Division I in rebounds per game (10.8). Byrd has averaged 13.9 points and connected on 40 percent of his threes for the Aztecs. He fits the mold of a prototypical 3-and-D player. One scout called him “one of the best defenders in college basketball.”
