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The Step Back Composite NBA Draft Big Board: The best 30 draft prospects of the 2010s

By Trevor Magnotti

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 19: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans and John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards talk following the Wizards 116-106 win at Capital One Arena on December 19, 2017 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 19: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans and John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards talk following the Wizards 116-106 win at Capital One Arena on December 19, 2017 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images /

No. 2 overall pick, Orlando Magic, 2013

There was always a pretty clear role for Victor Oladipo in the league given his defensive fundamentals and raw scoring potential. It took him a long time to capitalize on it, but his career has mostly borne that out. Oladipo’s defensive metrics (2.2 steal rate, 7.3 defensive Box Plus-Minus as a junior) showed that he had the potential to put his length to use to become a good perimeter defender, and his growth as a slasher and shooter throughout college have continued once he got to the NBA. He was the prospect you bet on to grow in the way raw players are expected to grow, and that’s been what has happened.

He’s not higher for one main reason: Like Paul George, or Kawhi Leonard, or many other players who rose from the middle of the draft to stardom, Oladipo had an unexpected growth area that fueled his transition to the All-Star level. College Oladipo was a miserable dribbler, with a poor handle that was the main cause of his sky-high turnover rate (18 percent). There was debate about whether Oladipo was ever going to be able to be even a competent NBA dribbler, and for his first few years in the league, his handle made him look more like Iman Shumpert than current Oladipo at times. The growth that he made there, especially once he was traded to Oklahoma City, was shocking, and that’s the main reason he isn’t higher.

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