SB Nation released a new mock draft on Monday with writer Ricky O’Donnell taking a slightly different approach. Instead of detailing which picks he thinks each NBA team will make, O’Donnell said he went for which player he would take in each position.
The Duke basketball team has two players in the draft pool this year, and both went in the top 21 selections of O’Donnell’s ideal draft.
[autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] went 18th overall to the Orlando Magic. The No. 5 seed in last year’s Eastern Conference playoffs is led by another former Duke basketball player in [autotag]Paolo Banchero[/autotag], and McCain’s 41% 3-point shooting clip can help space the floor.
“While he’s not a natural shot creator off the dribble, he could play well off Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and provide them with floor spacing,” O’Donnell wrote.
[autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] went three picks later to the New Orleans Pelicans led by former Duke basketball players [autotag]Brandon Ingram[/autotag] and [autotag]Zion Williamson[/autotag].
O’Donnell even said Filipowski might go higher than 21st due to his combination of height (7 feet tall) and ball-handling (2.8 assists per game last season).
“Duke’s sophomore center is one of the most skilled big men in the class: a great decision-maker as a passer, a capable three-point shooter, and a tough interior scorer,” the SB Nation writer said.
The NBA draft kicks off on Wednesday, June 26.