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Thursday, December 12, 2013

Top 4 prospects for the Bucks in 2014 NBA Draft

It is a great time to be a Milwaukee Bucks fan as the team has struggled to begin the season sitting near the bottom of the NBA with a 5-17 record, and appear be one of the lucky teams who will get one of the top picks in the deep 2014 NBA Draft.  The Bucks are in need of a young, talented player to build their franchise around, and in this draft that looks possible with many potential stars projected to be available.  Here are the rankings for the top players that the Bucks should take if they do receive one of the top picks in the 2014 NBA Draft:

1. Jabari Parker - SF - Duke: Jabari Parker has been the best player in college basketball so far this season.  In almost every game this year, he has clearly been the best and most dynamic player on the court.  Although he isn't a great athlete, he is very skilled and can score from anywhere on the floor.  Through nine games this season he is averaging 22.1 points per game, while shooting 54.8 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from behind the arc.  He is also averaging nearly eight rebounds per game.

Not only are the Bucks looking for an electric scorer, they are also looking for someone to build the franchise around.  Parker is a high character guy, who is an exceptional basketball talent, and would be deserving of being selected near the top of the draft.

2. Andrew Wiggins - SG - Kansas: Andrew Wiggins is an incredible athlete, and has the most potential in the upcoming draft, but he has not stood out so far this season.  Although he is only a freshman, he was the most talked about player entering the season, and he has not lived up to all the attention he received.  He is averaging 16.4 points per game, while making 50.5 percent of his shots and 36.7 percent of his attempts from three-point territory, but he has only dominated in only one game this season.

Wiggins can play multiple positions on the floor and is very talented, but right now he has not done anything to set himself apart from all the other talented players in college basketball.

3. Marcus Smart - PG - Oklahoma State:  Marcus Smart would be the perfect point guard for the Milwaukee Bucks. He is capable of playing both the one and two, but whatever position he plays, he will produce.  The sophomore guard chose to return to Stillwater after last year to improve his game, and it has looked like it was a good decision.  He is averaging 19.7 points per game, while holding a 46.3 shooting percentage and making 34.6 percent of his long-range attempts.  All three statistics are an improvement from last season.

Smart is a strong, physical player who plays good defense, and is a born leader.  He is another high character guy who brings a lot of energy and competitiveness to the court, and is someone teams can build their franchise around.

4. Joel Embiid - C - Kansas: The seven foot freshman is a raw, freaky big man that possess tons of upside along with his 7'-5" wingspan.  Although he does need more game experience, and could add more strength, the sky is the limit.  Per game Embiid is averaging 8.9 points, while grabbing 6.6 rebounds, and blocking 2.2 shots in only 20 minutes of action.

This would be a surprising move for the Bucks since they need a scorer, and locked up the dysfunctional Larry Sanders this past offseason.  But Embiid is nothing like Sanders because he has more potential and is a harder worker.  Embiid's stock is rising, and while he would not fill a need, his potential maybe to much for the Bucks to pass on if they are unable to select the three players above.

Final thoughts: 

While the 2014 NBA Draft is still many months away, it is never too early to look into the future.  With the way the Bucks have been playing this season, do not be surprised if they end up with one of the top three picks in the draft. As of now these four players should be atop the Bucks draft board because they have shown that they are capable of being very talented NBA players that could help a struggling Bucks franchise.  

1 comment:

  1. This is the year!!! It has to be the year. So far all the stars are aligned!!! They can't go wrong with any of these 4 players. I agree....they need a scorer...someone who can take a game over!!!

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