NBA Draft 2019: 5 potential second-round steals

4. Ty Jerome, Guard, Virginia

The Step Back Big Board Ranking: 38

Jerome is probably the most likely player on this list to go in the first round, but he also could easily slip into the early second, where he becomes a much more enticing player to bet on. Jerome functionally played as a point guard for Virginia, but he isn’t a good enough dribbler to do so at the NBA level, and he doesn’t really have the size or athleticism to project confidently off-ball. But outside of those questions, Jerome might be skilled enough to contribute anyway. Jerome is one of the better shooters in the class, especially coming off screens, and he’s a smart decision-maker as a passer, which could make him a nice off-ball compliment for a ball-dominant lead guard. He’s also very skilled at mirroring at the point of attack and anticipating one pass away, which should make him a decent on-ball defender.

Jerome likely needs a specific situation to be successful — one where he can play off a taller, ball-dominant guard with gravity, who can carry a majority of the initiation load and allow Jerome to play as an off-ball spacer and defensive helper. The obvious fit for Jerome is probably Phoenix, where he would be a useful conduit between Darius Garland or Coby White and Devin Booker if he falls to the Suns at the 32nd pick. He also could be a nice fit next to Trae Young in Atlanta at No. 35, and while their skill sets are different, there’s a seamless transition from T.J. McConnell to Jerome in Philadelphia next to Ben Simmons. Jerome isn’t really an upside play, but he’s a useful puzzle piece to building a good rotation around a strong lead guard, and there are a lot of good options for him to provide value in the early second round.