Ranking Jayson Tatum, Ben Simmons and NBA juniors by superstar potential
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Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell became NBA All-Stars in Year 3. But they weren't alone at the top of their class.
Though the 2017 draft class is prominently featured in the discussion for the highest ceilings among players in Year 3, don't forget about the first overall pick of the 2016 NBA draft, Ben Simmons. After missing the entire 2016-17 season because of injury, Simmons debuted with the 2017 draftees and secured Rookie of the Year honors.
Now, Bam Adebayo has entered the discussion as possibly the most talented player from his class. And then there's the plethora of point guards from 2017 that includes Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball and De'Aaron Fox.
ESPN insiders Mike Schmitz and Kevin Pelton each rank the top 10 NBA juniors by long-term outlook.
Four All-Stars and one who might join them
Schmitz: This class of NBA third-year players is loaded at the top with four 2020 All-Stars in Philadelphia 76ers PG Ben Simmons, Boston Celtics PF Jayson Tatum, Miami Heat PF Bam Adebayo and Utah Jazz SG
Donovan Mitchell, each bringing something different:
KP, in our "top 25 under 25" article in March, you gave Simmons the edge over Tatum in your rankings. Not much basketball has been played since, but do you still see Simmons as the superior player? How close is that race and is there anyone other than Simmons or Tatum worthy of considering at the top?
Pelton: In hindsight, I might have been pushing back a bit too much on the Tatum exuberance during February. Looking closely, they've had highly similar seasons in terms of production, and a couple of factors push me toward Tatum long term.
First, since we're going by NBA experience and not draft class, Simmons -- taken a year earlier -- is a year and a half older. Second, it will probably be a bit easier long term to build around Tatum's broad skill set than Simmons' fascinating combination of strengths and weaknesses.
You could make a reasonable case for any of the four All-Stars as the best long-term prospect, but I would say I have Simmons and Tatum a notch ahead of Mitchell and Adebayo. How about you?
Schmitz: I'd also give the edge to Tatum here because of his youth and versatility at a coveted wing spot. The fact that Tatum is knocking down pull-up 3s at such a high rate bodes well for his future as a go-to shot generator on a championship-caliber team.
Through 59 games this season he's attempting 5.7 above-the-break 3s per game, up from 2.8 a season ago. On those above-the-break 3s this season, his 40% accuracy ranks fourth in the NBA among players with at least 300 attempts, according to Second Spectrum data. Tatum has also made strides as a facilitator since his days at Duke, making him even more dangerous offensively.
I know we're focused on third-year players here, but pondering Tatum or Simmons brings me back to our 2016 No. 1 pick debate regarding Simmons and another former Duke wing, Brandon Ingram. As you know, I was fairly outspoken about Ingram being the best prospect in the 2016 draft, and I've stood by that.
Before moving on to how you'd rank Mitchell and Adebayo, I'm curious: Would you still rather have Simmons than Ingram if you were starting a franchise even with the big jump that Ingram made this season? Simmons' statistical profile looks about the same for each of his first three seasons. How rare is it to see a young player come out of the gates that strongly and then have fairly similar numbers the following two seasons?
Pelton: It definitely happens, especially when someone starts their career as well as Simmons did. Blake Griffin would be another example of a player whose box-score stats were fairly similar on a per-minute basis his first three seasons before he broke out in Year 4. Naturally, it's a little more concerning in Simmons' case because of his glaring weakness as an outside shooter, but the breakthroughs for Ingram and Tatum this season are both examples of how development tends not to be as linear and orderly as we might like.
I do feel Simmons has improved defensively this season in a way that isn't entirely captured in his box-score stats, and I wonder how much less glaring his weaknesses would be if he didn't happen to play with one of the league's few remaining post-up threats. All of which is to say I'd still be inclined to take Simmons, though Ingram has made it a much more difficult choice than it was a year ago.
On Mitchell vs. Adebayo, I think I'm guided by the relative scarcity of guards and post players. Because of his playmaking ability, Adebayo isn't as replaceable as a more traditional rim-running big. Still, given a choice between Mitchell with a league-average center and Adebayo with a league-average shooting guard, I think Mitchell is the right choice -- especially as he continues to improve his efficiency. This is the first season in which Mitchell has been more than just a volume scorer, reaching just about league average in terms of true shooting percentage.
