2019 NBA Draft Guide + Rankings

In a backyard baseball themed draft guide, I ranked the top 21 players in this NBA draft. It is a combined ranking with Ben, my co-host from The Walk-Off Podcast.

My own individual rankings will also be posted below these graphics. Enjoy!

Zion Williamson: Once in a generation athlete who has the potential to be the best player in the NBA. The most hyped prospect since LeBron James. His body was seemingly crafted by the Gods themselves. Superhuman transition player with Giannis-like ability to create with his dominant driving capabilities. The best college player and future NBA superstar. Potential 5 position defender with gravity-defying blocking ability. There is no ceiling if he adds a consistent jump shot.

Player Comparisons: Charles Barkley, Blake Griffin, Julius Randle, Giannis Antetokounmpo

Ja Morant: Elite passer who already possesses skills that will flourish in the modern NBA. Electric athlete who can run an offense with pick and roll upside. Playmaker who uses athleticism to create for his teammates. Needs to reduce turnovers and improve jump-shot mechanics. Could be a perfect role player on any team with his skills at cutting and spot-up shooting. IF he can improve his jumper and have the ball in his hands, Ja could be a steal, and dominate the NBA for years.

Player Comparisons: John Wall, Donovan Mitchell, Russell Westbrook

Cam Reddish: Certainly the most polarizing prospect this year. Has the physical tools and offensive game capable of making him the best player in the 2019 draft. However, Reddish struggled at Duke playing behind RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson. He only shot 33% on 3’s, but has a beautiful stroke with NBA-range. He could very well be the best shooter in this draft class. His game should open up with more spacing in the NBA. Superb athlete who can finish at the rim.

Player Comparisons: Paul George, Rudy Gay, Jayson Tatum

Darius Garland: Flashy prospect with brilliant and imaginative dribbling skills who showed signs of being an elite playmaker at the next level. Thought of by many as the best point guard in the draft. Dominant pick and roll player capable of running an NBA offense. Phenomenal shooter who shot almost 50% from the 3 point line in his 6 games in college. Garland is undersized and coming off a major knee tear, so it’s hard to know what will come next for him.

Player Comparisons: Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Jeff Teague

Jarrett Culver: Versatile wing with a tremendous basketball IQ who could fill a number of roles in the modern NBA. One of the best playmakers in the draft, who has experience as the primary ball handler. Can create off the dribble with pull-ups and drives. Led Texas Tech team to the NCAA championship game. Capable of making difficult shots and step backs. Average first step and ball handling skills. Must get stronger in order to flourish in the NBA. Shooting mechanics are problematic.

Player Comparisons: Dwayne Wade, Malcolm Brogdon, Michael-Carter Williams, Demar Derozen

RJ Barrett: Polished offensive player who can hit any shot on the court. Potential shooter with flawless mechanics. NBA-ready body. Flourished at Duke alongside Zion. Utilizes euro-steps and hesitations to get to the hoop where he is able to draws fouls. Solid rebounder and shows flashes on defense. Despite immense offensive upside, often forces up bad shots early in the shot-clock. Struggles going to his right, which will be exploited by NBA defenses. Has lulls on offense where he vanishes.

Player Comparisons: Rodney Hood, Harrison Barnes

De'Andre Hunter: Polarizing prospect with a high floor and NBA-ready body who can contribute on any NBA team in year 1. Unflashy 3 and D player who still has not unlocked his entire game. Shot 48% on 3’s and 80% on free throws, which shows shooting prowess. Hunter is one of the best defensive players in the draft. Tenacious driver to the basket who makes the right pass. Can get his own buckets. Average athleticism and handling will limit his scoring upside.

Player Comparisons: Jae Crowder, Taurean Prince, Luol Deng

Goga Bitadze: Strong bodied big man with a soft touch and no discernible weaknesses. Despite not shooting much in Turkey, shows a lot of shooting potential because of smooth mechanics. Perfect NBA center body who is a great shot blocker. Arsenal of post moves with ambidextrous finishing. Best pick and roll big man in the draft who sets strong screens and glides for finishes. Also shows potential for pick and pop.

Player Comparisons: Jusuf Nurkic, Steven Adams

Kevin Porter Jr: This kid has star power. Immense athleticism with a good handle and 3-point shot to go with it. Excellent physical profile. Has flashy dribbling skills that help him get anywhere on the court. Despite problematic shooting mechanics, is very good at getting his shot up. Incredible driver to the rim who can sky for dunks. High-upside defender due to his frame and athleticism. Just needs to put his game together and keep growing, and his ceiling is one of the highest in the draft.

Player Comparisons: Jamaal Murray, Tim Hardaway Jr, De’Aaron Fox

Luguentz Dort: Monster defender who has primary ball handling and playmaking upside. Average finisher at the rim but explosive driver to the basket who draws fouls easily. Quick first step that allows him to beat defenders off the dribble. Plays incredibly hard, chases loose balls, out-hustles opponents, and sets the tone defensively. Despite good shooting mechanics, needs to work on his three point shot. He shot at just 30% in college. Potentially one of the most underrated prospects in years.

