Daily Knicks
Fansided

New York Knicks: A way too early 2018 NBA Mock Draft

By Maxwell Ogden

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 18: Luka Doncic, #7 of Real Madrid during the 2017 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four Real Madrid Practice at Sinan Erdem Dome on May 18, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Luca Sgamellotti/EB via Getty Images)
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 18: Luka Doncic, #7 of Real Madrid during the 2017 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four Real Madrid Practice at Sinan Erdem Dome on May 18, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Luca Sgamellotti/EB via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 31
Next
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 05: Marvin Bagley, Jr., the top high school recruit in the class of 2018, shoots a jump shot during a Drew League game at Los Angeles Southwest College on August 5th, 2017. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 05: Marvin Bagley, Jr., the top high school recruit in the class of 2018, shoots a jump shot during a Drew League game at Los Angeles Southwest College on August 5th, 2017. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Duke Blue Devils have landed a star of a recruit in reclassified forward Marvin Bagley. Some already have Bagley pegged as the No. 1 prospect in this draft class, due primarily to the rare combination of size, athleticism, and versatile skill.

Bagley is far from a shoo-in to be a Top 3 draft pick, but he’s as safe of a projection as anyone who’s on the 2017 board.

Bagley is a 6’11” power forward who plays the game in a way that’s comparable to some of the best small forwards in the NBA. He has a smooth shooting stroke, runs the floor as well as most wings, and has even developed a tight enough handle to attack from the perimeter.

Bagley is far from unfit to play the 4, however, as he has the tools and willingness to crash the boards and alter shots at the rim.

For the New York Knicks, drafting Bagley would mean finding a star-caliber offensive complement to Porzingis. He has the fluid athleticism on the drive to even spend some time as a 3 in the position-less NBA, and the raw scoring ability to create a two-headed monster.

Bagley wears the No. 35 on his jersey, and the comparison to Kevin Durant may be a fair one when one considers how dynamic a talent he is.

Home/Knicks Draft