How would you rank them? And does Sacramento Kings PG De'Aaron Fox belong in the group with the 2020 All-Stars or is he still a tier below?
Schmitz: Griffin is a good name to look at when making sense of Simmons' first three seasons. As you alluded to, I think we'd both agree that Simmons is most dynamic when he's surrounded by shooters and athletes playing an up-tempo style. As the Milwaukee Bucks have done for Giannis Antetokounmpo in acquiring Brook Lopez, I imagine Simmons' best basketball will be played next to a floor-spacing big, as that's the best way to take advantage of his offensive gifts while hiding his glaring weakness.
This is what made Simmons such a polarizing prospect out of LSU: There was no indication that he would ever be willing to shoot jumpers in NBA games, so he wouldn't be the easiest fit alongside other nonshooters or ball-dominant guards.
As for the Mitchell-Adebayo debate, I lean Mitchell because of the value of having a guard who can consistently generate offense out of pick-and-roll and isolations over the course of an 82-game season. Mitchell leads all players this season with 522 field goal attempts off drives, and only San Antonio Spurs SF DeMar DeRozan and Atlanta Hawks PG Trae Young have made more baskets off drives than Mitchell this season, per Second Spectrum data. Even while carrying a heavy load, Mitchell remains extremely durable, having missed just one game over the past two seasons and four total in his three-year career.
That said, Adebayo's trajectory and development is a fascinating case study, as I don't think even his biggest fans saw him turning into such a stellar passer, especially this quickly. This is probably part of a bigger discussion, but I'm curious, were there any statistical indicators that Adebayo would develop into this type of facilitator? Can you think of any other bigs who had questions about feel but then turned into elite passers in the NBA?
I haven't seen it often. From a sheer scouting standpoint, we saw flashes of ballhandling and occasional passing from Adebayo and understood he was playing a more restricted role than usual at Kentucky, but there was nothing that would have suggested this caliber of court vision.
As for Fox, I think as of today he's likely just a cut below this tier, but I wouldn't be surprised one bit if he's in the same conversation as Mitchell at this time next year. He's more than a year younger and took a big step this season as a finisher, even if his 3-point shooting wasn't stable. As long as the Kings can give him enough space to utilize his blazing speed and he can fine-tune his 3-point shooting, there's no reason Fox shouldn't emerge as a potential All-Star.
Pelton: Great point on Adebayo. There are 88 players in my college projection database who have averaged at least 5 assists per game in the NBA, and of them, Adebayo had the very lowest assist projection coming out of college. He and DeMarcus Cousins are the lone two who were projected to average fewer than two assists per 100 team plays as rookies.
The next five
Schmitz: I think most reasonable people would have the same top-five players we do -- Tatum, Simmons, Mitchell, Adebayo and Fox, in some order -- but things aren't quite as clear after Fox. Who is in your next tier and why?
Pelton: Lightning round for the rest of my top 10:
Top-10 Rankings
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While New Orleans Pelicans PG Lonzo Ball hasn't shown the kind of star potential I believed in coming out of UCLA, he's well on track to being a valuable starter in the league. Already one of the NBA's better defensive point guards, Ball dramatically improved his shooting under the tutelage of New Orleans assistant Fred Vinson -- who also deserves some of the credit for Ingram's development as a shooter -- and has at least become someone defenses have to respect.
Orlando Magic SF Jonathan Isaac was a defensive monster in the 32 games he played this season and is headed toward an eventual All-Defensive Team appearance. Still just 22, he'd probably look better offensively with better floor spacing.
Atlanta Hawks PF John Collins is easily the best offensive player of this group, but we still don't know whether he can defend well enough to be a key part of a good team at either frontcourt spot.
Toronto Raptors SF OG Anunoby separates himself from a deep group of wings (Detroit Pistons SG Luke Kennard, Sacramento SG Bogdan Bogdanovic and New Orleans SF Josh Hart) with his physical defense at both forward spots and 38% 3-point shooting this season.
Speaking of guys who haven't developed since their rookie seasons, Chicago Bulls PF Lauri Markkanen has gone in the wrong direction the past two years. Given the possibility of a coaching change in Chicago, I'm inclined to give him one more year in a new system before bumping him from this group.
Notably absent from my list is No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz, who with the Magic is finally showing the skills that made him a top prospect. Is he in your top 10, Mike?
