7. Cason Wallace, Guard, Kentucky
Cason Wallace is one of the best two-way players in the draft. Offensively, he is a good ball handler who excels at finishing at the rim and is very effective at shooting from mid-range. He’s also a good passer and decision-maker, as he rarely makes bad decisions with the ball in his hands.
Defensively, he is a menace who hounds opponents and consistently disrupts passing lanes. There were times last season when he took over games as a defender, which is rare to see from a 19-year-old guard.
Another good thing about Wallace is he doesn’t have many flaws. Sure, he doesn’t have great size, and his athleticism, three-point shooting, and overall passing ability aren’t quite good enough for him to be a superstar in the NBA. However, he has a really high floor, and it’s hard to imagine him failing at the next level. The fact that he is so good on both ends of the floor means he may have more upside than we realize.
8. Taylor Hendricks, Big, UCF
Taylor Hendricks is a stretch four whose primary skills are three-point shooting and rim protection. Last season, he shot extremely well from three-point range and blocked shots at a very high rate. He’s also a good athlete who can finish at the rim and crash the glass as a rebounder. His rim-finishing numbers were pretty good, and his rebounding rates were great for a stretch four.
Hendricks doesn’t have many flaws, but there is one problem that limits his upside: he isn’t much of a passer. His passing volume was low at UCF, especially for someone who plays on the perimeter so much. However, his turnover rate was fantastic, and his assist-to-turnover ratio was good for a big man.