tl;dr: there look like four big prospects, although I'm drooling over #1 and #2, even if #2 is another 6'7" SG or SF.
Mike
NBA draft: Ranking top 10 prospects in spectacular 2018 class
Chad Ford previews the 2018 NBA draft class, including Michael Porter Jr. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File
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Chad Ford
ESPN Senior Writer
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PORTLAND, OR -- More than 100 NBA scouts and GMs attended the Nike Hoop Summit to get a closer look at the 2018 NBA draft class.
The consensus among NBA scouts is that next year's draft class has several elite prospects at the top.
I spoke with a number of NBA scouts about which high school players and newly eligible international players made the best impressions both here and at the McDonald's All American Game about two weeks ago.
After that top tier, the elite talent drops off. Last year, it was easy to identify 10 to 15 players who appeared to be one-and-done prospects. This year, scouts could identify only a few players that they were sure had the talent to make the leap to the NBA after one year of college.
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"[The 2017 draft] class was one of the most talented and deepest I've ever seen," one GM told me. "[For 2018] I love three or four guys and that's about it. A lot of the kids here will be very good college players. I just don't see a lot of surefire NBA prospects. Not yet anyway."
The good news is that those three or four guys he's referring to have star potential. The rest of the class has talent, but all of them have significant weaknesses that could delay their ability to be impact players in the NBA.
Here's a sneak peek, based on the evaluations of NBA scouts, at nine high school prospects and one international player who should be topping our 2018 Big Board when it's released in July.
1. Michael Porter Jr.
Age: 18
Forward
Missouri
Hoop Summit: 19 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 5-for-11 shooting, 1-for 4 from 3
McDonald's: 17 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, 6-for-13 shooting, 0-for-4 from 3
Porter is the favorite among NBA scouts to be the No. 1 pick.
He's one of the most complete prospects you'll see. He's a bouncy, skilled forward with great size and length for his position. He can shoot the 3, take his man off the dribble, pull up in the midrange game, handle the ball and defend multiple positions. He has a super-high basketball IQ and plays with confidence whenever he steps onto the court.
He had one of the best practices I've ever seen for a prospect Thursday in front of over 100 NBA scouts and executives. His performance in the Hoop Summit game wasn't as dominant. He missed some early shots and never really got into a rhythm. That hasn't bothered scouts.
A number of scouts told me that if he were in the 2017 draft, he might end up topping both Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball.
2. Luka Doncic
Age: 18
Guard/foward
Slovenia
Euroleague: 8 ppg, 4 rpg, 4 apg, 41 percent from 3 in 20 mpg
Doncic didn't play at the Hoop Summit or in the McDonald's game. That's because he already plays a major role for his European team, Real Madrid.
He is quite simply the most heralded international prospect I've ever scouted. At age 17 he is already starting and averaging eight points a game in the best league in Europe.
He's a highly skilled wing with an elite basketball IQ, the ability to score from everywhere on the floor, superior court vision and solid athleticism. He plays like a veteran already. Some teams worry a bit about his lack of elite explosiveness and lateral quickness -- and that's the only reason he isn't topping our board at the moment.
The scouts who know Europe best say he's a once-in-a-decade prospect.
3. DeAndre Ayton
Age: 18
Forward/center
Arizona
McDonald's: 8 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals, on 4-for-10 shooting
Last year Ayton played at the Hoop Summit as a 16-year-old. At the time he was widely considered the top player in his class. A year later, a handful of NBA scouts feel that he might still end up as the best prospect in the draft.
Ayton has a rare combination of athleticism and skill for a big man. He too has the ability to score from everywhere on the floor and plays with quickness that has drawn some scouts to compare him to Kevin Garnett.
He lacks Garnett's toughness and motor, however, and that's why he slid to No. 3 on our board this year. If he has a big season for Arizona, there's a good chance we'll be in a three-man race for the No. 1 pick.
4. Mohamed Bamba
Age: 18
Center
Uncommitted
Hoop Summit: 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 4 blocks, 2-for-5 shooting
McDonald's: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 4 blocks, 7-for-10 shooting
Bamba is the last of the players on this list who looks like a potential star in the NBA.
He was recorded with a 7-foot-9 inch wingspan at the Hoop Summit -- a half-inch longer than Rudy Gobert's. His size, length and fluid athleticism intrigue scouts. He's an elite shot blocker and rebounder. When he gets stronger, he should have a major impact in the paint similar to Gobert's.
Offensively he's still a work in progress, though he has soft hands and is starting to show improvement both on the block and facing the basket. As he adds strength and skill, he has the potential to be a dominant center in the NBA. He's rawer than the three prospects ahead of him, but his ceiling is just as high. If he has a big year, he'll be in the mix for the No. 1 pick.
