2019 NBA Draft: Top 3 players for Boston Celtics to select with 14th pick

1. Brandon Clarke, 6-8 big, Gonzaga

At Chicago’s NBA Draft Combine, the league opted to miscategorize Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke — who played primarily as a power forward and center — as a small forward for the gauntlet of athletic testing that focused on agility, speed and verticality. Bigs typically don’t outperform small forwards in these tests, as is simple nature of the human anatomy (big bones don’t move as fast or jump as high, traditionally).

Well, Brandon Clarke is no ordinary big.

Even labeled as a “small forward,” the 6-8 pogo stick of a human tied for first among small forwards in the standing vertical jump, with his 34-inch leap ranking third at the entire event. His 40.5-inch max vert ranked first among “small forwards” and was the fourth-best mark among all 60-plus participants which included several high-class athletes. His shuttle run (fourth), lane agility time (second), and 3/4-court sprint (third) all stood up well compared to other small forwards, which is incredible since Clarke absolutely is not a small forward.

This next-level athleticism is what made him such a lethal player at the college level, enabling him to slide his feet against guards, wings, and bigs, while having the bounce to sky for rebounds, vicious throw-downs and disrespectful rejections on a regular basis.

His intelligence, awareness, and preternatural timing is what makes him such an elite prospect, though. Plenty of bigs have entered the league with (somewhat) comparable athleticism, but what makes Clarke special is his ability to watch plays unfold before him and deftly make smart decision after smart decision. He routinely rotated to shooters and drivers, operated as a defensive fail-safe whenever his teammates (as in, Rui Hachimura) messed up by forgetting an assignment, contained ball-handlers on the perimeter off of switches or pick-and-rolls, and used his hands to get strips and blocks.

Brandon Clarke didn’t just stumble upon his averages of 16.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.2 blocks on a nutty 68.7 field goal percentage. His skill level and savant-level IQ is what got him those numbers, and although he’s set to be a 23-year-old rookie, he still has room for growth.

When considering his development curve, Clarke’s status as a late-bloomer could signal that his offense — which already includes potent rim-finishing, elite touch around the basket, and solid ball-handling and passing for a big — could improve further. He completely overhauled his shooting mechanics between his time at San Jose State and Gonzaga, with his free throw percentage rising considerably as a result. Already possessing elite touch around the basket and a cleaner shot, it’s not out of the question that Clarke can polish his jumper even more to the point of becoming a legit outside threat.

Boston and Clarke have already been mentioned as perfect fits for one another, as the 6-8 big would slot in seamlessly next to the perimeter-oriented Al Horford to form one of the most formidable big man duos in the league. Clarke’s rim-rolling and Horford’s perimeter shooting and playmaking would be a tough duo to scheme for on offense, and their joint ability to defend actions around the basket and out in space makes them hard to pick on.

Brandon Clarke is a player that should go much higher in this draft, but because of his age and unspectacular measurements (6-8 wingspan), he’s seen as a lesser prospect.

He’s not. Don’t be fooled. Don’t be told otherwise.

Boston could be getting an elite defensive player that is already capable of contributing in the playoffs with the 14th pick of the draft. If he’s still there, he’s the only option.

Boston can’t screw that up.