Just a month into basketball season, the hype on the 2014 NBA draft class is at its peak. This draft is supposed to be one of the top drafts in NBA history. Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Julius Randle are the top prospects this draft, showing plenty of promise over the other college prospects.
The Gatorade National High School Player of the Year, Wiggins, originally from Thornhill, Ontario, was the No. 1-ranked player in the U.S., and currently plays for the University of Kansas. He looks to be a driving force.
Coming out of high school he was the most sought after player since LeBron James. Wiggins has the highest potential to succeed in his class. His athleticism is unmatched by anybody in NCAA basketball. Offensively he has nice game and defensively he can easily dominate.
Wiggins’ one downfall is that he doesn’t have the drive to take the game into his own hands. He doesn’t like the spotlight too much and would rather be more of a team player. He needs to develop an attitude to take over a game. Only 18 years old, Wiggins just needs to mature and then he will succeed as a big time player.
Parker is a 6-foot-8 all-around small forward who can put the ball on the ground and pull up from about anywhere on the court. He draws comparisons to Paul Pierce and Carmelo “Melo” Anthony because of the range of scoring he can produce. Those aren’t bad comparisons at all with Melo being an all-star himself. It is really hard to find a flaw in his game. He is fundamentally sound and shows he is already the most NBA-ready in this draft class.
Parker is averaging over 21 points a game and shooting a high percentage from the field, and his three-point percentage is off the charts. He has shown that he can play above the rim, quieting critics who say his athleticism isn’t up to par with NBA status. If Parker keeps up his high dominance of play, he can easily be taken first or second in the upcoming 2014 draft.
Randle, at about 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, is just a monster. He is already in his NBA body and looks like he can dominate in the NBA right now. He is averaging close to 19 points and 12 rebounds a game and doing it with an impressive field goal percentage.
The first game of the season against Michigan State, he shined under the spotlight,,just showing the scouts that he was the most dominant on the court. Randle’s potential is through the roof. He can step out and hit a jumper and also has a fair amount of ball control when dribbling. He is a gym rat and has the impeccable work ethic to become a future NBA star.
