NBA Mock Draft 2017, Week 16: Lonzo Ball to the Lakers

Former five-star prospect Terrance Ferguson is a 3-and-D wing prospect with tremendous athleticism who spent what would have his freshman year of college playing in Australia’s National Basketball League for the Adelaide 36ers. As you might expect, the 18-year old struggled to produce in a league full of professionals. He posted a paltry 46.9 true shooting percentage, made just 31.8 percent of his 3-pointers and averaged only 4.7 points per game. Ferguson also didn’t bring much in the way of rebounding or defensive box score numbers.

So, why is Ferguson still considered a first round prospect in the face of a largely unproductive season overseas? For starters, he’s still just 18-years old and one of the younger players in the draft. He is also a potential two-way threat at a position where there is significant scarcity. Two-way wings are highly valuable in the modern, smaller NBA where as many as three wings are on the floor at a time.

Ferguson may not have been productive in Australia, but there were signs in high school of his potential. He has all of the physical tools to be a versatile defender and NBA teams have seen him shoot the ball well. That’s enough to make him worth a risky selection in the first round.