SECOND ROUND
Pick No. 60, Atlanta Hawks — Alpha Kaba, center, France
Kaba is a young big man who’s in the early stages of his development. His offensive game is a mixed bag, and he likely will stay in Europe for at least another year or two.
Pick No. 59, San Antonio Spurs — Jaron Blossomgame, guard, Clemson
Blossomgame needs to show he can score on NBA defenders to be able to stay in the league. He’s a streaky shooter and below-average defender, but he has a high basketball IQ and is good off cuts. He will have time to develop in San Antonio.
Pick No. 58, New York Knicks — Ognjen Jaramaz, guard, Serbia
Jaramaz is an electric driver who needs to improve on his jump shot to hold down an NBA roster spot.
Pick No. 57, Brooklyn Nets — Aleksandar Vezenkov, forward, Cyprus
Vezenkov is a good scorer, but he’s a below-average athlete by NBA standards. He most likely will struggle to score against bigger, more athletic defenders.
Pick No. 56, Boston Celtics — Jabari Bird, guard, California
Bird is a good athlete who can create a shot with either hand. He’s an average ball handler who is susceptible to taking bad outside shots.
Pick No. 55, Utah Jazz — Nigel Williams-Goss, guard, Gonzaga
Williams-Goss is a solid defender who can score on smaller defenders. However, he lacks the athleticism and long-range shooting ability to be an effective NBA point guard.
Pick No. 54, Phoenix Suns — Alec Peters, forward, Valparaiso
Peters has a smooth jump shot with 3-point range, but he needs to improve on scoring off the dribble to be a successful NBA scorer.
Pick No. 53, Boston Celtics — Kadeem Allen, guard, Arizona
Allen is great in transition but offers very little in terms of halfcourt scoring.
Pick No. 52, New Orleans Pelicans — Edmond Sumner, guard, Xavier
Sumner possesses elite-level physical tools, but has he limitations as a shooter, finisher and decision-maker.
Pick No. 51, Denver Nuggets — Monte Morris, guard, Iowa State
Morris is a mistake-free point guard who will need to develop a more versatile offensive game to be successful in the league.
Pick No. 50, Philadelphia 76ers — Mathias Lessort, forward, France
Lessort is a high-energy, under-skilled big who probably will be overseas some time.
Pick No. 49, Denver Nuggets — Vlatko Cancar, forward, Slovenia
Cancar has a versatile offensive game, but he’s inconsistent when the defense focuses on him, and he will be a project.
Pick No. 48, Milwaukee Bucks — Sindarius Thornwell, forward, South Carolina
The South Carolina forward made a name for himself by leading the NCAA Tournament in scoring en route to the Final Four. While he doesn’t profile as a scorer in the NBA, his size, physicality, and defensive tenacity could make him stick in the league.
Pick No. 47, Indiana Pacers — Ike Anigbogu, center, UCLA
Anigbogu fell in the draft because of knee issues, but if he can get healthy, he could be a talented rotation piece in a few years.
Pick No. 46, Philadelphia 76ers — Sterling Brown, guard, SMU
Brown is surprisingly explosive and just might be the sleeper of the draft. He isn’t a lockdown defender, but he has the smarts and intangibles to be a good player in the league.
Pick No. 45, Houston Rockets — Dillon Brooks, forward, Oregon
Brooks was an elite scorer at the college level, but he doesn’t have the foot speed or physicality to be effective in the NBA. Brooks reportedly will be traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Pick No. 44, New York Knicks — Damyean Dotson, guard, Houston
Dotson is a shooter, plain and simple. He was one of the best 3-point shooters in the country in college, and he should fill a need in New York.
Pick No. 43, Houston Rockets — Isaiah Hartenstein, forward, Germany
The German is a mobile big who plays with a chip on his shoulder. He will need to become a better shooter to be an effective NBA player.
Pick No. 42, Utah Jazz — Thomas Bryant, forward, Indiana
The 19-year-old Bryant has good size, motor and physicality to earn him some early bench minutes in the NBA. He has good length, but he must become a better finisher and rebounder to earn solid playing time.
Pick No. 41, Atlanta Hawks — Tyler Dorsey, guard, Oregon
Dorsey is a good shooter off the catch and off the dribble, as he showed in the Ducks’ run to the Final Four. He isn’t a good defender, but he profiles as a catch-and-shoot guy off the bench.
Pick No. 40, New Orleans Pelicans — Dwayne Bacon, guard, Florida State
Bacon has an impressive offensive game but lacked consistency in college. He’s a good finisher who must improve his jump shot and become a better rebounder to stay on the floor in the NBA.
Pick No. 39, Philadelphia 76ers — Jawun Evans, guard, Oklahoma State
The Oklahoma State guard can score at all three levels and should be a solid bench piece in the NBA.
