By: Heath Montgomery
The NBA Draft was full of great talent and drama this year. With a record amount of freshmen taken in the lottery I’ve decided to throw it back to high school, by giving out superlatives to the recent draftees.
Best Fit for Team: Jayson Tatum. Many people thought the Celtics were going to take Josh Jackson instead of Tatum. Tatum, compared to Danny Granger, is a perfect fit for the Celtics as he is a very skilled offensive weapon that will give them a go-to scorer to play alongside their very defensive lineup. Tatum may also give the Celtics the perfect piece to put in a trade to land Paul George.
Best Outfit: Dennis Smith Jr. It was a little bold but Smith rocked his outfit.
Biggest Surprise: Jimmy Butler trade. We all knew Jimmy Butler was going to be traded, that wasn’t the surprising part. The biggest surprise was how little the Timberwolves had to give up to acquire Butler. The T’Wolves gave up Kris Dunn, Zach Lavine, and the 7th pick, which is a decent trade straight up, but the Bulls gave up their 16th pick. The Timberwolves got an absolute steal with this trade and may make them a big competitor next season.
Worst Fall: Monk to 11th. It surprised the hell out of me that Monk was passed on by the Knicks. After that he just kept getting passed by teams until it got to the 11th pick where the Charlotte Hornets picked Monk. In a press conference after the draft Monk even admitted he was going to be drafted by the Knicks and also said this fall would put a chip on his shoulder going into the season.
Best Steal: Semi Ojeleye. I had Ojeleye going late-first round; for him to slip this far is huge for the Celtics and I think he fits the mold of their team very well.
Craziest Dad: Lavar Ball. This one might have been a little obvious, but yes Lavar ran away with this superlative. He had a crazy smile on before the draft, as he probably knew his son was going to be drafted the Lakers, but as soon as Lonzo was drafted Lavar quickly announced the Lakers would make the playoffs this upcoming season. I dislike Lavar as much as the next guy but you have to admit he’s pretty entertaining.
Winner of the Night: Minnesota Timberwolves. The Jimmy Butler trade was huge and will change them immensely for the upcoming season. Keeping the 16th pick was key and they took a solid prospect in Justin Patton. A+ night for the T’Wolves.
30 Second Timeout 