2018 NBA Mock Draft: Where did the prospects go?

Gafford is another player who came into the NCAA tournament with a lot to prove and left with a whisper. He falls in this edition of the mock draft because his performance on college basketball’s biggest stage was far too quiet compared with others in this range.

The surprise freshman bounced up draft boards all season, though I wonder if Daryl Macon and the rest of Arkansas’ team did not outperform expectation all season, whether Gafford would have gotten that attention. The Razorbacks were picked in several polls to finish around the middle of the SEC, but instead battled to a fifth-place finish thanks to Macon and Gafford. The freshman big man accordingly flew up draft boards, including that of yours truly.

Yet the tournament loss to Butler showed some of the issues still plaguing Gafford’s game. He is not a versatile defender, nor can he create offense. That means if he’s facing a team that spaces the floor or passes well, it is difficult for him to be effective. Butler did both over the weekend.

Creating offense has been a problem all season, and it was on display in a 2-9 showing in the first round. The Lakers need the athletic, mobile center hidden somewhere inside of Gafford, and at 22, it’s a great value.