The 10 most irresponsible 2017 NBA Draft prospect comparisons

Mar 16, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles forward Jonathan Isaac (1) boxes out against Florida Gulf Coast Eagles forward Marc-Eddy Norelia (25) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

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April 12, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots the basketball against Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram (14) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Lakers 109-94. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

9. Jonathan Isaac is not Brandon Ingram, and he’s DEFINITELY not Kevin Durant

Isaac is a long, thin, combo forward who has an enticing, but raw, offensive profile. This immediately brings to mind a comparison with one of the 2016 Draft’s top players: Brandon Ingram of the Lakers. Both players looked like they could do a bit of everything offensively during their freshman years, and the positional versatility their physical profiles provide is obvious. The logical leap, then, has been to draw the connection from Isaac to Ingram, and (by proxy) to last year’s laziest and most irresponsible comparison — Kevin Durant.

I don’t feel like there’s much to say about the Durant comparison, other than the fact that it completely ignores how terrifyingly amazing Durant was in his college season at Texas. That alone is enough to squash comparisons between either Ingram or Isaac and Durant.

The Ingram/Isaac comparison is pretty off, too. While both are pretty raw offensive players, Ingram made his mark on isolation and pick-and-roll possessions, operating as the primary ball-handler in Duke’s offense. Isaac, meanwhile, rarely got the chance to score one-on-one, and didn’t prove to be that good at it when he did. He was more often used as a slasher and outlet option, which appears to be the way his role will translate in the NBA. He should have an easier time transitioning to a secondary role in an NBA offense, which Ingram struggled mightily with this year.

Isaac also is more advanced physically at this stage than Ingram, and has a higher ceiling than Ingram on the defensive side of the ball. The idea behind Ingram being good on defense was essentially, “wingspan.” Isaac, meanwhile, is much more developed in strength, particularly in the lower body, which helped him rebound at a much higher level, and gives more confidence that he can do damage at the four in the NBA. Add in Isaac’s instincts on the perimeter and shot-blocking ability, and he becomes more enticing on the defensive end than Ingram may be on the offensive end. That makes this comparison very futile.

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