NBA Mock Draft: DeAndre Ayton joins the Hawks

Call it the Steph Curry Effect, the Big Baller Effect, whatever. This draft class is filled with guards who look to pull-up behind the 3-point line as a primary source of offense. Few can do it with the precision and dynamism that Simons brings.

He has a better handle than Curry or Lonzo Ball, with a quick crossover and sweet between-the-legs counters. Simons is a joy to watch dribble, and uses that handle to set up the his scoring. Not only can he shoot from near NBA range as a high-schooler, he can nail floaters and other mid-range shots on the move, another skill that distinguishes him from his pull-up peers.

Simons is, all things considered, a potentially elite lead guard. Any player who can score so efficiently and productively from all three levels is going to turn heads. Unfortunately, since he is re-classifying and will likely enter the draft with no college experience, his passing is one area we haven’t seen a lot of. His ability to score at will against young players didn’t force him to develop secondary skills.

Regardless of the questions, Simons is tantalizing.