Often compared to Hall of Famer David Robinson, DeAndre Ayton is considered the favorite to be the first player selected in the 2018 NBA Draft, and with good reason. He had a terrific freshman season at Arizona, culminating with a host of honors, including Pac-12 Player of the Year, first-team All-American, and the Karl Malone Award.
Last spring, Robert Williams was projected to be a first-round pick, but to the surprise of many, he returned to Texas A&M for his sophomore season. At the time, Williams stated publicly that he needed more time to mature and develop his game before moving on to the NBA. Following an up-and-down sophomore year, I am not positive that Williams achieved his goals, but his draft stock remains very high.
Heading into this past season, the general impression seemed to be that all Moritz “Moe” Wagner could do was shoot. After leading Michigan all the way to NCAA Championship, I believe that impression has changed. In his three years at Michigan, the Wolverines made three straight trips to the NCAA Tourney, and won back-to-back Big Ten Titles (2017 and 2018), but it wasn’t until this season, when Wagner really started to blossom.
Chandler Hutchison is a relative unknown to most casual basketball fans, but after two straight stellar seasons at Boise State, he has a good chance to not only be the first mid-major player to be drafted this year, but also to be the first senior selected. Hutchinson made steady progress in his four seasons with the Broncos, capping his college career off by being named the Mountain West Player of the Year this past season.
Bonzie Colson doesn’t have the prototypical look or style of a star basketball player, and even if you have watched him many times, he still manages to surprise with his productivity. Many would call him an overachiever, but given that he possesses many of the intangibles needed to succeed, it may be more accurate to say that he is underestimated.
As a junior in 2016-17, Jeffrey Carroll had a stellar season, ranking third in the Big 12 in scoring (17.5), eighth in rebounding (6.6) and third in 3-point percentage (44.4), becoming just the fourth player in league history to finish in the top 10 in each of those categories. He also shot 54% from the floor and 81% from the free-throw line, and he finished the season with an outstanding PER of 25. As a result, he began his senior season as a serious NBA Draft prospect.
Ray Spalding is a long, athletic four, who excels on the defensive end of the floor, and is slowly evolving into a reliable scorer as well. He produces where you would expect a mobile, 6-foot-10 player with a 7-foot-6 wingspan to produce – around the basket. He rebounds and blocks shots. He is a terrific target on cuts to the basket, finishes impressively above the rim, and has a post game that is shaping up nicely.
Most hoops fans have probably never heard of him, but Kevin Hervey has been one of the best players in college basketball since 2015. Such is life in the Sun Belt Conference. Hervey is arguably the most accomplished player in UT Arlington basketball history, leaving the program as the all-time career leader in total rebounds and double-doubles, second all-time in points scored, and fifth all-time in 3-point field goals made.
Over the last eight years, Alize Johnson has gone from being a virtual unknown to a draft prospect that is on everyone’s radar, and the path that he has traveled has been anything but straight and easy. He’s made it this far with hard work, determination, and grittiness, and those traits show up in his game.
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