(Photo: Scott Wachter, USA TODAY Sports) On the surface, Dillon Mitchell looks like a no-brainer candidate to come back for his sophomore year. Jaylen Clark SG #0 Current Team: UCLA Born: Oct 13, 2001 (21 years old) Birthplace/Hometown: Corona, California Nationality: United States Height: 6-5 (196cm) Weight: 210 (95kg) Current NBA Status: Draft Eligible in 2025 Draft Entry: 2025 NBA Draft Pre-Draft Team: UCLA (Jr) High School: Etiwanda High School [Rancho Cucamonga, California] While NBA scouts do most of their traveling and evaluating throughout the college basketball season, March is a popular time for executives to make their rounds and get eyes on prospects. His popularity continues to grow in NBA circles despite some quiet games, as scouts rave about his skill versatility and the feedback they've received about his work ethic and coachability. NBA teams' view of Miller has become a topic of conversation after it was alleged by detectives investigating the killing of Jamea Jonae Harris that Miller brought now-ex-teammate Darius Miles the gun used in the shooting. Vukevi has looked like a more believable prospect this year, shooting 37.7 percent from three and delivering more frequent flashes of face-up offense and passing. As a hybrid shooting guard-small forward, he spends less time guarding the ball than anticipating where it might be headed. 44. NBA coaches can think about using him on the ball to facilitate or off the ball as a cutter and dribble-handoff weapon. 40. Taylor Hendricks is starting to generate NBA attention by checking a valued mix of boxes with his shot-making, defense and tools/athleticism. A change of scenery for the World Cup Qualifiers didn't throw off Wembanyama, who went for 22 points, 17 rebounds and six blocks in France's win over Czech Republic. Two new underclassmen have jumped into our first-round projections, including one who's making his debut on the 2023 board. All teams missing the playoffs are in the Lottery, Teams with worse records get more chances at winning a top four pick (more ping pong ball combos), The 1st overall pick is awarded by a drawing of ping pong balls, The 2nd overall pick is awarded by a drawing of ping pong balls, The 3rd overall pick is awarded by a drawing of ping pong balls, The 4th overall pick is awarded by a drawing of ping pong balls, Remaining lottery teams, sorted by record, fill out picks 5-14, Playoff teams, sorted by record, are assigned picks 15-30 - playoff seeds and outcomes have no impact, Random drawing decides who picks first between teams with same record, Tied lottery teams split their ping pong balls evenly, and any odd remainder and the better draft order position are given to the random drawing winner, Second round is ordered by record without playoff consideration, Second round ties are in reverse order of the teams' first round picks. 17. Like most young players, Clark fancied the offensive highlight. 27. 1 to the Orlando . Jordan Hawkins (Connecticut, SG/SF, Sophomore), Overlooked because of:Limited creation or versatility, Undervalued because of:Translatable/valued shot-making. Posting impressive athletic testing numbers but doing much of his scoring being fluid with the ball, the 21-year-old is a somewhat unique physical specimen. Jonathan Wasserman is the lead scout and NBA Draft analyst for Bleacher Report. After a nearly two-month layoff, it took Smith only four games to put up 26 points and deliver the creation and shot-making flashes that fueled top-five hype in the preseason. Jaylen Clark's defense has helped No. 11. UCLA Sports Jaylen Clark helps No. Their No. He's just crossing off reasons to doubt him. Clark ended Thursday's 73-64 win over Stanford with 16 points (6-9 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, two assists, one block and three steals across 37 minutes. Everything else about it feels easy to buy, given his ball-handling and burst for creation, athletic finishing and speciality shot-making inside the arc. Brooklyn Nets: Drew Peterson (USC, SG/SF, Senior). Cleveland Cavaliers (via Warriors): Terrence Shannon Jr. (Illinois, SF, Senior). Denver Nuggets (via MIA): Jaylen Clark (UCLA) 49. . The longer this streak of consistent shooting lasts, the more convincing hes going to look as a Swiss army knife prospect. JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images, Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. George has been erratic, though the inconsistency is more so a product of his particular shot selection and style of play. Leading the Pac-12 Conference with an average of 2.64 steals going into the seventh-ranked Bruins game against Oregon State on Thursday evening at Gill Coliseum, Clark wants to make his bones about more than bones. Exceptionally long wing who took a major leap as a jump shooter and shot creator in his third year at Santa Clara and showed his work at the NBA Draft Combine. First, he shines on the defensive end of the floor. Utah Jazz (via 76ers): Ricky Council IV (Arkansas, SG/SF, Junior). He does remain limited in creation situations, but hes ultraefficient when converting in transition (99th percentile), and hes produced by mostly playing to his strengths, play-finishing fast-breaks, rolls, cuts and catch-and-shoot chances. Read the recent NBA news and rumors about Jaylen Brown for fantasy basketball. Specializing in drafts with top players on the NBA horizon, player profiles, scouting reports, rankings and prospective international recruits. But he shows excellent patience, timing and cleverness for making plays within a half-court offensive set. He really doesnt have a weakness in his game when that jump shots falling, said Collison, whose 231 steals as a Bruin trail only Earl Watson (235) on the schools career list since it started tracking the statistic in 1978. