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NBA Draft Big Board

No one asked for this, but we’re gonna do it.

NCAA Basketball: Kentucky at Florida Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

There won’t be a Colorado Buffaloes player selected in the NBA Draft tonight. I’m sorry Namon Wright, but it’s not going to happen. So why are we publishing a bunch of NBA Draft coverage? Because Sam covers every game without complaint and if we’re gonna make him bus home at 11:15 p.m. on a snowy school night because he covered a Washington State game, we can, at the very least, let him publish his NBA Draft Big Board that no one asked for. Just let him have this. (The editor was not consulted before this article was published.)

Tier 1: Hall of Famers

1. Zion Williamson, PF, Duke

Player comparison: Charles Barkley + Bo Jackson

Draft range: 1

Best fits: literally any team

Tier 2: Potential All-Stars

2. Ja Morant, PG, Murray State

Player comparison: diet John Wall

Draft range: 2

Best fits: Memphis, Phoenix

Tier 3: High-end starters

3. Jarrett Culver, SG/SF, Texas Tech

Player comparison: Khris Middleton

Draft range: 3-6

Best fits: Pelicans (4), Cavaliers (5), Hawks (8)

4. Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga

Player comparison: Defensive-minded Kenyon Martin

Draft range: 10-17

Best fits: Hawks (10, 17), Timberwolves (11)

5. De’Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia

Player comparison: Luol Deng lite

Draft range: 4-9

Best fits: Pelicans (4), Hawks (8)

6. Coby White, PG, North Carolina

Player comparison: Cuttino Mobley

Draft range: 4-7

Best fits: Suns (6), Bulls (7)

7. R.J. Barrett, SG, Duke

Player comparison: Harrison Barnes with Mamba mentality

Draft range: 3-5

Best fits: Knicks (3)

8. Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt

Player comparison: Jeff Teague with hints of Damian Lillard

Draft range: 4-7

Best fits: Suns (6), Bulls (7)

9. Keldon Johnson, SG/SF, Kentucky

Player comparison: Bogdan Bogdanovic

Draft range: 12-18

Best fits: Pistons (15), Magic (16), Pacers (18)

Tier 3: Worth the risk

10. Sekou Doumbouya, SF/PF, France

Player comparison: Al-Farouq Aminu with more potential

Draft range: 8-12

Best fits: Hawks (8, 10), Wizards (9)

11. Matisse Thybulle, SG, Washington

Player comparison: Danny Green (without a jumper) + Charles Woodson

Draft range: 21-28

Best fits: Thunder (21), 76ers (24)

12. Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina

Player comparison: Stanley Johnson with Andre Iguodala upside

Draft range: 9-14

Best fits: Hawks (10), Hornets (12), Heat (13)

13. Rui Hachimura, SF/PF, Gonzaga

Player comparison: Marcus Morris with more marketability

Draft range: 11-20

Best fits: Heat (13), Celtics (14, 20), Spurs (19)

14. Jaxson Haynes, C, Texas

Player comparison: Clint Capela with possible shooter’s touch

Draft range: 9-17

Best fits: Hawks (10, 17), Celtics (14)

Tier 4: Safe bets with limited ceilings

15. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG, Virginia Tech

Player comparison: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with less potential

Draft range: 12-16

Best fits: Heat (13), Pistons (15), Magic (16)

16. Goga Bitadze, C, Republic of Georgia

Player comparison: Jusuf Nurkic

Draft range: 10-22

Best fits: Hawks (10, 17), Celtics (14, 20, 22)

17. Grant Williams, PF, Tennessee

Player comparison: Paul Millsap lite

Draft range: 22-34

Best fits: Trail Blazers (25), Nets (27, 31)

18. P.J. Washington, PF, Kentucky

Player comparison: David West (non-All-Star version)

Draft range: 11-22

Best fits: Hawks (17), Pacers (18), Spurs (19)

19. Chuma Okeke, SF/PF, Auburn

Player comparison: High IQ Robert Covington

Draft range: 27-34

Best fits: Warriors (28), 76ers (33, 34)

