There will be over three dozen draft hopefuls at the NBA G League Elite Camp later this month (May 12-14) at Quest Multisport in Chicago.
The players will participate in five-on-five games as well as strength and agility drills. After the event, the league will invite “a select number” of the draft-eligible players to the NBA Draft Combine from May 14-19.
Based on our aggregate mock draft, we have included brief scouting reports of the players most likely to draw attention in Chicago, which could lead to another opportunity for them to showcase their talent in front of NBA decision-makers.
Below are some honorable mentions before we introduce the top-eight most draftable prospects.
Honorable Mentions
DaQuan Jeffries, Forward (Tulsa) — As one of the best prospects at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, he is a viable 3-and-D player and has one of the most impressive wingspans for his size.
Justin Robinson, Guard (Virginia Tech) — He shot 41.8 from the three-point line during his junior year and could be a fantastic spot-up shooter in the NBA.
Tyus Battle, Guard (Syracuse) — The former Syracuse standout ranked Top 5 in points per game in the ACC two seasons in a row. His sophomore season was not as strong as his first, but his upside remains impressive.
Jalen Pickett, Guard (Siena) — He had a strong freshman campaign as the MAAC Rookie of the Year, ranking Top 5 among all NCAA players in assist percentage. Pickett was one of the most prolific prospects out of the pick-and-roll. He is testing the waters, so he could go back to college next season.
James Palmer, Guard (Nebraska) — The 6-foot-6 guard took home All-Big Ten Tournament First Team honors and ranked third in points per game among all players in the conference.
Sagaba Konate, Forward (West Virginia) — While he was limited during 2018-19 action, he had the sixth-best defensive box plus-minus (9.2) in the NCAA during his 2017-18 campaign. He also had the best block percentage (15.6) among all college players that season, earning him a Big-12 All-Defense selection.
8. Justin Wright-Foreman, Guard (Hofstra)
Current AMD Rank: No. 84 overall
The two-time Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year was one of the most productive scorers in school history. He averaged 27.1 points and 3.1 three-pointers per game as a senior.
Wright-Foreman was tremendously productive out of the pick-and-roll for his squad, trailing only Markus Howard (who is returning for another season at Marquette) for most points scored on this play type among all D1 players.
Perhaps his most attractive trait is his ability to create off the dribble. He averaged 7.3 points per game on jump shots after dribbling, which ranked in the Top 3 last season. The guard was efficient on these looks, too, averaging 1.19 points per possession (96th percentile) off the dribble.
After four years in college, he currently projects as a second-rounder by both ESPN and The Athletic. He has reportedly scheduled pre-draft workouts with the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers before his trip to Chicago.
7. Aubrey Dawkins, Wing (UCF)
Current AMD Rank: No. 83 overall
The son of former Duke star and Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins is a 6-foot-6 wing who made a name for himself during March Madness. He had a spectacular 32-point performance against his father’s alma mater in his final NCAA Tournament appearance, connecting on five three-pointers.
Dawkins averaged 1.16 points per possession (90th percentile) on his jump shots, showing productivity shooting off the catch and coming off the screen.
NBADraft.net currently projects him to be selected as a late second-rounder. Already 23 years old, his development might be a bit limited, but he could be one of the more pro-ready prospects eager to earn a shot at the next level.
6. Tacko Fall, Big (UCF)
Current AMD Rank: No. 81 overall
Standing at 7-foot-6, the UCF big man was certainly hard to miss if you watched his team. His 8-foot wingspan would become the longest in the NBA, beating out Orlando Magic big man Mo Bamba’s measurements from last year’s Combine.
Fall averaged 2.6 blocks per game, which ranked Top 10 in the NCAA last season. He had the best defensive rating (85.6) among all college players during the 2016-17 campaign, while also leading his conference in defensive win shares (2.8). His defensive rating (90.7) ranked as the best in his conference this season as well.
Don’t expect him to finish many possessions in transition but if you feed him near the rim, he can be tremendous due to his size. Fall connected on 139-of-174 (79.8 percent) attempts at the rim, per The Stepien.