Schmitz: As one of the more passionate Markelle Fultz apologists you'll find, I did include him at No. 9 on my list, and he has the potential to work his way into that Fox tier. Fultz is one of the most gifted guard prospects I've ever evaluated. Whether at Adidas Nations, USA Basketball, McDonald's All American week or the Jordan Brand Classic, I saw him get the better of several of the players ranked ahead of him on this list.
It's been a bizarre few years for him, but his play through 64 games with the Magic is encouraging considering where he was a year or so ago. Even if he doesn't have the same "hesi pull-up jimbo" that characterized his Washington career, taking open 3s and shooting 72% from the free throw line represent a step in the right direction.
His 26.6% on above-the-break 3s is far from ideal, but he has found ways to dominate the paint with physical drives and short pull-ups while also creatively generating offense for his teammates. If Fultz gets a reliable enough pull-up to force teams over screens, the Magic have themselves a potential All-Star. If that doesn't happen, I can still see Fultz having a Shaun Livingston-style impact as a midrange/post-up guard.
Aside from Fultz, we're more or less on the same page here. Isaac is one of the more intriguing 22-year-olds with how perfectly he fits into the modern game on the defensive end. From his switchability to his rim protection, all young forward prospects would benefit from studying his tape -- he does so many little things well on and off the ball defensively.
I agree with you about Collins' lack of defensive impact, but I've still been really impressed with his productivity, efficiency and improvement at age 22. For a guy who took only one 3 in 64 college outings to be shooting over 40% from 3 on 3.6 attempts per game in his third year is pretty remarkable. If he can maintain the shooting and evolve as a passer, Collins could develop into one of the best offensive bigs in the NBA.
Ball, whom I ranked eighth, remains one of the most unorthodox prospects I've ever evaluated. I remained a big supporter of his during the Los Angeles Lakers lows, and it's been great to see him turning the corner with a somewhat different role in New Orleans.
Leading up to the 2017 NBA draft, I remember a lot of scouts asking, is Ball better without the ball given his lack of wiggle and inconsistent pull-up game? That's proving prophetic in some respects, as most of his offensive value in New Orleans has come as a spot shooter and ball-mover. He ranks in just the 12th percentile in pick-and-roll efficiency, according to Synergy Sports data, and has been much more effective when he's not asked to do too much.
With Ingram and SG Jrue Holiday able to handle a lot of the shot-creation duties, Ball can focus on defending, rebounding, throwing lobs to PF Zion Williamson in transition, knocking down spot 3s and making the right reads in the half court. While his finishing struggles remain, his pull-up is still streaky and he can't make free throws, Ball's a clear NBA starter who still has more upside to tap into.
Last, Anunoby is definitely deserving of a spot on this list, as he's a valuable starter for an NBA Finals contender at age 22. He has the defensive versatility and body every team looks for in a combo forward, he's making spot 3s, and he has quietly made strides as a passer.
For me, Markkanen is on the outside looking in because his development hit a snag this season, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him bounce back. There are lots of creative ways to use a 7-footer who can move and shoot like he can.
Brooklyn Nets center Jarrett Allen also just missed the cut for me. And the name I had the toughest time leaving off this list is Bogdan Bogdanovic. I'll never forget watching the fiery 6-foot-6 Serbian guard outplay a 17-year-old Luka Doncic (0-for-6 in 17 minutes) in Istanbul at the 2017 EuroLeague Final Four. Thanks to his shooting, instincts and toughness, he has proved himself as a valuable NBA starter and would make a heck of a sixth man for a contender. But he's almost 28 years old, so I'm giving the nod to Anunoby.
One other player I could see working his way onto this list is Kennard. Although he played just 28 games because of injury, the 6-foot-6 lefty quietly averaged 15.8 points with a 2.67 assist-turnover ratio and shot 40% from 3.
Some other names on my radar screen: Hart, Memphis Grizzlies SG Dillon Brooks and San Antonio Spurs SG Derrick White.
ESPN PLUS ($ MATERIAL)
Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell became NBA All-Stars in Year 3. But they weren't alone at the top of their class.
Though the 2017 draft class is prominently featured in the discussion for the highest ceilings among players in Year 3, don't forget about the first overall pick of the 2016 NBA draft, Ben Simmons. After missing the entire 2016-17 season because of injury, Simmons debuted with the 2017 draftees and secured Rookie of the Year honors.
