2018 NBA Mock Draft: Way too early edition

Cedevita’s Dzanan Musa starts a run on European wings with scoring upside, but questionable athleticism and defensive acumen here at the beginning of the 20s. Musa is a 6-foot-8 prospect who can put the ball on the floor with a nose for the basket. The most impressive thing about his game right now is his ability to shoot up off the dribble. He’s comfortable pulling up behind the 3-point line off the bounce and gets his shot off pretty quickly. Musa has some ability to attack the basket off the bounce, but his handle can get a bit high and he doesn’t have a great first step. Once he gets to the hoop, his lack of strength becomes a concern.

That lack of strength also reflects poorly for Musa on the defensive end where he’s clearly not ready to do battle with the larger players that he’d face in the NBA. He’ll need to fill out his frame in order to compete at the next level. The bonus is that doing so may come with some added explosion, helping him on the offensive end as well.

Musa will also need to figure out how to be a scorer against better athletes in the NBA. If he’s already struggling to get past opposing defenders at a stand still now, that could bode poorly for his translation to the league.