The Atlanta Hawks didn't exactly inspire much controversy on draft night. There were grumblings about Kingston Flemings' size and finishing, but most folks seemed to accept him as a top-10 talent. Zuby Ejiofor was commonly found on "most underrated prospect" lists and he jumped up to No. 23 accordingly, providing Atlanta with much-needed frontcourt depth.
For the record, I liked both these picks. Flemings was my No. 6 prospect and top-ranked point guard. Ejiofor was No. 24 on my board, right in the Hawks' ballpark. Still, pre-draft rankings never hold entirely true, and team context matters so much for a prospect's success — both short and long term. There will be prospects who perform unexpectedly well and give Atlanta reason to second-guess their own picks.
Labaron Philon Jr.
Philon went No. 22 overall to the 76ers, right before Atlanta was on the clock to take Ejiofor. In all likelihood, the Hawks probably wouldn't want a second smallish point guard after Flemings anyway. But is there a chance Philon would've been a more optimal pick at No. 8? That probably sounds far-fetched considering how far Philon ultimately fell, but he was ranked 10th on the FanSided big board — ahead of eventual No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler. He's in that same tier, of that same caliber, as a prospect, for my money.
Now that he's buried in a deep Sixers backcourt, it will be interesting to see how much playing time Philon can carve out as a rookie. If there's one major concern about his immediate transition, it's strength and how well he can handle the physicality of NBA defense. That probably means the Sixers are hesitant to play him next to Anfernee Simons in the second unit for extended periods, especially since Philadelphia's defense is already suspect in general.
That said, Philon is an incredibly polished three-level scorer who compensates for limited burst with unbelieveable craft and dexterity. He can bend at odd angles and shift gears on a dime, with the sort of ball-handling and passing creativity that harkens back to the golden age of Sixers basketball. He's a more refined shooter and below-rim finisher than Flemings at this stage. And while Philon can't replicate Flemings' lockdown defense, he's no slouch on that end of the floor, despite the weight concerns. Philon posted excellent stock numbers (2.9 STL%, 1.2 BLK%) as a freshman before a larger offensive workload became the focus in year two. He should transition back to a more complementary, two-way focus in the NBA, at least early on.
Flemings is probably a more natural point guard and facilitator, but that generally requires a steep NBA learning curve. Don't be shocked if Philon's off-ball skill set gets him on the floor earlier and more often than expected in Philly and has folks wondering, "how did this kid fall to this team?"
Cameron Carr
Philon and Cameron Carr, the 24th overall pick to Los Angeles, bookended the Hawks' selection of Ejiofor at No. 23. While Philon has a top-10 case, Carr's fall was more understandable, if still unexpected. After two lost seasons at Tennessee, Carr transferred to Baylor as a junior and popped off. He played with an infectious confidence, bombing deep movement 3s, skying for lobs and contested finishes at the rim, and posting absurd block numbers (3.9 BLK%) for a wing.
Methinks Carr is going to really thrive in Los Angeles. Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves can both draw attention and break down a defense, while Walker Kessler sets monster screens and gets vertical at the rim. The provides a perfect ecosystem to Carr to slot in off-ball, running many of the same sets Lakers head coach J.J. Redick once did during his career. That kinship between coach and player feels obvious, and Carr's defense could prove important considering the Lakers' otherwise middling wing rotation.
While Ejiofor should help the Hawks with his rugged and versatile defense — and he's more skilled offensively than he gets credit for — there's a world in which he ends up in the same "undersized" bucket as Onyeka Okongwu. Meanwhile, especially with the Flemings pick, the Hawks are built to run. Jalen Johnson, a bunch of guards and a lob-catching, rim-running center. It's a run-and-gun vision. And Carr would've fit that vision beautifully as a floor-stretcher who happens to thrive on the break, especially now that Zaccharie Risacher is no longer around.
Joshua Jefferson
A lot of folks projected Joshua Jefferson in the second round, but Brooklyn took the Iowa State senior 28th overall. We had him ranked even higher (21st) here at FanSided, so consider it a savvy move from the Nets front office. Jefferson very much fits Brooklyn's desired mold as a player with positional size and playmaking chops. Jefferson frequently operated as a point forward for the Cyclones, spinning through traffic with his eyes up and his head on a swivel.
While Jefferson's limited athleticism is frequently cited as a concern, he has real strength — 6-foot-9, 246 pounds — and he's a very smart, savvy operator. He plays with physicality and generates turnovers on defense, and can push the tempo going the other direction. There are some real parrallels between Jefferson and Julius Randle, so expect Brooklyn to mirror their roles a bit with Jefferson in the second unit (although I find Jefferson's style a bit more free-flowing and aesthetically pleasing).
The Hawks probably view Ejiofor as a combo four-five who can spend time at both frontcourt spots. He's both switchable and incredibly physical, compounding Atlanta's advantages on the perimeter with Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and now Lu Dort. That's all good and well, but Jefferson is probably a better shooter and a more dynamic offensive weapon at this point in time. Just Brooklyn will use him as a mirror of Julius Randle, Atlanta could've charted a similar course with Jefferson as their Jalen Johnson-lite off the bench. Jeffersons should get a long rope in Brooklyn. Don't be shocked if he's an important member of the Nets' young core.
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