POINT GUARDS
POINT GUARDS
1. Dante Exum, Australia, 6-6, 196: A little inexperienced, but between his size and his explosion to the rim, he demands attention.
2. Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State, 6-4, 225: Stuck around college basketball a year beyond when he’d earned a lottery slot. A big-time scorer.
3. Elfrid Payton, Louisiana-Lafayette, 6-3, 180: A big point who could be an elite defender, but he’s an awful jump-shooter.
4. Tyler Ennis, Syracuse, 6-2, 180: Not a great athlete, but a poised and mature playmaker. He also is unafraid of the shot that decides a game.
5. Zach LaVine, UCLA, 6-5, 180: He’s attractive in a Shaun Livingston way — unusual size for his skill set. But he didn’t play the point in his one season at UCLA.
SHOOTING GUARDS
1. Nik Stauskas, Michigan, 6-6, 207: He’s a great outside shooter (44 percent from college line) who improved as a ballhandler and driver.
2. Gary Harris, Michigan State, 6-4, 205: Harris is a bit undersized for an NBA shooting guard, but he makes up for that with lots of defensive toughness.
3. James Young, Kentucky, 6-6, 215: Has plenty of shooting range, but showed some dubious shot selection, putting up ill-timed jumpers early in possessions.
4. P.J. Hairston, Development League, 6-5, 228: He bounced back from losing college eligibility, showing shooting range and solid defense in the D-League.
5. C.J. Wilcox, Washington, 6-5, 201: One of the draft’s better all-around shooters, he averaged 39 percent from 3-point and 87 percent from the foul line.
SMALL FORWARDS
1. Andrew Wiggins, Kansas, 6-8, 200: An elite athlete who has potential to be as good a defender as he’ll be a scorer. Failed to dominate in his one college season.
2. Jabari Parker, Duke, 6-9, 240: In a strong draft class, he’s probably the most ready to impact an NBA game. Some questions on how well he controls his weight.
3. Doug McDermott, Creighton, 6-7, 220: A versatile scorer who used all four years of his college eligibility. Could struggle to guard NBA small forwards.
4. Rodney Hood, Duke, 6-8, 208: A good, left-handed shooter/scorer and also a player who applies himself defensively. Has had stomach problems during games and workouts.
5. Dario Saric, Croatia, 6-10, 225: A highly skilled European who can serve as a point-forward. His contract situation could keep him out of the NBA the next two seasons.
POWER FORWARDS
1. Noah Vonleh, Indiana, 6-10, 240: He averaged nearly a double-double in points and rebounds and shot 48 percent from the 3-point line. At 18, his body is still developing.
2. Julius Randle, Kentucky, 6-9, 250: He’s an old-school, back-to-the-basket scorer in the mold of an Al Jefferson or Zach Randolph. Questions whether he’ll need foot surgery.
3. Aaron Gordon, Arizona, 6-9, 220: He’s one of the best athletes in this draft — a leaper and what Hornets coach Steve Clifford would call a “multiple-effort” player each possession.
4. Adreian Payne, Michigan State, 6-10, 240: A power forward who shoots 42 percent from the college 3-point line would complement Al Jefferson in the low post.
5. Clint Capela, Switzerland, 6-11, 222: For better or worse, he’s reminiscent of Bismack Biyombo — big and athletic, without a whole lot of basketball skill.
CENTERS
1. Joel Embiid, Kansas, 7-0, 250: He has exceptional footwork and grace for a 7-footer. The recently diagnosed stress fracture might knock him down several draft spots.
2. Jusuf Nurkic, Bosnia & Herzegovina, 6-11, 280: This guy is a bruiser — he will clear space in the lane — but he also has refined shooting touch in traffic.
3. Walter Tavares, Cape Verde, 7-3, 260: Anyone with a 7-9 wingspan and some athleticism will get a shot at the NBA.
4. Jordan Bachynski, Arizona State, 7-2, 254: Was as productive a shot-blocker as any in college basketball last season at 4.0 per game.
5. Mitch McGary, Michigan, 6-10, 266: Had a great run during 2013 NCAA tournament but missed most of last season following back surgery.