One of the most intriguing prospects in June’s NBA draft is Washington’s Marquese Chriss. The 18-year-old entered the college basketball season as the 59th-ranked recruit in the class of 2015, according to the Recruiting Services Consensus Index, which aggregates the end of year rankings of various recruiting services. During his lone college season, however, Chriss drastically improved his NBA draft stock by displaying a unique combination of shooting, athleticism and size to go with his youth.
Related Story: Marquese Chriss Scouting Report
Chriss excelled in the Huskies’ up-tempo system, which provided him plenty of transition opportunities to show off his athleticism. The explosive forward prospect is now being discussed as a possible top five pick, and could get looks from the Phoenix Suns and the Minnesota Timberwolves as a stretch four who can help open up a team’s offense.
Still, there are plenty of questions regarding the 6-9 forward and his presence near the top of draft boards reflects the quality of the 2016 draft class. NBA teams are willing to swing for the fences during the draft in order to find the league’s next superstar, and while Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram are considered this draft’s most likely such players, Chriss’s upside is beginning to attract attention. Chriss has an incredibly high ceiling, but there are numerous red flags that suggest he may never reach it. So, how high does he climb in our latest mock draft? Let’s take a look.
This mock draft is brought to you by Upside & Motor, part of the Hardwood Paroxysm Basketball Network. You can find more in-depth analysis of the prospects mentioned within, including scouting reports and performance breakdowns, over at Upside & Motor.
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