For a college choice, he seems to be down to Kentucky, Duke and Michigan, with scouts tending to view Kentucky as his most likely pick. That would be great news for John Calipari, who already has a strong incoming class but lacks a player with true star potential.
5. Collin Sexton
Age: 18
Guard
Alabama
Hoop Summit: 7 points, 8 assists, 4 steals, 3 rebounds, 3-for-11 shooting
McDonald's: 8 points, 7 assists, 4 steals on 3-for-10 shooting
After Porter, Doncic, Ayton and Bamba are off the board, there's a sizable drop-off. On the draft board, expect returning college players -- such as Robert Williams Jr. -- to compete for the next few spots.
The 2017 NBA draft is loaded with elite point guards. As many as five might go in the first 10 picks, with three potentially in the top five.
None of the point guard prospects in the 2018 class appears to measure up to the top five in 2017. The best prospect, according to NBA scouts, is Sexton, a high-energy, super-quick, athletic scoring guard who could double as a point guard in the modern NBA.
He thinks scoring first, but his quickness and ability to get into the paint help him set up the pass. He's also a good shooter -- and a pesky defender on the other end of the floor. He lacks elite strength and size though he has great length.
Scouts love that he'll get a year being coached by former NBA coach and point guard Avery Johnson. They feel a year under Johnson's tutelage should really help Sexton develop the skills he needs to become a full-time NBA point guard.
He was terrific in practices on Thursday in front of NBA scouts. His aggressiveness and fearlessness are attractive. His game on Friday was more of a mixed bag. He pressed the matter too much in the early going, leading to several bad turnovers, before settling down and making key plays -- and a couple of acrobatic finishes at the rim -- for Team USA down the stretch.
6. Jaren Jackson
Age: 17
Forward
Michigan State
Hoop Summit: 13 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 5-for-11 shooting
McDonald's: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1-for-2 shooting
Jackson was the surprise of the Hoop Summit camp. He was the lowest-ranked high school prospect on Team USA on some boards, but his play all week rapidly elevated his draft stock.
He's a classic modern 4, with length, athleticism, an outstanding 3-point shot and the ability to rebound and protect the rim. While he needs to add strength and a post game, his tools were evident. Scouts took notice and believe his combination of size and skill will make him the next-most obvious candidate to be a one-and-done player in college.
He had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Team USA and dominated the paint. If he can show enough of that talent at Michigan State, he'll look like a top-10 draft pick.
7. Troy Brown
Age: 17
Guard
Oregon
Hoop Summit: 5 points, 3 assists, 2-for-5 shooting
McDonald's: 12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals on 5-for-9 shooting
Brown was one of the more impressive performers at the Hoop Summit all week. Teams value versatility and Brown has the ability to play and guard three positions. He has good size and length, with a diverse offensive game; he can be a weapon both on and off the ball.
8. Trevon Duval
Age: 18
Guard
Uncommitted
Hoop Summit: 6 points, 3 assists, 2-for-3 shooting
McDonald's: 8 points, 3 assists, 4-for-8 shooting
Duval is currently ranked as the top point guard in his class by ESPN.
His physique, quickness and power are NBA level. He has a super-quick first step and is the best finisher at the rim in his class thanks to his strength and body control. His lack of a credible midrange and 3-point jump shot drops his stock a bit among scouts.
Duval had a solid week of practices. He tweaked his ankle just a few minutes into the game on Friday, and when he came back in the second half, he was still hobbling and had lost some of his explosiveness.
Duval is looking at several schools, including Arizona, Baylor, Duke and Kansas. Several scouts believe he might follow last year's Hoop Summit star Terrance Ferguson and skip college to play pro ball in Australia before entering the draft.
9. Mitchell Robinson
Age: 19
Center
Western Kentucky
McDonald's: 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks, 7-for-9 shooting
Robinson is a long, fluid big man who has been a late riser (hence his commitment to Western Kentucky rather than more prominent schools).
He impressed scouts at McDonald's with his combination of size, length and ability to score around the basket. He's pretty raw, but might be this year's Justin Patton.
10. Jarred Vanderbilt
Age: 18
Forward
Kentucky
Hoop Summit: 19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks on 8-for-12 shooting
McDonald's: 2 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists on 1-for-2 shooting
Vanderbilt was the other surprise performer at the Hoop Summit. He was aggressive looking to score and to pass.
He's a unique forward who can initiate the offense, score at the rim, rebound, block shots and provide a lot of energy. His jumper needs work, but if he gets that going, he could become a big-time draft prospect.