If I'm a GM, here's how I rank the top prospects:
1) Andrew Wiggins - While he's not the most refined player right now, you draft based on how you project these players down the road. Wiggins is a special talent and will have a major impact on both sides of the ball. He's the most explosive player of the bunch and you can see he's got a nice skill-set to build off of. It may take him a couple years to realize how good he is, but once he does, I think he'll be the best player of the bunch. Also, in a similar vein to Drummond, I think the spacing of the NBA game will benefit him.
2) Jabari Parker - In my mind, he's the only other one I'd even think about at #1. He's just so skilled and has such a great feel for the game. He seems like the most "sure thing". He's got the build and similar athleticism to Melo while also being a versatile scorer, but plays more within the flow of the game without forcing shots. I wonder if he'll initially struggle to adjust to the bigger/longer/faster athletes in the NBA, but he's skilled enough to be a very good player regardless.
3) Dante Exum - He's the hardest guy to pin since he's not playing NCAA ball, but he's a tall, long, athletic and skilled PG. We see the kind of success Carter-Williams (6-6 PG) has had so far in the NBA, and Exum appears to have a more consistent outside shot as well. A lot of the top players in the NBA nowadays are point guards, and Exum has to tools to be among the league's best.
4) Julius Randle - I love how he plays with an attitude and isn't afraid to bang down low, but with average length, I don't think he'll be the best defender, and I also worry how he'll adjust playing NBA size and length consistently. He seems crafty though, so I think he also seems like a pretty "safe" pick (assuming he measures fine).
5) Marcus Smart - I could actually see Smart being a bust since he doesn't have elite athleticism and isn't overly skilled for a PG, but the kid is just a winner. He's intelligent and every coach and player around him constantly sings his praises. High character guy and is supposedly a hard worker, so I wouldn't doubt he'll develop a better shooting stroke and understanding of leading an offense.
6) Joel Embiid - If he's only been playing for four years, he's got some great instincts on the offensive end. He's fluid, has legitimate size, and has some natural touch around the hoop. Still needs to rebound better, and is prone to defensive lapses, but with his size he should be effective in those areas. He's not the elite athlete Drummond is (HOW did he possibly fall to ninth?!), but he moves nicely for a big, and NBA-types love drafting size early.
7) Aaron Gordon - A lot will depend on how he measures. If he's below 6'9", he seems like he's a classic "tweener", but if he has legit height, I can understand the Blake Griffin comparisons. Freak athlete, but isn't very skilled, and if he doesn't have good enough size.... he'll struggle in the NBA.
I'm sure this will change as the season goes on and I see more of each player, but as someone who's a huge fan of both college ball and the NBA, the NBA Draft is one of my favorite times of the year. Having this much talent in one draft (top heavy and deep) makes me giddy.
I'd still take our veteran Huskies and Shabazz over these frosh in the NCAA tournament though.
