The 2017 NBA Draft's Biggest High-Risk, High-Reward Prospects
The 2017 NBA Draft is one of the deepest in years, with a ton of potential impact players available. This year more than usual, teams are going overboard to ensure they make the right pick and don’t miss out on a potential franchise-changing talent.
With that in mind, here’s a look at five of the riskier players in this year’s draft. These high-risk, high-reward guys could wind up being massive steals or huge busts depending on how their development goes. If a franchise decides to gamble on one of the following players, the pick could look genius or moronic in a few years.
Jonathan Jeanne, C, France
Need a long-armed rim protector? Then draft Jonathan Jeanne. The Frenchman blew up at the NBA draft combine by measuring in at 7’2″ with a 7’6.5″ wingspan. Jeanne also did fantastic work in his second scrimmage, posting 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, but he doesn’t come without some serious risk.
Jeanne weighed in at a skeletal 207 pounds at the combine and at 19 years old, no one has any idea how he’ll fill out. But the pluses are there. He moves incredibly well for his size, has a nice jumper out to the 3-point line, can handle the ball and isn’t a total loss as a passer. Also, did I mention he has a 9’6″ standing reach?
Jeanne may never fill out and if that happens he could be a wasted pick. In fact, his slight frame would lead me to believe he’ll have a lot of difficulty carrying weight. But the upside here is tantalizing. The team that takes him may want Jeanne to stay in Europe for a year or two to fill out and develop.
OG Anunoby, SF, Indiana
A super-athletic wing prospect, OG Anunoby entered this season with lottery pick hype and sputtered. Then a torn ACL ended his sophomore campaign prematurely, throwing his draft stock into question. His offensive game never really developed, though he has shown flashes of being a highly-efficient scorer with a jumper. Despite the questions, he decided to make the leap to the draft and not look back.
Anunoby’s calling card will always be his elite defense. At 6’8″ and 232 pounds with a 7’2″ wingspan, he can guard four positions on the floor. He has absurd athleticism, an NBA-ready body and can finish in close. But his ball-handling, and offensive IQ need to get much better, while his jumper has to find consistency.
If Anunoby develops offensively, he could be a Kawhi Leonard-type. If he doesn’t, he could wind up being a defender off the bench at best. There’s a lot of risk here, particularly in the lottery of a deep draft.
Harry Giles, PF, Duke
Harry Giles entered college as one of the top recruits in the nation and wound up falling far short of expectations. Thanks to nagging injuries, he averaged just 3.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 11.5 minutes per game. Based purely on potential, he opted to jump into the draft and forgo another year at Duke.
At the combine Giles tested well, measuring in at 6’11” and 232 pounds, with massive hands and a 7’3″ wingspan. If healthy, the 19-year-old’s game is NBA-ready. He is a fantastic rebounder and a great scorer on the interior, while also being solid defensively. He needs to get bigger to take the pounding of the NBA, but he has the look of a really good fit at the next level.
There’s just one problem: Giles has torn ACLs in both of his knees and his medical evaluations will have everything to do with where he’s drafted. This is a kid who has been among the top players in his age group for years and if he’s healthy there’s no reason he can’t continue to be. If his knees are OK it should be smooth sailing for Giles. If not? He may not last long in the league.
Jonathan Isaac, PF, Florida State
Florida State landed a whale when Jonathan Isaac committed, as one of the nation’s top 10 recruits opted to play for Leonard Hamilton and the Seminoles. Isaac averaged 12.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals in 26.2 minutes per game as a freshman before opting to enter the draft.
He is largely viewed as a top 10 pick, and it’s easy to see why. He’s 6’11” and 205 pounds with a 7’1″ wingspan, but Isaac is not a center, he’s a forward who could even play on the wing. He has a nice jumper, is super athletic for his size, and can score going to the hoop. Isaac isn’t a bad ball-handler either, and he has absolutely fantastic hair. The issue with the 19-year-old from the Bronx is his build and whether or not he can fill out.
Isaac needs to be stronger and prove he can take the wear and tear the NBA will hang on his body. It’s gonna be a long haul for him to add beef to his frame, but if he does it he could wind up being the best player in this draft. If he doesn’t, Isaac could be the biggest bust.
Ike Anigbogu, PF, UCLA
Like Giles, Ike Anigbogu entered UCLA as a highly-touted recruit, and his season never really got off the ground. Despite that, Anigbogu decided to jump into the draft and it looks like it was a good decision. He blew up at the combine, posting jaw-dropping measurements.
Anigbogu averaged just 4.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 13.0 minutes per game as a freshman, but no one seems to care about those stats right now. At the combine he measured in at 6’10” and 250 pounds, with a 7’6″ wingspan, a 9’2.5″ standing reach and enormous hands. His body fat was also just five percent and he posted a 32.5-inch vertical. It’s hard to ignore measurables like that. Anigbogu is massive, strong, athletic and is already a really good defender and rebounder.
The issue here is that Anigbogu’s tremendous physical skills haven’t translated to the court yet. You can’t teach the natural gifts he has, but there is a long way between where he is and reaching his full potential. A team will have to be patient if they select him and there’s a decent chance he never becomes an All-Star caliber player. But if his basketball skills catch up to his physical talent, Anigbogu could be scary good.