NBA Mock Draft: 5 surprise prospects who could crash the lottery

1. Bobi Klintman, F, Wake Forest

Wake Forest’s Bobi Klintman might be the hottest name in NBA Draft circles right now. The freshman only played 20.5 minutes per game for the Demon Deacons, averaging 5.3 points and 4.5 rebounds on 40.7 percent shooting. Those numbers don’t exactly inspire confidence, but Klintman is perhaps the perfect embodiment of the “theoretical” prospect.

At 6-foot-10, Klintman plays and moves like a wing. He loves to push the ball up the floor in transition and he’s a decent 3-point shooter already (36.8 percent on over two attempts per game). Big wings with ball skills are the premium commodity in today’s NBA. Every team wants to embrace big, positionless basketball. Klintman needs time to develop, but there’s a clear path toward fitting that supremely valuable archetype.

The primary concerns for Klintman lie on the defensive end. He has the size and length to guard bigs, but he’s too weak to defend in the post and he’s prone to getting left in the dust on the perimeter. He’s also older than your average freshman, which could be notable for teams trying to determine his growth potential.

Klintman’s limited athleticism also crops up on the offensive end. He can get out and run in transition, but he’s more suited to a complementary role in the halfcourt setting. Wings with his shooting and passing potential have undeniable value, but Klintman doesn’t regularly beat his man off the dribble, nor does he have advanced scoring moves to rely on around the basket. Even so, he checks a lot of hypothetical boxes that could have teams in the lottery thinking hard.