Max Christie/Michigan State | Nick King/ Lansing State Journal
1. MarJon Beauchamp
After what seemed like disappearing from the basketball scene for about a year plus, Beauchamp had announced he would sign and play for the G-League Ignite squad last year in hopes of getting the attention of NBA teams and eventually being selected in the NBA Draft. Beauchamp had a solid year with the Ignite and there have been rumblings that he could go as high as the mid-1st round. Beauchamp is great at doing the dirty work on both sides of the ball and can be impactful in a variety of ways with his length and understanding what a team needs from him. Specifically, Beauchamp showed flashes of defensive versatility and being a slasher and finisher on the offensive end. Even with so much talent around him, Beauchamp still made the most out of his opportunities and could fill the stat sheets. Beauchamp is a lot more well known in draft circles which is why he’s first on this list.
2. Max Christie
Christie was a projected 1st round draft pick going into his Freshman season with the Michigan State Spartans, but with ups and downs as a shooter and inconsistencies with his play, Christie has fallen on draft boards and looks to be a 2nd rounder. Even with all this, I’m actually kind of glad Christie decided to stay in the draft. I think regardless of the situation, Christie will be able to find his way into an NBA rotation early with his ability to shoot the ball and defend on the other end. Just in general Christie has a good feel for the game and knows where his spots on the floor are. NBA spacing should give Christie a ton of room to work with and he should have plenty of catch and shoot opportunities with NBA level playmakers on the floor with him. The smooth jumper of Christie is what keeps me all in on him and I don’t see how it doesn’t translate to the NBA.
3. Justin Lewis
When watching Lewis, it just feels like he could do just about everything on the court. The 6’7 Wing-Forward showed upside and versatility on both sides of the ball as an outside threat and the ability to guard multiple positions. Lewis really wasn’t efficient in college, especially from 2, but he shot the ball at a pretty good volume from behind the three point line. Lewis is considered a 2nd rounder and potentially undrafted which is undoubtedly deranged to me considering the vast improvements he was able to make from his 1st year at Marquette to his 2nd when giving more of an opportunity to showcase his talents. More on the defensive side, it was impressive to see that Lewis could guard some quicker guys on the perimeter and used his strength and size to stay mobile. Lewis has plenty of intangibles and I could see him fitting right in a lot of systems.
4. Gabe Brown
Brown, another Michigan State Spartan on this list, has kept me intrigued throughout his college career at MSU. I think since being one of the older guys in this draft at 22, teams will be most likely to pass on him to try and find younger guys at his position as a 6-7 Forward. There’s a lot I like about Brown’s game including his athleticism and shooting potential. Athletically, Brown is a high-flyer who is dangerous in the open floor. Brown was able to use his athleticism as an advantage defensively along with his length. On the potential with his shooting, Brown made only 2 threes a game on a 38% clip but I’m confident that he’ll be able to make enough for teams to respect him as a shooter and give him the potential to be a good cutter and slasher. I think whichever team gives him a chance will be impressed by what he can bring.
5. Aminu Mohammed
In a horrific season for Georgetown, Freshman Guard Aminu Mohammed was one of the rare bright spots for the Hoyas this past season. Mohammed is an intense and powerful guard at 6’5 who’s all about using strength to get to his spots on the floor. There are plenty of concerns with Mohammed and his game which is why he’s last on this list, but I really like his determination to get to the rim and his defensive skills. It’ll be interesting to see where Mohammed lands and which team decides to take a chance on him. I think if Mohammed wants to make an NBA roster he’ll have to learn to be more of a playmaker and potentially an off-ball guy since his usage rates were pretty high in high school and college. I think the adjustments will take time and hopefully a team will understand that, but I have high hopes for Mohammed and think he can be an impact player, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Comments