5. Rayan Rupert, France
Victor Wembanyama isn’t the only other highly-touted prospect out of France that could be taken in this year’s lottery. Rayan Rupert is another prospect that seems to be in the running to be selected in the top 14 picks of this year’s NBA Draft. In the end, he may not be a lottery pick but that shouldn’t matter.
Rupert has the chance to be a really good player if he can reach his ceiling as a prospect. He already excels as a defensive player, standing at 6-foot-6 with toughness and edge on the defensive end that not many players have at this point in their development.
The question is whether Rupert will complete his development on the offensive end. He’ll need to solidify himself as a consistent jump shooter. He has the tools to be a sparkplug on offense but has yet to show that on a consistent basis. That will be put to the test when he makes the move to the NBA.
Rupert is far from a sure thing in this year’s NBA Draft but his potential may be enough to make him a top-15 pick.