NBA Draft 2018: 5 players who should’ve been drafted higher

C Jock Landale, Saint Mary’s

Jock Landale is trying to follow in path former Saint Mary’s star Patty Mills paved from Australia to the Gaels to the NBA. He’s going to have to take the long way to get there.

Once again, a consensus Second Team All-American waited through 60 picks to hear his name called on Thursday night. He never did.

Landale was named WCC Player of the Year, with good reason. The big man averaged a double-double during his senior season, registering 21.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He became the first Gael to win conference player of the year honors since Matthew Dellavedova in 2012.

Thursday was a tough night for the WCC as a whole. The conference didn’t see any players drafted for the first time since 2015. In fact, no Gael has been taken in the even since Mills went to the San Antonio Spurs in 2009.

Dellavedova proved that a Saint Mary’s alum can prove their worth in the Summer League and make a career, though. Londale will therefore try to do the same. Before the night was even over, there were reports of him headed to the Atlanta Hawks for the summer.

Now he’ll have to either evolve or prove his traditional big man skills have a place in the NBA.