5. Zylan Cheatham, Forward (Arizona State)
Current AMD Rank: No. 72 overall
The former Arizona State wing earned All Pac-12 First-Team and Pac-12 All-Defense honors. He led the conference in total rebounds while also finishing Top 5 in both defensive rating (96.1) and defensive win shares (2.2) last year.
Cheatham is a fairly efficient finisher around the basket, which is where more than half of his field goal attempts came from during his collegiate career. On half-court sets near the rim that were not post-ups, the forward averaged 1.32 points per possession (83rd percentile) for the Sun Devils.
He has a great build and physique, which will help his measurements at the G League Elite Camp. His competitive energy can help during scrimmages, too, but his upside may be a bit limited until he improves his jump shot.
4. Terance Mann, Wing (Florida State)
Current AMD Rank: No. 68 overall
The 6-foot-7 wing is one of the more versatile offensive prospects who will be competing at the G League Elite Camp. He was effective when finishing possessions in transition, spotting up and as the ballhandler in pick-and-roll actions.
He averaged 1.31 points per possession (92nd percentile) when accounting for his assists, which ranked Top 10 among high-volume contributors in the ACC. Mann was 18-for-47 (38.3 percent) on three-pointers from NBA range, per The Stepien.
During the 2018 NCAA Tournament, he was awarded All-Region honors in the West. This year, he was named All-ACC Tournament Second Team too. He also looked good at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, where he averaged 7.9 rebounds per 36 minutes.
3. Chris Clemons, Guard (Campbell)
Current AMD Rank: No. 66 overall
Clemons improved his draft stock by earning the MVP award at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. He led all participants with 18.3 points per game, as well as 3.0 three-pointers.
He took home the Big South Player of the Year award in 2019 behind an NCAA-best 30.1 points per game. According to Basketball-Reference, his offensive win shares (6.1) ranked second-best among all college players while his player efficiency rating (33.0) ranked Top 10.
During the regular season, the guard scored 6.6 points per game when tasked with finishing possessions as the primary ballhandler in the pick-and-roll. This ranked No. 12 overall among all D1 players, via Synergy Sports. His jumper was his most valuable tool, ranking third-best with 12.2 points per game off jump-shots
However, the main concern is his size since he stands at just 5-foot-9.
2. Robert Franks, Wing (Washington State)
Current AMD Rank: No. 64 overall
After winning the Pac-12 Most Improved Player award in 2018, Washington State wing Robert Franks made All-Conference First Team this season. During his last collegiate campaign, Franks had the second-best three-point percentage (39.9 percent) in the conference.
He averaged 1.35 points per possession (94th percentile) off the catch, which ranked No. 12 overall among D1 players who had at least 100 opportunities. His offensive box plus-minus (5.4) and PER (24.1) both ranked Top 5 in the Pac-12.
Standing at 6-foot-9, there is a lot to like about his fit in the NBA. Franks has also showcased his ability as a triple threat in the pick-and-roll, flashing moments of brilliance as the ballhandler as a scorer and a passer and occasionally as the roll man.
Franks is projected to go No. 51 overall in the latest mock draft from NBADraft.net.
1. Tyler Cook, Forward (Iowa)
Current AMD Rank: No. 62 overall
Iowa forward Tyler Cook ranked Top 10 among Big 10 players in effective field goal percentage two seasons in a row. As a three-year starter, he scored 14.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
Back in December against rival Iowa State, Cook put up 26 points on 12-for-16 shooting with 11 rebounds. SB Nation’s Matt Reisener recently wrote about Cook’s potential (via SB Nation):
“[He] projects as a borderline late second-round draft pick who may very well hear his name called on draft night but could also find himself trying his luck as an undrafted free agent. Cook may be asked to spend a few years in the G League developing his game before getting a real shot to be an NBA contributor, but he has enough upside that he will likely get the chance to do just that.”
He appeared on CBS Sports’ latest big board and he was projected to go No. 49 overall by NBADraft.net.
