KSL's pick-by-pick NBA Draft coverage


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SALT LAKE CITY — Welcome to KSL.com's live coverage of the 2017 NBA Draft! KSL.com's Utah Jazz beat writer, Andy Larsen, will update you and provide commentary on every pick from No. 1 to No. 60.

1![](http://basketball.realgm.com/images/basketball/5.0/team_logos/nba/22-philadelphia-76.png)
Markelle Fultz, PG, Washington
[Philadelphia Sixers](http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/teams/Philadelphia-Sixers/22/Home) from Boston via BKN
Unsurprisingly, Markelle Fultz goes No. 1 to the Philadelphia 76ers. He’s definitely either the best or second best prospect in this draft, but Fultz just has fewer questions about him than any player. He’s exceptionally talented, and is a solid shooter, finisher, and is smart with the ball. He has all the tools, and if he applies them, will be a top 20 player in the league. Top 10? That might be too much to ask. There’s a tie for the Utah Jazz, too: because Philadelphia takes a point guard here, they’re out of the market for signing a big name free agent point guard, like George Hill. That decreases Hill’s market in a big way.

2
Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA
Lavar Ball got what he wanted, and Lonzo Ball goes No. 2. I love watching Lonzo Ball, and I think he’ll be a very good player in the NBA. His efficient scoring and sublime playmaking (he honestly may already be one of the 10 best passers in the world) mean that he’s going to be a quality player either way. His shooting and defense, supposed question marks, were actually pretty good for UCLA last year.

3
Jayson Tatum, SF, Duke
Boston Celticsfrom Philadelphia via SAC
The Celtics, somewhat surprisingly, take Jayson Tatum! Tatum isn’t who I would have selected here. He’s very smooth, but lacks something of a first step and isn’t a tremendously explosive athlete. Some compare him to a poor man’s Carmelo Anthony, some compare him to Tobias Harris. From a Jazz point of view, maybe it dissuades Gordon Hayward one iota if there’s already a small forward in a Celtics uniform.

4
Josh Jackson, SF, Kansas
And Phoenix is thrilled, Josh Jackson fell to No. 4. Jackson is a really high ceiling prospect because of everything he can do on the court, except for shooting the ball. If he ever does figure his shot out, watch out. If he doesn’t, he could be the next Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Regardless, Phoenix’s draft strategy seems to be to draft very high upside guys and hoping for the best. So far, they’ve hit on one, Devin Booker.

5
De'Aaron Fox, PG, Kentucky
Sacramento Kingsfrom Philadelphia
Sacramento gets De’Aaron Fox. Another high upside player who can’t shoot right now, but De’Aaron Fox might be the fastest player in the draft. He’ll struggle to find the spacing on the Kings, but I think he’ll eventually be a good NBA point guard.

6
Jonathan Isaac, F, Florida St.
Orlando takes Jonathan Isaac, which is what everyone had predicted. The big question: does Isaac play the SF or PF position? Can he play next to Aaron Gordon? I hope so. By nearly all of the statistical models, Isaac is one of the elite prospects in this draft, because of his incredible impact on the defensive end, picking up blocks and steals for Florida St. Andrei Kirilenko-lite, is a comparison I’ve heard.

7
Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona
A huge trade in the NBA: the Minnesota Timberwolves traded this pick to the Chicago Bulls, along with point guards Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn, for Jimmy Butler and the No. 16 pick. First of all, this makes the Northwest division much tougher for the Jazz: Butler, Andrew Wiggins, and Karl-Anthony Towns makes for a compelling core. Furthermore, the Wolves trading their point guards opens up a new landing spot for George Hill.

8
Frank Ntilikina, PG, France
Frank Ntilikina goes to the New York Knicks. Ntilikina is a very athletic point guard who impressed in his time with Strasbourg last year, especially for a prospect who hasn’t even turned 19 yet. He wasn’t the most efficient point guard, but his mix of potential shooting and defense might be a fit in Knicks president Phil Jackson’s triangle system. That being said, so is Kristaps Porzingis, and they’re looking to trade him. The Knicks are a mess.

