Guard – Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic
Defensively, Oladipo is one of the more advanced players in this class, and after the All-Star break in his rookie campaign, he started to noticeably progress on the offensive end. While at Indiana, Oladipo garnered a great deal of buzz for his defensive upside and NBA readiness on that end of the floor, and while he isn’t an ideal size at shooting guard spot (6-foot-5 at most), his length and athleticism covers a lot of warts.
The biggest question mark surrounding Oladipo is whether he can be a high-end offensive option, and he didn’t dispel that notion during the first half of last season while shooting 41% from the floor and just over 30% from 3-point distance. However, he began knocking down open threes in the second half to the tune of 38%, and for the year, his raw point production (13.8 points per game, 16.0 points per 36 minutes) is encouraging given his status as a supporting player for the Magic.
With Arron Afflalo in Denver, the 2-guard spot is Oladipo’s for the upcoming season, and it will be encouraging for the future of the Magic if he takes the reins and never looks back.