NBA Draft 2022: Final Big Board of top 60 overall prospects

49. Michael Foster – G-League Ignite – Forward – 6’9, 236 lbs – January 2003

A big-bodied, undersized five, Foster got plenty of usage for G-League Ignite and was at least productive, averaging 15 points and eight rebounds. He looked noticeably slimmed down at the Combine, which should help him move laterally. He was a decent mid-range shooter, so there’s some optimism that can extend to the three-point line.

But Foster is a player who needs the ball and things tailored around him to be most effective, which I’m just not sure teams are willing to do for a second-round center. He’s never been the most willing or capable passer and while he’s not a complete black hole, he just misses reads.

Defensively he’s a bit slow-footed and not a great shot-blocker, putting him in a bind of who he can really guard. He’s not a bad athlete, still very young, and at least showed signs of improvement throughout the G-League season, giving me some hope his unique skill set can be utilized in the NBA.

50. Alondes Williams – Wake Forest – Guard – 6’5, 209 lbs – June 1999 – Senior

Williams is maybe the most creative passer in the class, playing with a fun flair to his game. He’s an expert skip passer, consistently causing defenses to shift. He doesn’t have an elite handle, but has good explosion getting downhill and is a pretty good finisher with terrific body-control and hang-time.

To really be a threat in the half-court, Williams will have to show defenses he can shoot, which he hasn’t really done at all in his college career (61-226 in three college seasons, 27%). He’s got good positional size for a lead guard, but will need to prove he can do more off of it. There’s some backup guard potential here, but at 23 years old already I’m not sure there’s much more than that if he can even get to that point.

51. Jabari Walker – Colorado – Forward – 6’8, 213 lbs – July 2002 – Sophomore

An analytical darling as a freshman, Walker struggled to take on more of a lead role as a sophomore as his shooting percentages dipped. He’s a big-bodied four with shooting touch that stems from NBA lineage, but without elite athleticism, he probably needs to be a top-notch shooter to make the whole package work. He doesn’t do much as a playmaker and had relatively low steal and block numbers. He should be able to guard fours and bigger threes and he is a plus rebounder for his size.

There’s some low-hanging fruit given he’s young for a sophomore, was a late-bloomer, and stems from NBA lineage. Forwards that can legitimately shoot usually get looks from teams so I expect Walker to at least get a chance.

52. J.D. Davison – Alabama – Guard – 6’2.5, 102 lbs – October 2002 – Freshman

Davison is a plus athlete for a guard with a terrific vertical, resulting in some pretty awesome dunks this past season. For a lead guard, he’s not an elite playmaker, but I thought he did a pretty good job of seeing the reads in front of him. When he tried to make things happen with the pass, it was a high-risk, high-reward outcome scenario.

But, I’ve been burned betting on freak athletes without a ton of skill before and that’s why I’m hesitant on Davison. His shot is erratic right now, with a super-low release that needs time to get off. He’s got downhill speed with the ball, but not the handle to break players down. I didn’t love his motor, where if it wasn’t for his big blonde hair, you sometimes wouldn’t even notice if he’s in the game.

If Davison can ever shoot, then that will open the rest of his game up and there is a lead guard package in there. But he likely needs time to develop in the G-League before becoming anything valuable in the NBA.