Re-Drafting the 2014 NBA Draft

6. player. 18. <p><strong>Original pick: Marcus Smart</strong></p> <p>I have no idea and, frankly, neither do you.</p> <p>Joel Embiid is already 22 years old and he hasn’t played a single minute in the NBA. How, you might ask, does that allow him to still arrive this high on the list? In short, Embiid was the best prospect in this class.</p> <p>Yes, Andrew Wiggins was billed as an elite player from the time he was in high school, but it was Embiid that likely would have garnered the number one pick if not for injury concerns. As a legitimate 7-footer, Embiid has a transcendent profile defensively, and he looks to be a dominant force on that end of the floor if given a clean bill of health.</p> <p>On the offensive side of things, Embiid provides the ability to stretch defenses with three-point range, and he also can put the ball on the floor in a way that no 7-footer should be able to do. He wasn’t always given free reign at Kansas to show off his offensive repertoire, but combining those traits with a strong post-up game would propel Embiid back to elite prospect status with haste.</p> <p>Of course, it is perfectly reasonable to have Embiid (much) lower on this list, simply because he hasn’t done anything to prove that he can stay on the court. I’m taking the optimistic approach, but if you aren’t, it would be hard to blame you. The possibilities are seemingly endless in either direction.</p>. C. Kansas. Joel Embiid