NBA Draft 2018: Mock First Round Projections 1.0

2. Memphis: Luka Doncic, SG

It is always difficult to predict exactly how an international player’s skill set will translate to the NBA. This, along with Luka Doncic’s recent thigh injury, makes him a debatable pick at #2 overall.

But the Grizzlies and Doncic are a match too good to pass up. Memphis needs shooting, and the Slovenia native provides exactly that with some defensive skills to boot. Doncic is the coachable type, which will allow him to flourish under the guidance of veterans Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. European prospects have yielded mixed results, but this one is worth the risk.

1. Phoenix: Deandre Ayton, C

The seven-foot-one, 260 pound monster of a player on the interior has the tools to be an impact NBA player immediately, despite a far from smooth freshman year at Arizona. The Suns need a lot of help as the league’s worst team, and having a force in the middle who can dominate on both ends of the floor is a good place to start.

Ultimately, the baggage that appeared to be coming with Ayton has nothing to do with the player himself. The 19-year-old is a mature player on and off the floor and is even improving on certain areas of his game, such as his perimeter shooting and post play.

Next: Top Big Ten players in the 2018 NBA Draft

With the NCAA tournament in the rearview mirror and the draft quickly approaching, the hype now shifts to how the first round is going to pan out. Of course, the lottery is going to determine a lot, but as of now, the previous order should be fairly accurate.