Now, Bam Adebayo has entered the discussion as possibly the most talented player from his class. And then there's the plethora of point guards from 2017 that includes Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball and De'Aaron Fox.
ESPN insiders Mike Schmitz and Kevin Pelton each rank the top 10 NBA juniors by long-term outlook.
Four All-Stars and one who might join them
Schmitz: This class of NBA third-year players is loaded at the top with four 2020 All-Stars in Philadelphia 76ers PG Ben Simmons, Boston Celtics PF Jayson Tatum, Miami Heat PF Bam Adebayo and Utah Jazz SG
Donovan Mitchell, each bringing something different:
- Tatum has evolved into one of the most effortless wing scorers in the NBA.
- Simmons remains a mismatch problem with ideal defensive versatility.
- Adebayo is turning into a point center of sorts, bringing the ball up the floor regularly while shifting all over the court defensively.
- Mitchell excels as a dynamic three-level scorer who can shoulder a heavy offensive load on a consistent playoff team.
KP, in our "top 25 under 25" article in March, you gave Simmons the edge over Tatum in your rankings. Not much basketball has been played since, but do you still see Simmons as the superior player? How close is that race and is there anyone other than Simmons or Tatum worthy of considering at the top?
Pelton: In hindsight, I might have been pushing back a bit too much on the Tatum exuberance during February. Looking closely, they've had highly similar seasons in terms of production, and a couple of factors push me toward Tatum long term.
First, since we're going by NBA experience and not draft class, Simmons -- taken a year earlier -- is a year and a half older. Second, it will probably be a bit easier long term to build around Tatum's broad skill set than Simmons' fascinating combination of strengths and weaknesses.
You could make a reasonable case for any of the four All-Stars as the best long-term prospect, but I would say I have Simmons and Tatum a notch ahead of Mitchell and Adebayo. How about you?
Schmitz: I'd also give the edge to Tatum here because of his youth and versatility at a coveted wing spot. The fact that Tatum is knocking down pull-up 3s at such a high rate bodes well for his future as a go-to shot generator on a championship-caliber team.
Through 59 games this season he's attempting 5.7 above-the-break 3s per game, up from 2.8 a season ago. On those above-the-break 3s this season, his 40% accuracy ranks fourth in the NBA among players with at least 300 attempts, according to Second Spectrum data. Tatum has also made strides as a facilitator since his days at Duke, making him even more dangerous offensively.
I know we're focused on third-year players here, but pondering Tatum or Simmons brings me back to our 2016 No. 1 pick debate regarding Simmons and another former Duke wing, Brandon Ingram. As you know, I was fairly outspoken about Ingram being the best prospect in the 2016 draft, and I've stood by that.
Before moving on to how you'd rank Mitchell and Adebayo, I'm curious: Would you still rather have Simmons than Ingram if you were starting a franchise even with the big jump that Ingram made this season? Simmons' statistical profile looks about the same for each of his first three seasons. How rare is it to see a young player come out of the gates that strongly and then have fairly similar numbers the following two seasons?
Pelton: It definitely happens, especially when someone starts their career as well as Simmons did. Blake Griffin would be another example of a player whose box-score stats were fairly similar on a per-minute basis his first three seasons before he broke out in Year 4. Naturally, it's a little more concerning in Simmons' case because of his glaring weakness as an outside shooter, but the breakthroughs for Ingram and Tatum this season are both examples of how development tends not to be as linear and orderly as we might like.
I do feel Simmons has improved defensively this season in a way that isn't entirely captured in his box-score stats, and I wonder how much less glaring his weaknesses would be if he didn't happen to play with one of the league's few remaining post-up threats. All of which is to say I'd still be inclined to take Simmons, though Ingram has made it a much more difficult choice than it was a year ago.
On Mitchell vs. Adebayo, I think I'm guided by the relative scarcity of guards and post players. Because of his playmaking ability, Adebayo isn't as replaceable as a more traditional rim-running big. Still, given a choice between Mitchell with a league-average center and Adebayo with a league-average shooting guard, I think Mitchell is the right choice -- especially as he continues to improve his efficiency. This is the first season in which Mitchell has been more than just a volume scorer, reaching just about league average in terms of true shooting percentage.
How would you rank them? And does Sacramento Kings PG De'Aaron Fox belong in the group with the 2020 All-Stars or is he still a tier below?