9
Dennis Smith Jr., PG, NC State
Dennis Smith is one of the most divisive players in this draft. Everyone agrees he's an excellent athlete and scorer, but the defense is aggressively missing, and so was the effort during large stretches of last year. He has real star potential, but will he ever help a team win? We're less sure. At this point, though, why not take the bet? Even if you want to trade him down the road, he might get more value than a typical role player.

10
Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga
Portland Trail Blazersfrom New Orleans
Sacramento is trading this pick for No. 15 and No. 20 from the Portland Trail Blazers, who are selecting Zach Collins from Gonzaga. Collins wasn’t a starter last year, but impressed in his time on the floor, especially during the Final Four in Gonzaga’s run to the National Championship game. My favorite comparison for Collins is this: imagine if Meyers Leonard were good at basketball. Maybe Leonard will have the chance to learn!

11
Malik Monk, SG, Kentucky
Malik Monk goes No. 11. Maybe the most talented shooter in the draft, Monk is looked at as a microwave scorer at the next level who probably won’t be solid enough defensively to guard the elite guards in the NBA. But man, he put up some impressive scoring games last year for Kentucky alongside Fox. He also shot them out of some games. For the Hornets, why not go high-upside?

12
Luke Kennard, SG, Duke
Luke Kennard is selected No. 12. He’s someone that had been rising until last week, because teams he can think more than a shooter in the NBA. At the very least, he’ll be that, but if he can be more, that’d be great for Detroit, a team that desperately needs that kind of player on the wings, especially with the future of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope up in the air. I'll allow myself one brag: so far, through the first 12 picks, the draft order exactly matches my mock draft published last Friday.

13
Donovan Mitchell, SG, Louisville
Wow, the Jazz did it! Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that the Utah Jazz are trading the No. 24 pick and power forward Trey Lyles to the Denver Nuggets for the No. 13 pick and the rights to take Donovan Mitchell. This is a fantastic trade by the Jazz. Clearly, Trey Lyles wasn't in the Jazz's plans by the end of last year, thanks to disappointing effort, decision making, and shooting on the floor. So instead, they trade Lyles to move up 11 picks to get Mitchell, a player who they loved. Remarkably, Mitchell loved Utah back. He said this about Utah in his draft workout: "And Utah, I love it. It's quiet and nice, everything is clean for starters. I'm from New York, where it's loud and dirty," Mitchell said. "But I like Utah a lot. It's beautiful. I just like it out here." Mitchell also posted some impressive numbers at the combine:

Donovan Mitchell led all NBA Combine participants in standing vertical jump (36.5") and three-quarter court sprint (3.01 seconds). pic.twitter.com/0aTgqLC7jn — ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 23, 2017

14![](http://basketball.realgm.com/images/basketball/5.0/team_logos/nba/15-miami-heat.png)
Bam Adebayo, PF, Kentucky
[Miami Heat](http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/teams/Miami-Heat/15/Home)
This feels like too soon for Bam Adebayo, who was an impressive dunker in Kentucky as the third Wildcat taken on the board. But I like many of the other bigs remaining more, including John Collins.

15
Justin Jackson, SG, North Carolina
Sacramento Kingsfrom Portland
I don't love Justin Jackson, who has a good mid-range game, but only shot well from deep in his last season in North Carolina. Where was the shooting before that? Other than that, I don't know if he'll be a good defender. But there's a chance he'll be a valuable scorer, but I'm worried about what happens with him in the Sacramento organization.

16
Justin Patton, C, Creighton
This pick is for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who somehow got this pick from the Bulls in the Jimmy Butler trade. A little surprised that Patton is the first of these players off the board, these big, bouncy big men who need to work on their games, but I don't hate it. The biggest reason, is his height, wingspan, and that he has a nice drive game for a center. If he figures out more of a consistent offensive game, that'd be great.

17
D.J. Wilson, PF, Michigan
This is early for D.J. Wilson, who I liked a lot more until an NBA type asked me this: what does Wilson bring to the game that a wing playing the power forward couldn't? Maybe it's rim protection, but he doesn't really do that consistently.