Pick No. 38, Chicago Bulls — Jordan Bell, forward, Oregon
Bell is one of the best athletes in the draft. He can clean the glass and block any shot in the gym. His offensive skill is limited, however, as he can only score from 12 feet and in. Bell reportedly will be traded to the Golden State Warriors.
Pick No. 37, Boston Celtics — Semi Ojeleye, forward, SMU
The SMU forward is an explosive athlete who can score the ball both inside and outside. Ojeleye, however, is kind of caught in between positions on the defensive end, as he doesn’t have the height to guard traditional power forwards in the NBA and doesn’t have the speed to chase around NBA wings.
Pick No. 36, Philadelphia 76ers — Jonah Bolden, forward, Australia
Bolden is a unique NBA athlete who can shoot the ball from distance. He is a good athlete who can run the floor and defend multiple positions.
Pick No. 35, Orlando Magic — Ivan Rabb, center, California
Rabb is a solid NBA prospect at the center position. He has a good shooting touch and is a talented rebounder. He’s a mobile big man who excels at running the floor.
Pick No. 34, Sacramento Kings — Frank Mason, guard, Kansas
The 2017 Wooden Award winner is a tough competitor who is an excellent shooter, especially from 3-point range. While Mason might have issues scoring at the rim, he has a versatile offensive repertoire that should allow him to be successful in the NBA.
Pick No. 33, Orlando Magic — Wesley Iwundu, forward, Kansas State
Iwundu has a solid all-around game, and he can play adequate on-ball defense. He still has to improve on the offensive end and likely will be a project in Orlando.
Pick No. 32, Phoenix Suns — Davon Reed, guard, Miami
Reed is a good finisher with a smooth jump shot. He profiled as a 3-and-D guy, as his length, versatility and 3-point shot give him great tools to be a successful NBA player. He’ll need to work on becoming a better contested jump shooter if he wants to stay on the floor.
Pick No. 31, Charlotte Hornets — Frank Jackson, guard, Duke
Jackson is a powerful combo guard who plays downhill, and he has all the tools to be an effective player in the NBA. He is an adequate 3-point shooter, but he does most of his damage on straight drives to the rim. He reportedly will be traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.
FIRST ROUND
Pick No. 30, Utah Jazz — Josh Hart, guard, Villanova
Hart is a great rebounder at the guard position and a talented defender. He’s a great finisher and showed marked improvement in his jump shot during his senior year at Villanova. Hart brings all the intangibles you want in a basketball player. He’s a high IQ guard who plays tenacious defense and comes from a winning background. He reportedly will be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Pick No. 29, San Antonio Spurs — Derrick White, guard, Colorado
White is a smooth combo guard who can finish around the rim. He is an explosive playmaker with a good feel for the game. He was most effective in pick-and-roll and isolation sets at Colorado. White will have time to grow and develop in the Spurs’ championship culture.
Pick No. 28, Los Angeles Lakers — Tony Bradley, center, North Carolina
Bradley is just the third one-and-done for North Carolina and profiles as a big with tremendous upside. He’s a great rebounder with great size and length. While he didn’t see the floor a lot for the Tar Heels, Bradley looks the part of a legit NBA center. He reportedly will be traded to the Utah Jazz.
Pick No. 27, Brooklyn Nets — Kyle Kuzma, forward, Utah
Kuzma has all the skills to be a stretch four in today’s NBA. While he didn’t shoot 3-pointers well during the season, he lit up workouts with his long-range shooting and his ability to pass and handle the ball from the power forward position. He’s a good rebounder with above-average foot speed, but he will need to put on some muscle in order to finish around the rim against elite athletes. Kuzma reportedly will be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the reported D’Angelo Russell deal.
Pick No. 26, Portland Trail Blazers — Caleb Swanigan, center, Purdue
Swanigan was one of the best rebounders in college basketball last season. He’s an efficient scorer around the rim and can stretch the defense out to 16 feet. Where Swanigan will struggle is on the defensive end. At 6-foot-8, he doesn’t have the size to bang down low, and he lacks the foot speed to defend on the perimeter.
Pick No. 25, Orlando Magic — Anzejs Pasecniks, forward, Latvia
Pasecniks is a talented, versatile big man. He excels at catching lobs and finishing around the rim. He is an adequate defender and must continue to improve on his jump shot. Pasecniks reportedly will be traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Pick No. 24, Utah Jazz — Tyler Lydon, forward, Syracuse
For Lydon, it starts with his jump shot, as he hit an outstanding 40 percent on 3-pointers in his two seasons at Syracuse. While he is a great catch-and-shoot threat, Lydon isn’t nearly as effective off the bounce. He will need to work on that and improve his man-to-man defense since he played mostly zone in college. He reportedly will be sent to the Denver Nuggets as part of the early trade for No. 13 overall pick Donovan Mitchell.
