It feels locked in that some team will reach for Sexton, drawn in by his physical gifts and the remarkable success of similar players like Eric Bledsoe or Derrick Rose after a few years of development. Charlotte could put themselves in position to capitalize on those prime seasons by drafting Sexton now and developing him during the last year of Kemba Walker’s current contract.
Watching the ESPN telecast of the draft lottery Tuesday, I was blown away that college basketball commentator Jay Bilas had Sexton at No. 7 on his board, but when you dive into Jonathan Givony’s rankings on ESPN Insider, Sexton sits at No. 9 there. As I’ve gotten lower on him compared with the other playmakers in this draft, it appears the consensus has gotten higher. Charlotte likely needs a flashy name to keep fans optimistic amid yet another reset with new general manager Mitch Kupchak and coach James Borrego in place.
Maybe Sexton shows defensive potential in 1-on-1 situations at the combine this week or shoots the lights out. Those are the two biggest concerns with Sexton, and playing against elite competition could allow him to prove to NBA decision-makers that he can consistently play up to their level and that he has started to round out his game since Alabama’s second-round exit from the NCAA tournament.