18
T.J. Leaf, C, UCLA
Statistical models like T.J. Leaf, because it's so rare to have a freshman put up his level of production in big minutes. I agree that he deserves to go here: the defense is a real question mark. But I think he'll be an NBA talent, along the lines of Kelly Olynyk.

19
John Collins, PF/C, Wake Forest
John Collins is another player that's rated pretty well by models, while scouts don't like his up and down effort level. He also doesn't have elite size, only 6-foot-10 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, relatively short for a center. But I think he'll be okay anyway, thanks to his ability to finish inside. Probably a backup, though.

20
Harry Giles, PF, Duke
Sacramento Kingsfrom Portland
Again, I worry that Harry Giles is going to Sacramento, which seems to be somewhat of a death sentence for prospects. Giles was recently a hyped, No. 1 prospect in his high school draft class. Then he had three knee surgeries, including two ACL tears, and was horrific for Duke on the court last year. Because it's the NBA, he came out anyway, and ends up with a first round pick. He's definitely a high risk pick, but maybe he'll regain his athleticism and pan out.

21
Terrance Ferguson, SG, Adelaide
Terrance Ferguson was a top high school prospect who made history last year by going to Australia to play pro ball instead of going to college. He wasn't very good, at all, in Adelaide in a role-player spot. Teams are hoping that he can be a reasonable shooter and athlete in time, but he wasn't good last year. Some of the best Australian league players haven't had success in the NBA, so Ferguson will have to grow.

22
Jarrett Allen, C, Texas
Brooklyn Netsfrom Washington
Jarrett Allen's wingspan is nearly 7-foot-6, so that's ridiculous. I like it as a pick for the Nets, again, as a team that desperately needs upside. They also need a center, after trading away Brook Lopez. I look forward to Allen alley-oops delivered by DeAngelo Russell next season on a still-bad but fun to watch Nets team.

23
OG Anunoby, SF, Indiana
Toronto Raptorsfrom L.A. Clippers via MIL
He's going to miss part of the season after tearing his ACL with Indiana, but I think he deserved to be selected higher than this. People who I respect think he has great defensive potential. Not just to be good enough to stay on the floor, but the potential to be one of the five best defenders in the league, at least at the wing position. Add reasonable offense to that and he'll be a great 3-and-D player in Toronto. Love this pick.

24
Tyler Lydon, PF, Syracuse
This pick, which Denver got from the Utah Jazz along with Trey Lyles for the No. 13 pick, sends another "Ly" stretch power forward to the Nuggets along with their new acquisition. That's a little bit weird, as I don't think the Nuggets will need more bigs who can shoot and will struggle to defend, but whatever. Lydon's a high IQ player, but don't they need more? No one tell the Nuggets to stop trading picks to the Jazz.

25
Anzejs Pasecniks, C, Latvia
Philadelphia 76ersfrom Toronto
He's a former teammate of Kristaps Porzingis, which I feel like substantially improved his draft stock. But he's 7-foot-2, and can shoot a little bit, so he's probably worth the pick at 25. The Sixers traded a future 2020 first round pick and a future second round pick for this selection.

26
Caleb Swanigan, PF, Portland
Caleb Swanigan spent time in Utah in homeless shelters, before moving to Indiana for high school. Since then, "Biggie" has been losing weight and improving at basketball every year, including an incredible year last year for Purdue. No one doubts that he'll be a good rebounder. It's just a question of whether or not he'll be able to fit defensively or if his game will translate offensively. Worst case, though, I think he can be Reggie Evans-esque.

27
Kyle Kuzma, PF, Utah
Kyle Kuzma goes in the first round, an outcome I wouldn't have predicted three months ago. But everyone who worked out Kuzma loved him, and a good showing in the NBA Combine made him into a hot prospect. I like Kuzma, and think he'll have a good career, though he won't be a Draymond Green type of player in the NBA. I like the Morris twins comparison more, which would still be a great outcome for the Lakers at 27.