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. A team will buy his offensive potential based on his flashes of three-point range, face-up skill and post-ups. Charlotte Hornets (via Nuggets): Kyle Filipowski (Duke, PF, Freshman). NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages. He connected on just 33% of those looks last season though, and wasnt necessarily on the draft radar because of it. Its obviously important for the shooting to continue, though the early consistency remains promising, as hes at 41% from deep on 4.4 attempts per game while converting 79.1% of his free throws. Thinking long term, it should be worth betting on Walshs shooting development and what it could do for a 6-foot-7 high-energy defender who can score by attacking closeouts and making pull-ups or runners in the mid-range. Hes not just a stopper on that end though, hes also a playmaker with 2.7 steals per game. Confirm that your trade proposal is valid according to the NBA collective bargaining agreement. 12 UCLA dodge disaster in win over Arizona State Feb. 21, 2022 "The kid took off real quick and I kinda pulled on his arm and then went to swipe at the ball,". B/R draft expert Jonathan Wasserman updates his mock draft following new developments. Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller (Alabama, SF, Freshman). Whether we're talking 2023 or 2024 remains to be seen, but he's generating NBA buzz with his versatility and efficiency, particularly after scoring a season-high 28 points in a win over Wisconsin on Sunday. Otherwise, he relies on functional athleticism, mostly for transition finishing and defensive playmaking. But he has strengthened his case as a potential top-three prospect by showcasing more ball-handling and shiftiness into self-created drives, plus much improved finishing with touch, adjustments and body control. 25. At 6'8" and 225 pounds, Wilson has the physicality and tools to continue attacking, finishing and rebounding in the NBA. Willock was pronounced dead at the scene, while offensive lineman Warren McClendon and recruiting staffer Tory Bowles were injured. Lately, he's answered key ones that popped up earlier in the season, when he struggled to convert around the basket. Despite concerns over his self-creation and shooting, scouts value Black's versatility and unteachable "knows how to play" intangibles. 15. 20. According to an exclusive report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Carter was at the scene of the crash but left when officers arrived. Unlike Smith and Sasser, Miles makes his teammates better. Houston Rockets (via Clippers): Rayan Rupert (New Zealand Breakers, SG/SF, 2004). He's likely land somewhere in the teens or 20s on a team that's willing to have patience and bet on the development of a 6'9" 18-year-old with ball-handling and shot-making skill. With an outstanding 6'8", 240-pound frame, Walker's flashes of shooting, touch shots, close-out drives and passes have been persuasive, even if he isn't consistently executing yet. While Larsson has seen a bit of a recent statistical decline, one player who is clearly ascending inside the Arizona line-up is Kerr Kriisa. While he did much of his heavy lifting scoring the ball, his improvement as a passer and off ball threat gives him promising versatility. We spoke to representatives from ten of the most successful front offices in the NBA and they all dished, anonymously, on their process. Hes also a very good perimeter rebounder. Completely out of Oregon's rotation, Ware will now have to sell himself strictly on potential and the brief flashes of shooting, post scoring, finishing and shot-blocking that he showed. Jaylen Clark should be playing himself onto Draft boards, more so with versatility and consistent impact plays than his 14.1 points per game. Showing a sense of urgency and using his length while contesting shots, Williams was solid on the defensive end at the collegiate level but was more active on the glass and in the passing lanes some nights than others. 1 of 5. . Guarding as many ball screens as almost any player in the country, he had some solid moments blowing up perimeter actions with his length, but was not immune to lapses and gave up quickness in some matchups. LeCroy was taken to a hospital, where she died from the injuries sustained in the crash. I was like, What the hecks that? Cronin said. He now has the type of off-ball offense and defensive tools NBA teams can picture translating. The Hungry Dog Award won by UCLAs Jaime Jaquez Jr. in 2020. 38. Just little stuff like that. But February was also a key month for a handful of players who made strong impressions and improved their stock. The Houston Rockets would presumably just throw positions out the window with Wembanyama, Alperen engn and Jabari Smith Jr. Some scouts sound convinced that injuries have affected Whitehead's play. Its well known in practice, like, if you want to give a dribble handoff, you dont go to his side, Jaquez said. His 14.