NBA Draft 2018: 5 first round prospects on the rise

KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 08: Texas Longhorns forward Mohamed Bamba (4) after hitting a three at the buzzer in the first half of a quarterfinal game in the Big 12 Basketball Championship between the Texas Longhorns and Texas Tech Red Raiders on March 8, 2018 at Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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WALTHAM, MA – JUNE 8: Grayson Allen drives past Alonzo Trier, left, during a workout as the Boston Celtics host players to scout potential draft choices at the team’s practice facility in Waltham, MA on June 8, 2018. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /

5. Grayson Allen

It’s very likely that Allen is going to owe Danny Ainge a big thank you on draft night because the Celtics GM’s effusive praise for the former Duke guard will cause a lot of franchises to take a second look at Allen.

Specifically, Ainge complimented Allen on his fluid movement and his character. The latter might be a real surprise for fans who are aware of his various tripping incidents in college. The truth is, most NBA executives have been satisfied with Allen’s interview answers regarding his questionable collegiate decisions.

The Boston #Celtics “Loved” what they saw from Duke Grayson Allen in his pre draft workout.

Danny Ainge on Allen: “When you watch him play, you see this fluidity and smoothness that not to many players have. His character is exactly what we want here.” pic.twitter.com/ZgZZZ1VXfP
— Celtics Direct (@CelticsDirect) June 11, 2018

On the floor, it’s easy to see what teams might like about Allen’s game. He’s an excellent 3-point shooter who can play on or off the ball. Allen may never be a starter, but he’s solid bet to carve out a meaningful role off the bench for a long time.

Before this week, Allen looked like he was in real danger of dropping into the second round. Now, he has a legitimate chance of going as early as No. 20 to Minnesota. That might be slightly too high, but teams could do worse with their late first round picks.

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