28
Tony Bradley, C, North Carolina
Utah Jazzfrom Los Angeles
The Jazz make a second trade on draft night, acquiring the No. 28 pick for No. 30 and No. 42. Clearly, the Jazz liked Bradley, who was on Jazz mock drafts pretty frequently over the last two weeks. Bradley didn't play much last year for UNC, but his numbers are great because of his rebounding skills. He'll be an excellent offensive rebounder right away, and a very capable backup to Rudy Gobert next season. Statistical models love Tony Bradley. Kevin Pelton named him as the No. 9 best prospect in this draft, and Andrew Johnson had him as the 6th best prospect. There's a lot to like here.

29
Derrick White, SG, Colorado
The oldest prospect in the draft, but I still like White. I see him fitting in with San Antonio because of his playmaking, shooting, and hopefully his ability to contribute as a senior.

30
Josh Hart, SG, Villanova
Los Angeles Lakersfrom Golden State
A lot of teams like Josh Hart because they know him to be a smart, tough athlete who will push himself to find a way to contribute. I'm sure that's why Magic Johnson likes him, plus he was no slouch production wise at Villanova. Like all seniors, there are questions about his upside. Everyone uses the same line about Hart: jack of all trades, master of none. Can he get an NBA skill?

31
Frank Jackson, PG, Duke
New Orleans Pelicansfrom Atlanta via BKN
The Lone Peak High School grad ends up going to New Orleans, because the Hornets traded this pick for No. 40 and cash. He's high-risk, but high-reward, and not that many prospects have his mix of theoretical athleticism and shooting.

32
Devon Reed, SG, Miami
A 3-and-D prospect with a 7-foot wingspan despite standing just 6-foot-6, Reed can shoot the ball pretty well. Not slated to go this high, but I don't hate the pick!

33
Wesley Iwundu, SG, Kansas State
Orlando Magicfrom L.A. Lakers
See above, except Iwundu is 6-foot-7, and has a 7-foot-1 wingspan. Maybe a worse shooter, but a better passer.

34
Frank Mason, PG, Kansas
Sacramento Kingsfrom Philadelphia via NOP
Surprised Frank Mason went this early, as teams are skeptical that he can translate his excellent college production to the NBA given his size. It's a little bit of a gamble, but maybe he can become a solid backup PG who plays with toughness and smarts.

35
Ivan Rabb, PF, California
A guy who would have been taken a lot earlier had he left for the draft last season, maybe in the lottery, Rabb becomes a cautionary tale to stay in school. But he's a decent prospect, just not one who has a clear fit in today's NBA.

36
Jonah Bolden, PF, Radnicki Basket
Philadelphia Sixersfrom New York via UTA and TOR
Jonah Bolden started his post-high-school career at UCLA, but after finding himself unhappy with his role, he went overseas to find a different role with Radnicki. He might be kicking himself for that, as being set up by Lonzo Ball last year would have made his numbers jump out. Still, a good upside pick.

37
Semi Ojeleye, F, SMU
Boston Celticsfrom Minnesota via PHX
Maybe the strongest wing in the draft, Ojeleye is incredibly impressive in person. The Jazz felt he was a power forward prospect due to his limited offensive skillset, but still might be good enough to stay in front of all manner of fours in the NBA.

38
Jordan Bell, PF, Oregon
Golden State Warriorsfrom Sacramento via CLE
The Warriors bought this pick with $3.5 million from the Chicago Bulls, and it seems like an unfair fit to put the defensively versatile Bell with the league's best switchy defense. I'm very intrigued.

39
Jawun Evans, PG, Oklahoma State
That Jawun Evans slipped to 39 is surprising, and probably underrates his talent. I don't think he'll be an NBA starter because of his small stature, but he can do everything else on the floor pretty well.

40
Dwayne Bacon, SF, Florida State
A scorer in college, Bacon will have to find ways to contribute elsewhere as a role player in the NBA.

41
Tyler Dorsey, SG, Oregon
Atlanta Hawksfrom Charlotte
Surprising that Dorsey got selected before Brooks, but shows the importance of shooting in the NBA. Not a great wingspan.

42
Thomas Bryant, PF, Indiana
Los Angeles Lakersfrom Detroit
If Bryant could defend, his floor spacing would be much more interesting. Alas, I'm skeptical his body will move that quickly.