20. Ty Jerome, PG/SG, Virginia

Player comparison: Malcolm Brogdon without length

Draft range: 23-34

Best fits: 76ers (24, 33, 34), Warriors (28)

21. Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky

Player comparison: E’Twaun Moore

Draft range: 14-24

Best fits: Celtics (14, 20, 22), Thunder (21)

22. Carsen Edwards, PG, Purdue

Player comparison: Lou Williams with less sauce

Draft range: 27-35

Best fits: Pistons (30), Suns (32), 76ers (33, 34)

Tier 5: High-reward development picks

23. Nicolas Claxton, PF/C, Georgia

Player comparison: bootleg Marvin Bagley

Draft range: 17-27

Best fits: Hawks (17), Blazers (25), Cavaliers (26)

24. Cam Reddish, SF, Duke

Player comparison: Ben McLemore in Paul George’s body

Draft range: 5-8

Best fits: Cavaliers (5), Hawks (8)

25. Kevin Porter, Jr., SG, USC

Player comparison: DeShawn Stevenson

Draft range: 14-30

Best fits: Grizzlies (23), Cavaliers (26), Pistons (30)

26. Mfiondu Kagenbele, C, Florida State

Player comparison: Serge Ibaka lite

Draft range: 17-31

Best fits: Celtics (20, 22), Thunder (21), 76ers (24)

27. Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana

Player comparison: MarShon Brooks

Draft range: 15-23

Best fits: Pistons (15), Magic (16)

Tier 6: Safe bets who should be solid rotation players

28. Naz Reid, PF/C, LSU

Player comparison: Nene with range

Draft range: 29-42

Best fits: Spurs (29), Mavericks (37), Pelicans (39)

29. Cameron Johnson, SF, North Carolina

Player comparison: Justin Jackson (but better)

Draft range: 21-30

Best fits: 76ers (24), Warriors (28)

30. Eric Paschall, PF, Villanova

Player comparison: 3-and-D Anthony Tolliver

Draft range: 27-37

Best fits: Nets (27, 31), Suns (32), Mavericks (37)

31. Dylan Windler, SF, Belmont

Player comparison: Bojan Bogdanovic

Draft range: 28-38

Best fits: Warriors (28), 76ers (33, 34)

32. Admiral Schofield, SF, Tennessee

Player comparison: Treveon Graham +

Draft range: 32-44

Best fits: Mavericks (37), Pelicans (39), Heat (44)

33. Luka Samanic, PF, Croatia

Player comparison: Dario Saric lite (lazy comp)

Draft range: 19-40

Best fits: Spurs (19, 29), Suns (32) Mavericks (37)

Tier 7: Huge risks, but why not

34. Daniel Gafford, C, Arkansas

35. KZ Okpala, SF, Stanford

36. Bol Bol, C, Oregon

37. Bruno Fernando, C, Maryland

38. Darius Bazley, SF, Princeton H.S.

39. Deividas Sirvydis, SF, Lithuania

40. Jontay Porter, PF/C, Missouri

41. Jordan Poole, SG, Michigan

Tier 8: Low risk, low ceiling

42. Shamorie Ponds, PG, St. John’s

43. Luguentz Dort, SG, Arizona State

44. DaQuan Jeffries, SG, Tulsa

45. Terence Davis, SG, Mississippi

46. Miye Oni, SG, Yale

47. Isaiah Roby, SF, Nebraska

48. Louis King, SF, Oregon

49. Jaylen Nowell, SG, Washington

Tier 9: Faith

50. Talen Horton-Tucker, SF, Iowa State

51. Jalen Lecque, PG, Brewster Academy

52. Jordan Bone, PG, Tennessee

53. Ignas Brazdeikis, SF, Michigan

54. Zach Norvell, Jr., PG, Gonzaga

55. Tremont Waters, PG, LSU

56. Joshua Obiesie, PG, Germany

57. Kris Wilkes, SF, UCLA

58. Terance Mann, SG, Florida State

59. Zylan Cheatham, SF, Arizona State

60. Jalen McDaniels, SF/PF, San Diego State