Schmitz: Griffin is a good name to look at when making sense of Simmons' first three seasons. As you alluded to, I think we'd both agree that Simmons is most dynamic when he's surrounded by shooters and athletes playing an up-tempo style. As the Milwaukee Bucks have done for Giannis Antetokounmpo in acquiring Brook Lopez, I imagine Simmons' best basketball will be played next to a floor-spacing big, as that's the best way to take advantage of his offensive gifts while hiding his glaring weakness.
This is what made Simmons such a polarizing prospect out of LSU: There was no indication that he would ever be willing to shoot jumpers in NBA games, so he wouldn't be the easiest fit alongside other nonshooters or ball-dominant guards.
As for the Mitchell-Adebayo debate, I lean Mitchell because of the value of having a guard who can consistently generate offense out of pick-and-roll and isolations over the course of an 82-game season. Mitchell leads all players this season with 522 field goal attempts off drives, and only San Antonio Spurs SF DeMar DeRozan and Atlanta Hawks PG Trae Young have made more baskets off drives than Mitchell this season, per Second Spectrum data. Even while carrying a heavy load, Mitchell remains extremely durable, having missed just one game over the past two seasons and four total in his three-year career.
That said, Adebayo's trajectory and development is a fascinating case study, as I don't think even his biggest fans saw him turning into such a stellar passer, especially this quickly. This is probably part of a bigger discussion, but I'm curious, were there any statistical indicators that Adebayo would develop into this type of facilitator? Can you think of any other bigs who had questions about feel but then turned into elite passers in the NBA?
I haven't seen it often. From a sheer scouting standpoint, we saw flashes of ballhandling and occasional passing from Adebayo and understood he was playing a more restricted role than usual at Kentucky, but there was nothing that would have suggested this caliber of court vision.
As for Fox, I think as of today he's likely just a cut below this tier, but I wouldn't be surprised one bit if he's in the same conversation as Mitchell at this time next year. He's more than a year younger and took a big step this season as a finisher, even if his 3-point shooting wasn't stable. As long as the Kings can give him enough space to utilize his blazing speed and he can fine-tune his 3-point shooting, there's no reason Fox shouldn't emerge as a potential All-Star.
Pelton: Great point on Adebayo. There are 88 players in my college projection database who have averaged at least 5 assists per game in the NBA, and of them, Adebayo had the very lowest assist projection coming out of college. He and DeMarcus Cousins are the lone two who were projected to average fewer than two assists per 100 team plays as rookies.
The next five
Schmitz: I think most reasonable people would have the same top-five players we do -- Tatum, Simmons, Mitchell, Adebayo and Fox, in some order -- but things aren't quite as clear after Fox. Who is in your next tier and why?
Pelton: Lightning round for the rest of my top 10:
Top-10 Rankings
| RANK | PELTON | SCHMITZ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jayson Tatum | Jayson Tatum |
| 2 | Ben Simmons | Ben Simmons |
| 3 | Donovan Mitchell | Donovan Mitchell |
| 4 | Bam Adebayo | Bam Adebayo |
| 5 | De'Aaron Fox | De'Aaron Fox |
| 6 | Lonzo Ball | Jonathan Isaac |
| 7 | Jonathan Isaac | John Collins |
| 8 | John Collins | Lonzo Ball |
| 9 | OG Anunoby | Markelle Fultz |
| 10 | Lauri Markkanen | OG Anunoby |
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While New Orleans Pelicans PG Lonzo Ball hasn't shown the kind of star potential I believed in coming out of UCLA, he's well on track to being a valuable starter in the league. Already one of the NBA's better defensive point guards, Ball dramatically improved his shooting under the tutelage of New Orleans assistant Fred Vinson -- who also deserves some of the credit for Ingram's development as a shooter -- and has at least become someone defenses have to respect.
Orlando Magic SF Jonathan Isaac was a defensive monster in the 32 games he played this season and is headed toward an eventual All-Defensive Team appearance. Still just 22, he'd probably look better offensively with better floor spacing.
Atlanta Hawks PF John Collins is easily the best offensive player of this group, but we still don't know whether he can defend well enough to be a key part of a good team at either frontcourt spot.
Toronto Raptors SF OG Anunoby separates himself from a deep group of wings (Detroit Pistons SG Luke Kennard, Sacramento SG Bogdan Bogdanovic and New Orleans SF Josh Hart) with his physical defense at both forward spots and 38% 3-point shooting this season.
