NBA Draft 2018: 5 first round prospects on the rise

3. Donte DiVincenzo

When DiVincenzo made the decision to stay in the draft, most NBA executives believed he’d solidified himself as a late first round pick. Now, as the big night approaches, it’s entirely possible we’ll see the Villanova guard go off the board just outside the lottery.

After all, DiVincenzo has received an invitation from the NBA to be in the Green Room. The League doesn’t want any prospect in attendance to linger there too long. As such, it’s safe to assume he is going to come off the board earlier than most people expect.

It’s pretty easy to see how the dynamic guard can rise up draft boards — he’s the ideal player to flourish in NBA workouts. Anyone who can test well athletically and shoot the ball well from the perimeter is going to look good under those circumstances.

The fact that the league is gravitating more and more towards the perimeter helps DiVincenzo as well. Every team in the NBA would like to add another solid shooter to their rotation. The fact that DiVincenzo also projects to be an above-average athlete only helps his draft stock. It’s very easy to see how he can help a team off the bench as a rookie.

Don’t be shocked to see DiVincenzo sneak into the late teens. If he does, that will represent a solid 10-plus spot jump compared to where he was a month ago. He and his representatives have done an excellent job of shepherding him up the draft board over the last several weeks.