8p9s Mock Draft 3.0: Trying to keep up with rumors
170. . PG. Strasbourg. Frank Ntilikina. 11. player
Defense is French point guard Frank Ntilikina’s main attraction. He has no official wingspan, but it’s been rumored to be upwards of seven feet, a ludicrous figure for a point guard. He’s got good floor vision, even if he can’t always execute on it, and he can shoot the ball well off the catch and pulling up.
The Hornets have been rumored to take Zach Collins at this spot, but I really think Ntilikina is the better prospect. He’s not even from the states and I think there’s more film of him playing against legit competition than Collins. That’s not even bringing up the fact that Charlotte just traded for Dwight Howard and will already have a hard time finding enough minutes for Cody Zeller.
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Ntilikina needs a lot of work on his ball handling skills and his passing accuracy, two pretty crucial facets of being a point guard. If he can polish up his point guard skills, however, he could finally solve the Hornets’ problem of finding someone to back up Kemba Walker.
Gonzaga. Zach Collins. 12. player. 64. . C
The Pistons need a big man fit for the modern NBA, and Zach Collins could potentially be just that
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Collins didn’t play a ton during his year at Gonzaga, which makes this pick a bit riskier than normal. However, he’s shown enough potential to stretch the floor and protect the rim to overcome that risk.
The Pistons have soured on both Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, a pairing that seemed to be a fixture just two seasons ago. Drummond hasn’t improved on his weaknesses over several seasons, and his game may just be too antiquated for today’s NBA.
Collins’ downsides are more abstract than just shooting or footwork. He needs to grow up a lot and stop committing foolish fouls that nail him to the bench. Only then does he have a shot of realizing his potential.