2018 NBA Mock Draft: Way too early edition

It’s obviously weird to see this many centers coming off the board early in a league that is trending smaller, but the 2018 crop of big men is well worth the gamble. Western Kentucky’s Mitchell Robinson is another 7-footer with a chance to make it in the NBA.

Robinson will be at his best playing out of the pick-and-roll on the offensive end. He is a quick leaper who can get up in traffic to finish lobs at the rim, something he showed off at the McDonald’s All-American Game. At this point, though, most of his game is raw. He doesn’t have much of a jump shot or post game and he doesn’t always know where to go on the offensive end, but he’s got the physical tools to improve on that end.

The same is true defensively where he has the ability to move laterally and defend in space combined with a 7-foot-3 wingspan that gives him plenty of length to challenge opponents’ shots at the rim.

The key for Robinson will be learning to harness his physical tools. He’ll be the best player on Western Kentucky’s roster and competing against a pretty weak collection of talent that should allow him to dominate even without an advanced skill set. That said, NBA teams will want to see his game take some leaps during his freshman season.