NBA Draft 2017 News & Updates: Kansas' Josh Jackson & Duke's Harry Giles Lead Top Prospects for Next Generation of Basketball Stars
It is still entirely too early to start picking the 2017 draft of the NBA. However, some names of young basketball players already emerged as top prospects for the league's next generation of stars.
Josh Jackson
In the 2017 NBA mock draft released on Tuesday by ESPN's Chad Ford, Jackson leads the pack of top prospects. Standing at 6'7″, the 19-year-old basketball star who played for Justin-Siena High School was the co-MVP of the 2016 McDonald's All-American Game. He committed to study at the University of Kansas in Lawrence to play for the Kansas Jayhawks in the upcoming season.
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According to Nathan Grubel of Hoops Habit, it is not anymore surprising why Jackson leads Ford's 2017 NBA mock draft. He said that the teenage basketball star has the versatility and athleticism to contribute in the modern NBA.
Grubel stressed that Jackson's handle and court vision at this point of time are competent enough to serve as a secondary playmaker. He added that if the freshman will continue to hone his skills, there is no reason for him to fail as a team's primary option in the future.
Harry Giles
Trailing behind Jackson on Ford's 2017 NBA mock draft is 18-year-old incoming college basketball player Giles. The 6'11" rising basketball star will attend and play basketball for Duke University in the upcoming season.
Per Sports Illustrated, Giles was part of the Team USA that competed for the 2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Greece. He was among the players who stood out in the tournament after he ranked first in defensive rebounding percentage, second in offensive board percentage and third in points per game.
According to Tom Westerholm of Mass Live, Giles dominated high school competitions and was considered the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2017 class before a serious injury abruptly ended his high school basketball career. He added that Giles' stock would surely climb again if he stays healthy while playing for Duke in the upcoming season.
More Prospects
Markelle Fultz, Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina also made it in Ford's 2017 NBA mock draft. Fultz is an 18-year-old rising basketball star who committed to play for the University of Washington.
Moreover, Smith Jr. is the son of retired American football player Dennis Smith. According to Fox Sports, the younger Smith is a top-ranked high school point guard who expressed his commitment to play for the NC State next season.
On the other hand, Ntilikina is an 18-year-old point guard who currently plays for a French basketball team Strasbourg IG. He was a member of the winning French National Team in the 2014 U16 European Championship.