Pick No. 23, Toronto Raptors — OG Anunoby, guard, Indiana
Anunoby has the ability to be an elite defender at the NBA level. He has a 7-foot-2-inch wingspan and impressive athleticism, and is a physical presence on the defensive end. His length creates issues for shooters, and Indiana often put him in point guards in order to disrupt the offensive flow.
Pick No. 22, Brooklyn Nets — Jarrett Allen, center, Texas
The Nets need all the help they can get, so they decided to bolster their roster with a talented but raw center from Texas. Allen is a great rim runner and a great scorer in the lane. He is limited offensively, though, as he can only score from 12 feet and in.
Pick No. 21, Oklahoma City Thunder — Terrance Ferguson, guard, Australia
The 6-foot-7 guard has the potential to be the ultimate 3-and-D guy in the NBA. While he shot just 31 percent on 3-pointers in his only season playing in Australia, he has shown the ability to be an elite shooter. He will be a project, but he should get plenty of playing time with the Thunder.
Pick No. 20, Portland Trail Blazers — Harry Giles, forward, Duke
Giles is the biggest boom-or-bust prospect in the draft. He once was considered the top talent in the draft class, but multiple ACL tears caused him to miss over a year of court time, and he never looked fully healthy for Duke. The Blazers reportedly will send Giles to the Sacramento Kings as part of the trade for No. 10 pick Zach Collins. If Giles’ knees continue to get healthy, he could be one of the best players to come out of this draft.
Pick No. 19, Atlanta Hawks — John Collins, forward, Wake Forest
Collins was one of the most efficient players in college basketball this past season. He’s great at running the floor in transition and is a talented rebounder. Collins, however, struggles on the defensive end of the floor and has a hard time staying out of foul trouble. His ability to improve on the defensive end will determine his staying power in the league.
Pick No. 18, Indiana Pacers — T.J. Leaf, forward, UCLA
Leaf is a skilled big man with a deadly jump shot. While Leaf probably isn’t NBA ready right now, he has the ability to develop into a high-quality big. He has the ability to score at all three levels of the defense, and he has good range and is a good finisher in transition. Leaf will have to work hard on the defensive end of the floor, where he doesn’t have the length or athleticism to bother opponents.
Pick No. 17, Milwaukee Bucks — D.J. Wilson, forward, Michigan
Wilson is athletic, long, agile, big and versatile, but he isn’t without flaws. Wilson often shies away from contact and lacks discipline on the defensive end. The Bucks are getting another long body to add to their already-lanky lineup.
Pick No. 16, Chicago Bulls — Justin Patton, center, Creighton
The Bulls select the young center from Creighton and reportedly will ship him to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the Jimmy Butler trade. Patton was one of the most effective scorers around the rim and has huge potential as a shot blocker.
Pick No. 15, Portland Trail Blazers — Justin Jackson, forward, North Carolina
The Blazers took the 2017 ACC Player of the Year but reportedly will trade his rights to the Sacramento Kings. Jackson is great at working off the ball and has a variety of offensive moves. He’ll need to work on being more consistent, but the Kings got another talented to piece to pair with No. 5 overall pick De’Aaron Fox.
Pick No. 14, Miami Heat — Bam Adebayo, center, Kentucky
Adebayo is a great rim protector, but he will need to improve his raw offensive game to make a serious impact in the league. For now, Adebayo will serve as a great bench big behind Hassan Whiteside.
Pick No. 13, Denver Nuggets — Donovan Mitchell, guard, Louisville
The Nuggets select arguably the best athlete in the draft. The combo guard is great in transition and can have a great impact on the game defensively. But the Nuggets reportedly will trade him to the Utah Jazz.
Pick No. 12, Detroit Pistons — Luke Kennard, guard, Duke
Kennard is the best shooter in the draft. The crafty left-hander is a sneaky good athlete and has a high basketball IQ. He has great hand-eye coordination and is great at moving without the ball. Kennard’s ability to score in a variety of ways will keep him in the NBA for a long time.
Pick No. 11, Charlotte Hornets — Malik Monk, guard, Kentucky
The Hornets pair one of the best shooters in the draft with star point guard Kemba Walker. Monk is great with the ball in his hands, but he will need to get stronger in order to create his own shot at the next level.
Pick No. 10, Sacramento Kings — Zach Collins, forward, Gonzaga
The Kings reportedly will trade the forward to the Blazers for the No. 15 and No. 20 overall picks. Collins has few holes in his game, and if he can stretch his range to the 3-point line, he will be a solid NBA player for a long time.