43
Isaiah Hartenstein, PF, Germany
Houston Rocketsfrom Denver
A back issue noticed by NBA doctors apparently led to his falling down draft boards to 43. If he's healthy, this is good value.

44
Damyean Dotson, SG, Houston
New York Knicksfrom Chicago
Damyean Dotson had some excellent shooting numbers, but a little bit of a goofy form. Then, there's that trouble he got into at Oregon.

45
Dillon Brooks, SF, Oregon
Memphis Grizzliesfrom Portland
Dillon Brooks going after teammate Dorsey is a surprise, but this pick isn't. I'll be curious what Brooks improves on to get his NBA skill, but he's a player who makes critical shots.

46
Sterling Brown, SG, SMU
Milwaukee Bucksfrom Miami via ATL
Sterling Brown is an analytics darling, thanks to his very real 3-and-D potential. Projecting shooting is difficult, but Brown seems to be a pretty good bet.

47
Ike Anigbogu, C, UCLA
Very surprising that the freshman big man from UCLA slipped this far. He has a 7-foot-6 wingspan! But he may have benefitted from playing next to Lonzo Ball. Can he be a good rim protector? I think so, eventually.

48
Sindarius Thornwell, SF, South Carolina
I love Sindarius Thornwell, and think he's going to stick in the league as a defensive menace who might be able to do enough on offense to make it work. The Ringer compares him to Wesley Matthews and P.J. Tucker.

49
Vlatko Cancar, SF, Slovenia
Denver Nuggetsfrom Memphis via OKC
A likely draft-and-stash with good size and maybe an ability to shoot and defend one day.

50
Mathias Lessort, PF, France
A player that dominated his Jazz workout, but is limited by his lack of a shot. If he ever develops one, he'd be a fun complimentary big man. I think he'll stay overseas initially.

51
Monte Morris, PG, Iowa State
Denver Nuggetsfrom Oklahoma City
Stat models love him because no point guard prospect has ever turned over the ball less. As a result, his average career outcome might be being a solid backup point guard for 12 years.

52
Edward Sumner, PG, Xavier
Sumner's a big guard, but needs to start learning the game a little bit more to play point, and isn't a good enough shooter to play off the ball.

53
Kadeem Allen, G, Arizona
Boston Celticsfrom Cleveland
Another prospect that was drafted because of his defense. Defense translates well to the NBA, and these players are worth taking on the hopes that they can develop some offensive role to find room on the court. If not, think Elijah Millsap.

54
Alec Peters, PF, Valpariso
Phoenix Sunsfrom Toronto
Mostly a perimeter player offensively, but not quick enough to guard it defensively.

55
Nigel Williams-Goss, PG, Gonzaga
A savvy leader whose communication skills blew Jazz executives away during his workout in Utah, Williams-Goss is a leadership play. Surprisingly, put up really good lateral movement numbers at the combine, so he might have a chance to stick in the NBA as a smart offensive player who can stay in front defensively.

56
Jabari Bird, SG, California
Boston Celticsfrom L.A. Clippers
I'm surprised he was drafted, I don't know what he does well at the NBA level? Promising name, though.

57
Alexander Vezenkov, PF, FC Barcelona
Brooklyn Netsfrom Boston
A perimeter forward who can shoot the ball, but also score inside. Can't defend. Very likely draft-and-stash, but why not?

58
Ognjen Jaramaz, PG, Mega Leks
New York Knicksfrom Houston
Has a good first step and can attack the rim, but leaves something to be desired at the playmaking aspect of being a point guard. Good size, though, at 6-foot-4.

59
Jaron Blossomgame, SF, Clemson
It seems like Blossomgame's been impacting the college ranks forever, but it will be interesting to see if and how his game can translate to the NBA without elite skills or quickness.

60
Alpha Kaba, C, Mega Leks
Atlanta Hawksfrom Golden State via PHI and UTA
Another Mega Leks player, Kaba's being drafted because he's 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, and plays basketball well enough that he might add skills other than rebounding one day. If so, Atlanta will be ready.

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