2017 NBA Mock Draft: The 76ers lock up a point guard

Louisville’s Donovan Mitchell seems to be gaining popularity at least on public draft boards, so a slip to No. 14 here would likely be seen as a steal for the Miami Heat. Mitchell has excellent upside as a 3-and-D plus sort of prospect on the wing.

At 6-foot-3 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan and at a healthy 211 pounds, Mitchell is well built to be a versatile defender on the perimeter. Mitchell competes well on the defensive end and his effort has translated well on a statistical level. Mitchell averaged 2.6 steals per 40 minutes as a sophomore, in particular.

On the offensive end, Mitchell made some significant strides as a sophomore most prominently from behind the 3-point arc. He made 35.4 percent of his 3-point attempts, drastically improving from his freshman season. Maintaining that number, and preferably one slightly higher, will be the key to unlocking the baseline of offensive potential that he has. Beyond his shooting, Mitchell has some potential as a pick-and-roll ball-handler who can create a bit of offense.

The nice thing about the Louisville product is that he’s a versatile team building option who can play point guard alongside a primary creator on the wing or shooting guard next to a traditional point guard. That flexibility should be highly valued by front offices.

Learn more about Donovan Mitchell at The Step Back.