TRADE: The Sacramento Kings reportedly have traded the No. 10 overall pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for the Nos. 15 and 20 selections.
Pick No. 9, Dallas Mavericks — Dennis Smith Jr., guard, NC State
Smith is a talented scorer who will be able to contribute immediately to a Mavericks team in desperate need of scoring. The electric point guard will need to work on his defensive game, but Smith’s ability to score the ball should make him a staple in the league.
Pick No. 8, New York Knicks — Frank Ntilikina, guard, France
The Knicks take the 6-foot-5 guard who is an outstanding defender. He is a high IQ player who shoots 40 percent from the 3-point line. Ntilikina appears to be a good fit in the triangle offense alongside Kristaps Porzingis.
Pick No. 7, Minnesota Timberwolves — Lauri Markkanen, forward, Arizona
The Wolves draft Markkanen and will trade him to the Chicago Bulls in the deal for Jimmy Butler. Markkanen shot a ridiculous 42 percent from the 3-point line in his only season at Arizona. He must work on his consistency and defensive mobility to be able to stay on the floor in the NBA, though.
Pick No. 6, Orlando Magic — Jonathan Isaac, forward, Flordia State
Isaac is the most intriguing prospect in the draft. He has the length and athleticism to be a star in the NBA, but he disappeared for games at a time during his only season at Florida State.
Pick No. 5, Sacramento Kings — De’Aaron Fox, guard, Kentucky
The Kings take the Wildcats star, who significantly outplayed No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball in their two meetings this past season. Fox has blazing speed and is a talented defender who will slide into the Kings’ backcourt alongside Buddy Hield.
Pick No. 4, Phoenix Suns — Josh Jackson, forward, Kansas
The Suns use the fourth overall selection to take the best two-way player in the draft. Jackson is a tenacious on-ball defender, and while he has to iron out some kinks on the offensive end, the Suns drafted a talented wing player to pair with Devin Booker.
7:56 p.m.: The Celtics have selected Jayson Tatum, but they reportedly are looking to acquire a superstar.
Pick No. 3, Boston Celtics — Jayson Tatum, forward Duke
The Celtics take the best scorer in the draft. Tatum probably is the most NBA-ready prospect in the draft, and he has the ability to score at the rim and from the 3-point line. The Duke forward can impact the game at both ends of the floor and might be the best player in the draft.
Pick No. 2, Los Angeles Lakers — Lonzo Ball, guard, UCLA
The Lakers made LaVar Ball’s proclamation come true, as L.A. selected the transcendent point guard. Ball has unrivaled court vision and an uncanny ability to make his teammates better. He has the ability to be the top point guard for the next 10 years.
TRADE: The Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly have agreed to acquire Jimmy Butler from the Chicago Bulls.
Pick No. 1, Philadelphia 76ers — Markelle Fultz, guard, Washington
The 76ers did what everyone expected after they acquired the No. 1 overall pick from the Boston Celtics. Fultz is a talented scorer and will fit nicely alongside Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
7:36 p.m.: The Utah Jazz have their eye on acquiring a starting point guard.
7:36 p.m.: The Philadelphia 76ers are on the clock.
7:26 p.m.: The Celtics might have found their man in Josh Jackson.
7:26 p.m.: The Boston Celtics probably made their final offer for Kristaps Porzingis.
7:24 p.m.: The Raptors are looking to make a move.
7:11 p.m.: It appears the Denver Nuggets could be active on the trade front tonight.
7:05 p.m.: Everyone is seated here at Barclays Center. Waiting on NBA commissioner Adam Silver to come to the podium.
6:45 p.m.: Kansas coach Bill Self has made his way over to Josh Jackson’s table to chat with his former star. We have got 15 minutes to go.
6:35 p.m.: We’re just under 30 minutes away, and the prospects have taken a seat with their families.
6:15 p.m.: In case you’re wondering — yes, LaVar Ball and family are here.
6 p.m.: The players have started to filter in, and that means an obligatory photo shoot.
5:30 p.m. ET: How could we visit Brooklyn and pass up a chance to take a shot at the Nets?
Pre-draft: Enough with the endless rumors. It’s time to make some picks.
The 2017 NBA Draft kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Philadelphia 76ers now own the No. 1 overall pick after trading with the Boston Celtics and are expected to draft Washington’s Markelle Fultz.
But after that, things could get interesting. The Los Angeles Lakers may or may not be a slam dunk to take UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, and the Celtics have a number of options at No. 3.
NESN.com is on the scene with all of the latest updates, from draft picks to potential trades to LaVar Ball’s antics. Let’s get started.
Thumbnail photo via Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports Images
