2018 NBA Mock Draft: Collin Sexton could break open the New York Knicks’ ceiling

I went back and watched Duke’s comeback victory over Miami last Monday, and Bagley’s improvements jumped off the screen.

He has become a more polished offensive player, earning easy baskets and foul shots at will. Though he is a thinner player than Deandre Ayton or Mohamed Bamba, he is as good an offensive rebounder as any big man in the country. Bagley’s surprising strength allows him to get to his spot, in the middle of the lane for a floater over the top of the defense, extremely easily. He has swift footwork down there as well, with a controlled spin move that launches him into open space. Miami plays small and had no chance to blockade the paint.

Finally, Bagley looks more patient and understanding as a passer. He rarely gets opportunities to make plays on the short roll after screening for a guard, but still impacts the game as a passer when he can. Against Miami, he brought the ball up the court in transition and found open teammates. I would imagine that’s an aspect of his game that continues to grow.

We’re going to pretend in this space that Cleveland actually keeps this draft pick and uses it without LeBron James on the roster, because it’s easier to conceptualize that way. Bagley is the perfect building block for a franchise hitting the restart button.