Ranking and projecting the top 24 NBA Draft prospects with a 5-tier system
By Ryan McCrary
Tier Four: Sub-All-Stars
*Great prospects who have the potential to be a top 50ish player in the NBA as well as a plus starter on a championship team*
5. Brandon Miller, Wing, Alabama
Brandon Miller is a tall 6-foot-9 wing who dominated college basketball last season as a scorer and long-distance shooter. He’s also a solid passer and defender, giving him a really nice floor as a secondary ball handler. It’s hard to find tall wings who can shoot and have well-rounded games, and Miller fits that mold to a tee.
His biggest issues are his handle and ability to score inside the arc. He has a fairly weak handle right now, and he struggles to finish at the rim. Those are big issues and mean he likely won’t be a strong on-ball creator at the next level.
This doesn’t mean he can’t succeed, and it doesn’t even mean he can’t be a great player. However, it does mean his upside isn’t as high as the prospects listed above him on my board. Miller is a great player, but I feel most comfortable with him in this tier.
6. Jarace Walker, Big, Houston
Jarace Walker is a wing-big hybrid with a massive frame and elite length, and he is one of the best defenders in the draft. His length and athleticism make him an extremely versatile defender who can protect the rim and defend in space. He’s also a really good passer and is developing as a long-distance shooter. This gives him some legitimate upside on offense as a potential secondary-ball handler.
The issue with Walker is he is a bit raw offensively at the moment. While he is a good passer, he isn’t quite elite in this department, and he struggled to be efficient as a scorer at Houston this past season. As I said earlier, he has a lot of upside on offense, but he definitely has room to grow on that end of the floor. His defense is phenomenal, but he needs to develop offensively to become a borderline all-star.