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per 40 minutes highlight NBA physical tools and activity. Hes shooting 70.8% at the rim and 19-of-37 on one-handers around the key. The five players with the most steals in UCLA history are all point guards, making Clark something of an outlier. Omier is powerful, physically imposing against bigger players, a high volume-rebounder, and even fairly light on his feet. But, that was cancelled after some concerning news dropped. He's been too streaky to trust the shooting, and his decision-making remains shaky, but his special athletic ability, defensive court coverage and creation flashes deserve to buy him time when it comes to his shot-making development. Overlooked because of:Scouts unfamiliarity, limited creation, Undervalued because of:NBA tools, valued archetype. Scouts remain high on Black's archetype (6'7" two-way playmaker), with many willing to look past his scoring limitations because of his translatable passing, defensive instincts, off-ball finishing and competitiveness. General managers can safely ignore the lack of production and percentages for an 18-year-old with a 16.3% usage rate. A significant rise in playing time as a junior has ensured a breakthrough. These under-the-radar prospects are primed to climb up 2023 Draft boards. Select the third team from the drop down menu. New Orleans Pelicans (via Lakers): Anthony Black (Arkansas, PG/SG, Freshman). Toronto Raptors: Keyonte George (Baylor, SG, Freshman). Durant, a four-time scoring champion, now sets his sights on Hakeem Olajuwon in 12th place. First, he shines on the defensive end of the floor. Ben Howland understands why that matters. They start out by breaking down Albert's comparison between Jaylen Clark and NFL Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed. Its a Mick Cronin tradition going back to the coachs days in Cincinnati. A lightly regarded prospect following his senior year at Perry High School (AZ), the Gilbert, Arizona native averaged 7.4 points and 1.8 assists per game as a true freshman carving out a role in the Broncos starting lineup in West Coast Conference play. A lot of Clarks steals come off trapping and double-teaming, his lively arms and feet making him tough to get around. With a highlight reel that features enticing shooting flashes, step-backs and explosive finishes, and stats that include a 37.9 field-goal percentage, 64.5 free-throw percentage, 76 turnovers to 24 assists and 41 fouls to 23 blocks, Jackson has become one of the most divisive prospects in this draft class. 1 priority was already embedded in Clarks basketball DNA. NBA 2022 Draft Prospects | Jalen Williams | NBA.com 2022 NBA Draft Teams All Picks: 1-58 Trade Tracker News Video @NBADraft Full Draft Board 1 Round 1 ORL Paolo Banchero F 2 Round 1. The lack of playmaking and defense do put more pressure on his development as a creator, but even a worst-case outcome for Howard should result in a team getting value tied to his translatable shooting versatility from either wing spot. 9. 41. Fans love mock draftsand big boards (click here to see Travis Branham's first big board)but theres a reason NBA front offices dont rank potential draft prospects this early in the season, because things change at such a rapid rate. 10. Alongside the trophies, medals, plaques, certificates and awards the UCLA guard has accumulated over a career spanning numerous youth and high. Boston Celtics (via Blazers): Jaylen Clark (UCLA, SF, Junior) While the improved scoring production has helped UCLA, it's the passing, defense and serviceable open shooting that will interest NBA . Podziemski's name is trending in scouting circles as he continues to put up monster stat lines with enticing creativity and shot-making skill. There is no question in my mind that when all of the facts are known that I will be fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing.. And good luck with dribble handoffs in his vicinity. 48. Recently named the MVP of Overtime's second season, Thompson had his best game during the City Reapers' second playoff contest, finishing with 26 points, eight assists and five made three-pointers. Teams will just see more of a gamble without much production to back up the highlights. Memphis Grizzlies: Julian Strawther (Gonzaga, SF, Junior). In short, hes solid across the board and someone scouts are looking at as a two-way connective piece. Kleckner gave those questioning Clarks ability at the next level the same spiel he had delivered about Collison. 3. The bald coach, in his first season at UCLA, wanted a stopper he could build his defense around. After a strong start to the season, Pelle Larsson hasnt put up especially big numbers in his last three games. . Leading the Broncos in scoring on strong efficiency numbers, Williams created his own shot at a high level out of ball screens playing with good pace, toying with defenders, and scoring from all three levels. Thompson is a dangerous advantage creator with his burst off the bounce and lightning-quick dribble moves to blow by and separate. Overlooked because of:Limited creation, shooting struggles, average wing size, Undervalued because of:Easy-fit versatility/adaptability, defensive impact, projectable role. dell scott and philippe lacasse real life, dermoscopy conference 2022,