Speaking of guys who haven't developed since their rookie seasons, Chicago Bulls PF Lauri Markkanen has gone in the wrong direction the past two years. Given the possibility of a coaching change in Chicago, I'm inclined to give him one more year in a new system before bumping him from this group.
Notably absent from my list is No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz, who with the Magic is finally showing the skills that made him a top prospect. Is he in your top 10, Mike?
Schmitz: As one of the more passionate Markelle Fultz apologists you'll find, I did include him at No. 9 on my list, and he has the potential to work his way into that Fox tier. Fultz is one of the most gifted guard prospects I've ever evaluated. Whether at Adidas Nations, USA Basketball, McDonald's All American week or the Jordan Brand Classic, I saw him get the better of several of the players ranked ahead of him on this list.
It's been a bizarre few years for him, but his play through 64 games with the Magic is encouraging considering where he was a year or so ago. Even if he doesn't have the same "hesi pull-up jimbo" that characterized his Washington career, taking open 3s and shooting 72% from the free throw line represent a step in the right direction.
His 26.6% on above-the-break 3s is far from ideal, but he has found ways to dominate the paint with physical drives and short pull-ups while also creatively generating offense for his teammates. If Fultz gets a reliable enough pull-up to force teams over screens, the Magic have themselves a potential All-Star. If that doesn't happen, I can still see Fultz having a Shaun Livingston-style impact as a midrange/post-up guard.
Aside from Fultz, we're more or less on the same page here. Isaac is one of the more intriguing 22-year-olds with how perfectly he fits into the modern game on the defensive end. From his switchability to his rim protection, all young forward prospects would benefit from studying his tape -- he does so many little things well on and off the ball defensively.
I agree with you about Collins' lack of defensive impact, but I've still been really impressed with his productivity, efficiency and improvement at age 22. For a guy who took only one 3 in 64 college outings to be shooting over 40% from 3 on 3.6 attempts per game in his third year is pretty remarkable. If he can maintain the shooting and evolve as a passer, Collins could develop into one of the best offensive bigs in the NBA.
Ball, whom I ranked eighth, remains one of the most unorthodox prospects I've ever evaluated. I remained a big supporter of his during the Los Angeles Lakers lows, and it's been great to see him turning the corner with a somewhat different role in New Orleans.
Leading up to the 2017 NBA draft, I remember a lot of scouts asking, is Ball better without the ball given his lack of wiggle and inconsistent pull-up game? That's proving prophetic in some respects, as most of his offensive value in New Orleans has come as a spot shooter and ball-mover. He ranks in just the 12th percentile in pick-and-roll efficiency, according to Synergy Sports data, and has been much more effective when he's not asked to do too much.
With Ingram and SG Jrue Holiday able to handle a lot of the shot-creation duties, Ball can focus on defending, rebounding, throwing lobs to PF Zion Williamson in transition, knocking down spot 3s and making the right reads in the half court. While his finishing struggles remain, his pull-up is still streaky and he can't make free throws, Ball's a clear NBA starter who still has more upside to tap into.
Last, Anunoby is definitely deserving of a spot on this list, as he's a valuable starter for an NBA Finals contender at age 22. He has the defensive versatility and body every team looks for in a combo forward, he's making spot 3s, and he has quietly made strides as a passer.
For me, Markkanen is on the outside looking in because his development hit a snag this season, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him bounce back. There are lots of creative ways to use a 7-footer who can move and shoot like he can.
Brooklyn Nets center Jarrett Allen also just missed the cut for me. And the name I had the toughest time leaving off this list is Bogdan Bogdanovic. I'll never forget watching the fiery 6-foot-6 Serbian guard outplay a 17-year-old Luka Doncic (0-for-6 in 17 minutes) in Istanbul at the 2017 EuroLeague Final Four. Thanks to his shooting, instincts and toughness, he has proved himself as a valuable NBA starter and would make a heck of a sixth man for a contender. But he's almost 28 years old, so I'm giving the nod to Anunoby.
One other player I could see working his way onto this list is Kennard. Although he played just 28 games because of injury, the 6-foot-6 lefty quietly averaged 15.8 points with a 2.67 assist-turnover ratio and shot 40% from 3.
Some other names on my radar screen: Hart, Memphis Grizzlies SG Dillon Brooks and San Antonio Spurs SG Derrick White.
