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NBA Draft 2018: 5 potential second round steals

By Brandon Jefferson

BOISE, ID - MARCH 17: Hamidou Diallo #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats slam dunks over Nick Perkins #33 and Dontay Caruthers #22 of the Buffalo Bulls in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Taco Bell Arena on March 17, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
BOISE, ID - MARCH 17: Hamidou Diallo #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats slam dunks over Nick Perkins #33 and Dontay Caruthers #22 of the Buffalo Bulls in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Taco Bell Arena on March 17, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) /
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UNIVERSITY PARK, TX – JANUARY 10: SMU Mustangs guard Shake Milton (#1) calls out a play during the American Athletic Conference college basketball game between the SMU Mustangs and the Temple Owls on January 10, 2018, at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, TX. Temple won the game 66-64. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images).
UNIVERSITY PARK, TX – JANUARY 10: SMU Mustangs guard Shake Milton (#1) calls out a play during the American Athletic Conference college basketball game between the SMU Mustangs and the Temple Owls on January 10, 2018, at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, TX. Temple won the game 66-64. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). /

3. Shake Milton (SMU)

Today, the best teams in the NBA have multiple players 6-foot-6 or taller that are capable of making plays with the ball and off the catch. The Golden State Warriors used this to create both “The Death Lineup” and “The Hamptons 5”.

One such prospect in the 2018 NBA Draft is SMU point guard Shake Milton. Milton and the Mustangs had a small ball NBA style lineup with multiple players ranging from 6-foot-6 to 6-foot-9 on the floor at the same time. Milton ran the show under the tutelage of NBA aficionado Larry Brown for a few years and that’s no small feat. Milton has a Shaun Livingston type of game, but instead of living off mid-range jumpers, Milton was a knockdown perimeter threat (42.7 3-point field goal percentage over three years at SMU).

At 21 years old and after three years in college Milton isn’t the shiny prospect that most one-and-done players are. He likely gets pushed out of the first round just off those two points alone. We’ve seen players who stay multiple years in college slide down draft boards despite having the requisite skill set and abilities to make noise in the NBA. Milton is possibly the latest such player.

Milton not only has the ability to run an offense, but defensively his size allows him to guard multiple positions. Despite not having a great showing in the 5-on-5 scrimmages (shot poorly from the field), Milton showcased his ability as a strong perimeter defender. At SMU, Milton’s defense helped the Mustangs be one of the stingiest defensive teams in the American Athletic Conference during his three years.

Teams like the Warriors, Celtics, and Houston Rockets have morphed into elite defensive teams because they have a multitude of players who can switch on to nearly any opposing player. Milton has the experience and defensive aptitude to get on the court right away as long as he’s able to understand that team’s defensive system. Add in the knockdown shooting and Milton could become a quality 3-and-D player.

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