2018 NBA Mock Draft: Way too early edition

Latvian wing Rodions Kurucs entered the 2017 NBA Draft, but withdrew at the international deadline. The 6-foot-8 prospect had been ranked by most publicly available sources as a first round pick because of his potential to be a 3-and-D wing with a bit more upside as an offensive creator. Now, though, he’ll seemingly return to Spain where he will hopefully have the opportunity to play with Barcelona’s first team in the ACB next season.

Kurucs is the type of prospect whose 3-point shooting is more theoretical at this point. He made just over 31 percent last season, but fired up attempts at a high rate. If he can improve that number to league average, he’ll be a serviceable offensive weapon. There’s also some potential for him to develop into a more dangerous threat. In youth international competitions he’s shown some ability to attack off the dribble and create offense. Doing more of that next season would perhaps raise his stock with teams in the NBA.

Defensively, the 19-year old’s length is obviously valuable. He also put up decent numbers as a weak side rim protector last season and snagged a few steals in his time on the court. Kurucs doesn’t rate out as an elite defensive option, but his size should make him a versatile one who can defend well in a team context.

Learn more about Rodions Kurucs at The Step Back.