NBA Draft 2019: Player comparisons for all projected first round picks

15. Kevin Porter Jr., G/F, USC (6-6, 6-9, 213lbs) 

Player Comparison: big Dion Waiters (6-4, 6-7, 220lbs), mini Nick Young (6-7, 7-0, 210lbs)

Kevin Porter Jr. is a certified bucket-getter capable of getting his own shot no matter the situation, using an array of dribble moves to break down the defense before stepping back for a triple or attacking the basket for a flashy slam, but his score-first (and, quite frankly, score-only) mentality and inconsistency issues mirror those of Dion Waiters and Nick Young. When playing at their best, both Waiters and Young serve as phenomenal spark-plug scorers, especially off the bench, due to their long-range shooting and ability to create off the dribble. Yet, inconsistency is not foreign to them, nor is tunnel vision, errant shot selection, and unenthused defense. Porter’s upside is higher than both players, due to advanced dribble moves at his age, but is it a realistic expectation that he’ll reach it, or will he fall into a bench role like Waiters? That’s not a bad outcome, but it would be underwhelming for such a heralded prospect.

14. Brandon Clarke, F/C, Gonzaga (6-8, 6-8, 207lbs) 

Player Comparison: 6-8 Zhaire Smith, T-Rex Shawn Marion, Jordan Bell with Infinity Stones

Brandon Clarke is such a unique draft prospect. He’s small, short, and thin for a power forward or small-ball center, plays well above his size due to elite athleticism and explosiveness, and boasts some of the best defensive IQ and timing that the league has ever seen for someone his size. He’s not really comparable to any bigs currently in the NBA, unless one wants to mention Jordan Bell, a similarly wiry and bouncy big man who’s rather slim for his position. Yet, Bell, despite being a phenomenal athlete in his own right, is still behind Clarke in that department, and his touch, IQ, and awareness pales in comparison.

Perhaps he’s the 6-8 version of Zhaire Smith, the 2018 draftee for the 76ers who shows elite bounce and preternatural defensive instincts and a wicked nose for the ball. Maybe he’s a variation of Shawn Marion, who was an elite defender and rebounder at a similar height (plus, Clarke’s revamped jumper is approaching Marion territory). Maybe Clarke ends up playing on the wing in the NBA, completely ditching his collegiate role as a center altogether, making the Smith and Marion comps all the more reasonable. It’s hard to say — he’s just that unique.

13. Romeo Langford, G/F, Indiana (6-6, 6-11, 200lbs) 

Player Comparison: super Dwayne Bacon, lesser Rip Hamilton

It’s not a glamorous comparison, but both Romeo Langford and former FSU wing Dwayne Bacon sport similar measurements (Bacon came in at 6-6 with a 6-11 wingspan and 222-pound frame at the 2017 Combine) and statistical profiles as tough drivers with good length and some playmaking equity:

• Bacon (career 2015-17): 16.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.0 SPG on .449/.312/.733 shooting
• Langford (2018-19): 16.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.8 SPG on .448/.272/.722 shooting

If you prefer a flashier comparison, then follow the mainstream comparison to former UCONN star and NBA champion Rip Hamilton, who was an equally long wing with above-average strength at his position who excelled at driving and finishing through contact, similar to Langford. It’s hard to see Langford reaching such a lofty peak, considering Hamilton’s championship pedigree and career average of 17.1 points per game on superior perimeter shooting, but his freshman averages (15.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.3 SPG on comparably low TS/eFG efficiency) were similar to Langford’s, and they do play a similar brand of tough basketball, so the comparison isn’t completely out of the blue.