Hooper
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Hoop’s Top 15 Prospects in the BSL
Disclaimer: Steph and Kemba are officially bonafide All Stars and will not be considered for this list
Editor’s Note: For the sake of removing bias and agenda pushing from this article, Bucks prospects are also exempt from this list
Tier 1: Generational Foundation Piece
- 1. Kyrie Irving: Byrie is stupid good as a rookie. I’m ignoring the 2 sim sample size with 5.5 TOs per game because we also have a full season sample of Kyrie setting the league on fire to the tune of 30/6/5 3.5 TOs and solid efficiency. Behind Steph and Kemba who were too good for this list, Rie is the best prospect in the league. Future league breaker
- 2. Anthony Davis: AD is still pretty raw but he’s 18 with 99 pot. B+ defense with this pot means he’s getting to a solid A to A+ one day, he should score, and he should rebound. AD is just a thoroughly good prospect and the best big man prospect in a league sorely lacking them.
- 3. Kawhi Leaonard: “I put the pressure on your shooters like Kawhi the Klaw (PERFECT)” Klaw is filthy now. If User’s claim earlier about Kawhi still having elite pot is true, then he is the third best prospect in the league. C+ B scoring ratings are good, but combined with an all-time great defensive build and C+ rebounding, Klaw is another super well rounded prospect with all league upside. Definitely a guy you would be happy to build around
Tier 2: Likely All-Star
- 4. Derrick Rose: The first of two Spurs on this list, Rose is one of the best young players in the league. I can definitely see a world where he becomes more valuable than Kawhi, as Rose floor is already multiple time All-Star. B B scoring with A handle at age 23 is elite. I’m interested to see what type of ceiling D Rose hits down the line. Rose is so good he was almost exempt from the list, but I decided to leave him on here.
- 5. Damian Lilliard: Big Game Dame has come a loooong way since he was a raw rookie prospect. I remember after CPU Pre, Dame was averaging like 5 TOs per game or something, and I basically wrote him off entirely and shook my fist at Donkey due to his build. Boy was I wrong. IIRC, in pre Dame was the first option in a fast outside offense at the PG slot, and limited turnovers to about 3.5 per game. If he solved the handle issue, then Dame is a stud. The Celtics have 2 of my top 5 prospects in the entire league
- 6. John Wall: Spur number 2 is here. Having 2 elite prospects on rookie deals is the ticket to a title, yet the Spurs have B+ B B+ B- C J-Wall riding the pine. As someone with a bet with Brooks about winning titles, it’s fine with me. B+ inside is an outlier letter grade for a PG, and Wall’s future next to D Rose at the SG slot looks bright. I’m projecting with this pick, but I’m buying J Wall stock big time. Think he’s gonna be an easy all star one day.
Tier 3: All-Star Upside
- 7. Klay Thompson: IIRC, Klay entered the league with the second highest outside scoring rating of all time, and rightfully so. Now as a rook, Klay is up to A- outside, and also averaging 4+ APG in the preseason. That’s what really puts him over the top for me. The defense is only B- but he’s one of the great 2 way players of all time so we’re operating with the assumption that Klay has a solid build there. Either way, Klay is a stud scorer and has a ton of upside. 3 teams make up my top 7 picks. Pretty cool…
- 8. Kevin Love: K Love isn’t really getting his shine because he’s on such a good team, but he’s still a guy I’m probably higher on than the rest of the league. B- B scoring with B rebounding is a really unique build, and I’ve been curious how K Love would fair at the SF slot. Not sure we’ll ever get to know with Melo and now Roy also in Miami, but I still think K love will thrive at PF in an outside O. Big fan.
Tier 4: High-End Starter
- 9. Greg Monroe: Monroe comes in as only the second true big man in my top 10. B- inside and B- defense are pretty meh, but at age 21 B+ rebounding is elite. There really aren’t many good young rebounders floating around right now, so that alone gets him a massive bump up the list because it makes him playable almost immediately. We’ll see how he continues to be developed and if this top 10 selection was warranted.
- 10. Gordon Hayward: Gordo was a tough player to rank. I’m operating under the assumption that he had a big pot boost as a teen and was hovering in the high 90s at one point. He’s definitely one of those dicey outside scorers who might never play up to his ratings due to a lack of volume, but for now, it’s hard not to consider him a top 10 prospect in the league.
- 11. Javale McGee: Javale is a mammoth at 7’2” 290 pounds, and likely has elite athleticism knowing how he operates IRL. Javale is the best inside scoring big on the list so far at B+ with B defense and even B- rebounding, which goes a long way in the BSL. He’s below Monroe due to my own priorities in what I want from my centers, but Javale is legit and could become the best true C on this list (not including AD). Stud.
- 12. Jonas Valanciunas: Jonas is 19 years old with B inside, B defense, and high C+ rebounding. I give a bump to big men in respect to their letter grades because good young bigs are so scarce. Jonas just has a really good chance to be a really solid 2 way big, and IMO is one of the better young big man prospects we have in the BSL.
- 13. Doug McDermott: Jon has to be pumped about the early yields from the Douggie Buckets pick. B- B+ outside is an extremely strong scoring rating to have as 19 year old rook. He’s averaging 20 points already and was even at 25 PPG in the preseason. Doug reminds me of George Hill in the sense that he has really high volume as a young guy, and it’s kinda hard to buy into. But like George Hill, I think the results will continue to speak for themselves and he’ll establish himself as a really nice complementary piece in the league.
- 14. Tobias Harris: Harris is in the Gordon Hayward group of guys who look strong but might never play up to their ratings. He has no volume historically, and again might be one of those guys with a high outside rating but not enough juice in their inside and quickness ratings to get enough shots up to warrant a big contract later in their career. For now we’re still projecting though, and based on the buid and the pot, I couldn’t leave Tobi off this list.
- 15. Bradley Beal: Two Sixers on the list for notorious league Sad Boy Jon. I don’t know, kinda seems like TCs weren’t so bad to him after all? I know Beal only has that outside scoring rating for now, but he’s kept the TOs down and is 18 years old, so still in potential boost range at 19. He’s definitely the most boom or bust guy on the list, but I think there is still a reality where Beal can really pop and become close to his IRL version of himself, so he sneaks onto the list in our last spot.
Honorable Mentions:
Andre Drummond: Second best rebounding prospect in the league, but the absurd amount of TOs kicks him off the list
James Harden: I still think James has a chance to develop into a nice scorer, but a rough TC and handle rating booted him out of my top 15 for now. I don’t think he’s “dead” like some other GMs do, though.
Russell Westbrook: Not a high pot or upside guy, but had a really solid preseason at SG and kept the turnovers down. Definitely could see him being a better player than some of the guys in my top 15 who are relaying on pot to get them over the hump.
Derrick Williams: Have to mention My Guy. Just think the B inside scoring rating with C+ outside and the ability to play SG could really give him a crazy impact scoring wise.
Players also considered:
Enes Kanter
Blake Griffin
Ekpe Udoh
Draymond Green
Chase Buddinger
Demar Derozan
Rudy Gobert
Khris Middleton
Kenneth Faried
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
For those who want to yell at poor old Hooper again, let me know who you think was snubbed and who I'm too high or low on.
