Rankings are Based on RedCup’s Top 50 Big Board
30: Chuma Okeke
Noah Vonleh with a corner 3.
Great athleticism at the PF slot, both of these guys are plus defenders with some good offensive skills. Unable to consistently create offense, they largely rely on catch and shoot jumpers and finishing off cuts.
29: Nicholas Claxton
Poor Man’s Paskal Siakam
Athletic big men who make an impact on defense and are better playmakers than advertised. Decent enough shooters that they can stretch the floor a bit and occasionally hit the three. Make impact on the boards and as shot blockers early on.
28: Cameron Johnson
More Athletic Doug McDermott
Effective floor-stretchers and off-ball-scorers who can hold their own playing 2-4. Average athletes, they rely on high basketball IQs and good size defensively.
27: Carsen Edwards
Shabazz Napier with a knockdown 3
Dynamic scorers who can heat up in a hurry, both guards use their quickness and handles to get off shots against bigger defenders. Below average playmakers for PGs, they are often used as offensive spark plugs who can play off-ball and stretch the floor. Professional scorers.
26: Talen Horton-Tucker
Offense: Bigger Eric Gordon/ Defense: PJ Tucker
This one’s tough due to Horton-Tucker’s weird frame and just the fact that he’s only 18. If he develops offensively, he could look a lot like Eric Gordon who has a variety of offensive skills and can light a team up from beyond the arc. Defensively, the way he uses his size reminds me of PJ Tucker who can lockdown when he’s focused.
25: KZ Okpala
Poor Man’s Brandon Ingram
Smooth scorer who uses handles and size to get to the rim for high percentage looks. A mismatch nightmare who can blow by 4s and use size against smaller 3s. Defensively they’re still a bit of a work in progress, but use their length and quickness to contest shots.
24: Bruno Fernando
Dwayne Dedmon
Great defenders who use their size and athleticism to do the dirty work. Defensively they have decent mobility and use great timing to send back shots. Dedmon is limited offensively but has developed a decent jumpshot which Fernando will likely do as he develops.
23: Matisse Thybulle
Andre Iguodala Without The Playmaking Skills/Offensive Upside
Thybulle doesn’t have the offensive polish or playmaking of Iguodala, but his defense and athleticism remind me a lot of the former All Star. Both have similar builds and are responsible for taking on the opposing team’s top perimeter players. Both players have struggled to consistently hit 3’s over the course of their careers. This will likely determine Thybulle’s ceiling.
22: Nickeil Alexander-Walker
George Hill
Tall combo guards who use their length and quick feet to be pests defensively. On offense they have a good spot up jumper and a good enough first step to get looks at the rim.
21: Keldon Johnson
Malik Beasley
All-Around wings who are very solid shooters who can play some defense. Both can struggle at times to make an impact offensively, but can heat up in a hurry when shots are falling.
20: Tyler Herro
J.J. Reddick
This is a bit of a lazy comparison, but Herro’s ability to hit contested 3’s off the dribble and on the catch off screens reminds me a lot of Reddick. Both have short arms for their height, but are decent defenders due to quick feet and understanding where to be.
19: Nassir Little
Rudy Gay
Little is such a young player that he doesn’t really have a solid pro comparison, but Rudy Gay is a solid prediction of what he could be. Plus defenders with longs arms, both players are athletic scorers who can create some offense and use their size on smaller guards. Rudy was a bit more developed as a shooter when he came in the league, but Little is still 19.
18: Grant Williams
Boris Diaw With More Offensive Upside
Undersized big men who use their strength and high basketball IQs to counteract their lack of length. Offensively they have respectable jumpers and are elite passers out of the post. Defensively they struggle with length and speed, but use their size and motor to make an impact.
17: Kevin Porter Jr.
Raw Zach LaVine
Freak athletes who have enough talent to be very good players, but sometimes get lost in the offense and hoist up dumb shots. Both are very good shooters and finishers at the rim, but don’t really make an impact in the game outside of scoring and being athletic.
16: PJ Washington
Bigger Jae Crowder
Strong defenders who can guard multiple positions and hit open 3’s. They struggle to create offense for themselves, but can use their size and strength to score in the paint against smaller defenders. High Level Role Players that every team needs.
15: Rui Hachimura
Paul Millsap with less playmaking skills
Strong scorers who rely on good motors and timing in the paint. Defensively they both move well and have the length to guard both Forward Slots. Where they differ is passing skills. Millsap has developed into one of the best Big Man passers in the league, and while Hachimura has been smart, he hasn’t shown natural playmaking skills.