Player Comparisons: Marcus Smart, Victor Oladipo, Patrick Beverly, Gary Harris

Coby White: Effective shooter and playmaker with blazing speed and a quick release. At his best in the open floor in transition. Impressive passer who can create space. T-Rex arms that force his dribble too high and loose. Despite being fast he is not quick or agile which reduces his go-to scorer potential. Shoots like he’s pushing the ball so while his shooting numbers are good, his form is concerning. There are not many NBA shooters who have a form like him.

Player Comparisons: John Wall, De’Aaron Fox

Rui Hachimura: An elite scorer in college who used a variety of spin moves, layups with either hand, and a deadly mid-range game. Already 21 but has the perfect NBA body and NBA ready scoring. He played center in college so fans did not get to see him on the perimeter but NBA teams will have him shooting 3’s soon with that silky smooth jumper. No real weaknesses but maybe not an elite skill may keep teams from drafting him in the top 10. But his iso scoring at that size is exciting.

Player Comparisons: Marcus Morris, Carmelo Anthony

PJ Washington: PJ is a perfect small ball center in the modern NBA. He drains threes at a 42% clip, one of the highest percentages in college, and has a long, strong body that allows him to defend 4s and 5s. Athletic and mobile on-ball defender. Shows promise as a passer. Only 6 foot 8 with lacking explosiveness but a relatively quick first step. Needs to diversify his offensive game by adding fadeaways and hook shots.

Player Comparisons: Jerami Grant, Serge Ibaka, Draymond Green

Sekou Doumbouya: The youngest player in the draft, and it shows. Incredibly raw but has immense potential on defense and fast breaks. He was the best French pro B player despite not playing much due to his age. Effective shooter who can be an elite 3 and D NBA role player. Scoring at the rim will be a determining factor in his growth. His body and athleticism could make him an immediate force on defense with switchability, at worst he is an Andre Roberson type who is a black hole on offense.

Player Comparisons: Pascal Siakam, Thon Maker, OG Anunoby

Nickeil Alexander-Walker: Versatile guard who can play on or off ball, with an pure shooting touch and high-upside playmaking potential. Shot 37.4% from 3, despite strange shooting mechanics, but has a high and quick release. Great finisher around the rim with both hands. Plays with poise in the pick and roll, which will translate in the NBA. Long and competitive defender although will need to bulk to be able to defend wings. Never wows you on the court but is consistent with few weaknesses.

Player Comparisons: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Malcolm Brogdon

Romeo Langford: Hardworking shot-creator and innate scorer with mind-boggling finishing moves. Confident shooter from everywhere on the court, who can also put the ball on the ground and drive to the hoop. Three level scorer. Athletic with an NBA-ready body. Horrible shooting mechanics will limit his shooting from the NBA 3-point line. Poor defender who gets lost, despite upside from his physical gifts. Decision making must significantly improve to warrant the ball in his hands.

Player Comparisons: Andrew Wiggins, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Grant Williams: Low ceiling but high floor prospect. He led Tennessee to the Sweet-16 by doing a little bit of everything. He averaged 19 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal per game. He is the strongest player in the draft and measured in the 96th percentile in strength among all NBA players. Great shooting form as evident by his 82% free throw rate. He operated mostly from the post and executed all layups and fadeaways. NBA teams will have him shooting 3’s in no time.

Player Comparisons: PJ Tucker, Draymond Green, Boris Diaw, Jared Sullinger

Talen Horten-Tucker: His combination of height, weight, and wingspan is something the NBA has never seen. It’s as if Mister Fantastic left the Marvel world and became an NBA player. He is the second youngest player in the draft despite playing a full year at Iowa State so it was not surprising to see inconsistencies. Total boom or bust player. Potential to guard 4 positions, but could also be too slow to flourish. Flashed shot creation and passing skills that are tantalizing. Catch & shoot looks good too.

Player Comparisons: Uncharted Territory

Brandon Clarke: One of the best defender in college who had as many blocks as missed shots this season. Explosive leaper who plays a team-first style of basketball. He played center in college but doesn’t have the size, strength, or rebounding to play center in the NBA. Despite being a senior he has not developed any offensive skills and just recently changed his shooting form. Versatile defender who can fly around disrupting offensive flow.

Player Comparisons: Tony Allen, Shane Battier, Chris Anderson

Louis King: Incredible shooter for a 6’8” wing by shooting 39% on 3 pointers and 79% on free throws. Already 20 years old after his freshman season at Oregon. Will be an NBA player based on size and shooting alone, but could become a star if his step-backs and creative finishes at the rim come to fruition. Desperately needs to bulk if he hopes to defend other players his size or finish through contact. Surprising how bad of a defender he is based on his measurables.

Player Comparisons: Jerami Grant, Al-Farouq Aminu

Nassir Little: Perfect NBA body and unreal athleticism for the UNC freshman. His lack of basketball skills limits his star potential but could easily carve out a role with his potential versatile defense, mind-boggling alley-oop finishes, and rim-rocking put backs. Underwhelmed in college because of UNC’s star upper-classmen who took shots away from this top recruit. Surprisingly good free throw shooter suggests long term scoring upside.

Player Comparisons: Andre Iguodala, Shawn Kemp, Stanley Johnson

FULL Rankings 1-39