Fansided

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 Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images /

No. 2 overall pick, Los Angeles Lakers, 2017

Lonzo Ball’s star likelihood was lower than someone like Favors or Oladipo, but he was probably the best representative of this tier’s label. With his wild shooting motion and avoidance of contact, there was not going to be much scoring upside with selecting Ball. But everything else looked incredible. Ball is in the conversation as the best passer of the last decade. He’s definitely the best transition passer, able to throw Hail Marys on target so frequently it seems mundane. And the speed he gets the ball out at helps him compensate for not having total mastery of half-court vision. That alone made him a valuable prospect that was worth betting on.

Throw in the fact that he had elite guard size at nearly 6-foot-7 and his elite instincts as a pickpocket, and Ball was tailor-made for the role it looks like he will command throughout his NBA career. The shooting and finishing coming along would dictate whether he would become a lead ball-handler, and while that’s not looking great, his size and defensive profile appear to be leading him towards elite off-ball passer status, a great distributor who can play off a primary initiator and help save that player on defense. Ball’s star shot probably wasn’t as good as other players in this tier, but in terms of safety of getting a high-level role player, there aren’t many players in this tier you would have taken over Ball.

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