14: Bol Bol
Kristaps Porzingis as a Poor Defender
Nobody has really ever seen anyone with the shooting touch Bol has at his size, except Porzingis. Defensively is where the comparison ends. Porzingis will likely be a All-Defense team cantidate when healthy, and Bol is a liability at this point.
13: Romeo Langford
Bradley Beal as an average shooter
Effortless scorers who thrive with the ball in their hands and can make an impact at all 3 levels. Neither have rim-rocking athleticism, but they both are extremely smooth scorers who can get off shots with ease. Defensively they aren’t stoppers, but can use their long arms and quickness to make an impact.
12: Jaxson Hayes
Smarter JaVale McGee
Amazing athletes with tremendous verticals and length, they use their size and speed to cover a large area and meet defenders at the rim. Offensively they operate as an Alley-Oop target, but offer very little else in the half-court. Foul prone but elite shot-blockers can change the game in the paint.
11: Sekou Doumbouya
Pascal Siakam
Gifted athletes with great handles and slashing abilities. Use great footwork and length to get easy looks at the hoop. Can stretch the floor a bit, but inconsistent. Defensively they have the tools to be elite.
10: Brandon Clarke
Jordan Bell 2.0
Undersized for big men, Bell and Clarke both have pogo sticks for legs and can contest shots at a high rate. Offensively, they have some polish and can use their quickness to get around bigger defenders. Clarke is a bit more versatile as a defender and has potential to be a very good shooter.
9: Goga Bitadze
Marc Gasol
Big bodies who are comfortable with the ball in their hands. Bitadze may not be the DPOY that Gasol is, but his shot blocking and decent mobility point to him being a solid defender. Gasol has developed into a very good shooter which is a skill Bitadze has shown a ton of potential in.
8: Cam Reddish
More Athletic Otto Porter Jr.
Versatile defenders who are capable of stretching the floor and using their size in the paint. They use their length to generate steals and play a factor on the boards. Reddish has a lot more upside due to his athleticism.
7: Coby White
Jamal Murray
Combo guards with good size and lethal jumpers. Neither are explosive athletes, but their quickness and acrobatic finishing abilities allow them to finish at the rim. They have the handles to be primary playmakers and the size/shooting to play off-ball at the SG slot.
6: De’Andre Hunter
Rich Man’s Trevor Ariza
Hunter’s major downfall is he doesn’t have a go-to offensive move. If he’s not getting good looks in the corner, he is not going to be a impact player offensively. Ariza has had a similar problem throughout his career. Defensively they use their frames and foot speed to lockdown opposing players. Hunter has a lot more potential as a shooter/defender than Ariza, but his career projects a decent “floor” for Hunter.
5: Darius Garland
Damian Lillard
Garland will need to add some strength, but his play-style and frame remind me a ton of Lillard’s days at Weber State. Their combination of quickness, handles, and ability to score at all three levels make them a tough matchup. Garland has shown his ability to hit shots from well beyond NBA range and hit floaters/running jumpers at a high rate. Both skills possessed by Lillard.
4: Jarrett Culver
Andre Iguodala
Athletic wings who can get to the rim effortlessly and create offense for their teammates. Defensively they are stoppers who guard the opposing team’s best wing night in and night out. Their jump-shots are solid at times, but aren’t very consistent from beyond the arc.
3: RJ Barrett
DeMar DeRozan with more potential as a shooter.
Ball dominant wings who are elite slashers/scorers off the dribble. Very good athletes with elite footwork and game-changing playmaking skills, Barrett/DeRozan make their teammates better by forcing opponents to double and making plays. Defensively they aren’t game-changers, however they use their athleticism and rebounding prowess to be positives. DeRozan’s major weakness has been his lack of a 3PT shot which is a skill that will determine whether or not Barrett is a All-NBA type talent.
2: Ja Morant
Russell Westbrook
Elite athletes who can take over a game as a scorer and/or playmaker. Despite average PG size at 6’3″/6’4″, they can finish big at the rim at a very good rate. As distributors they can hit tight windows and seem to always know where their teammates will be. It is yet to be seen whether Murray will be as ball-dominant as Westbrook in the NBA, but he has the potential to be just as talented.
1: Zion Williamson
Draymond Green as an Elite Athlete
We haven’t really seen a player like Zion Williamson so this is tough. Charles Barkley and Larry Johnson come to mind, but they we’re throwbacks. Zion is perfect for the modern NBA and reminds me a lot more of a versatile 4/5 like Draymond Green. Offensively Zion has a much higher ceiling due to his athleticism and strength, but his impact as a playmaker and defender could mirror Draymond who is among the league’s best in those departments.
