A team doesn’t have to be in the top 10 to get a star in the NBA Draft. Teams like the Golden State Warriors have shown us that. The 2017 NBA Draft is a draft filled with lots of talent at any given position. There was a chance for many teams to find value, even outside of the draft lottery. Here are some of the best value picks outside of the top 10 picks.
Harry Giles, Photo Courtesy of Fast Six Pack.
Giles was the consensus number one recruit in the 2016 college recruiting class. He is a 6-foot-10 power forward with a ton of upside. The reason for his fall out of the top 10 was his injury-filled freshman campaign with the Duke Blue Devils.
Giles has had three knee surgeries in the last four years. Due to his most recent surgery, Giles missed 11 of Duke’s 37 games in his freshman season.
Many of Harry Giles’ strengths have to do with the strength of his knees. He relies highly on his athleticism to play above the rim and get rebounds. He also relies on his strength and motor to outwork his opponents and finish through contact.
Some of his weaknesses are guarding the pick and roll due to his lack of lateral quickness and his free throw shooting ability. Some question his scoring ability outside the paint, however he is a proven low post threat.
Giles averaged 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game playing 26 games in his only collegiate season.
If Giles can get healthy as he enters the NBA, he will create lots of value for the Sacramento Kings and could turn into the projected lottery pick he once was.
Giles, when healthy is a lottery pick, and the season he played at Duke didn’t do his talents justice. He never got a chance to get in basketball shape and in turn get in the rotation for the Blue Devils.
Semi Ojeleye, Photo Courtesy of Penn Live.
Ojeleye is a little different from Giles, being that Ojeleye is a near finished product. He is 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds of pure athlete. Semi measured at 40.5 inches on his vertical leap in his draft workouts and shot 42 percent from three. He also had 18.2 points per game for the Southern Methodist Mustangs.
Ojeleye was a Duke commit and transferred to the Mustangs, where he began to blossom.
The Celtics get a great athlete who doesn’t need a lot of developing. He is a player who can help on the defensive end and can also stretch the floor with the three ball.
Ojeleye is a large physical presence whose body is already NBA ready. He is ready to be a role player and the Celtics are a team that can absolutely use a pure shooter to add to lots of assets.
Jordan Bell blocking Kennedy Meeks’ shot, Photo Courtesy of CSN.
Even when the Warriors don’t have a pick in a draft they still manage to make a splash.
Jordan Bell is another incredible athlete who averaged 10.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in his junior season for the Oregon Ducks. Bell continued to find a way to improve every year he was in college and had his best offensive season his last year.
Bell is not a huge offensive presence outside of the paint which is why he fell to the second round. He is a great defensive player who rebounds well and protects the rim with his tremendous athleticism.
Jordan measures at 38 inches on his vertical leap and has a seven-foot wingspan, making him a perfect candidate for a rim protector and defensive juggernaut.
Jordan Bell is similar to former Warrior, Festus Ezeli and could possibly fill the role that has been vacant since Ezeli left.
Jaron Blossomgame. Photo Courtesy of Draft Express.
Blossomgame dropping this far in the draft was shocking. Many people had Blossomgame higher up on draft boards in the previous year, so for him to fall this far is unexpected. What is not unexpected is the Spurs saw the value in him that other teams didn’t.
Jaron falls to the Spurs and could make an impact right away. With Lamarcus Aldridge unhappy with his situation with the Spurs and Gasol aging, Blossomgame could work his way into the rotation.
Jaron has a very inconsistent jump shot, shooting just 25.5 percent from the 3-point line in his senior campaign. He does have a ton of athleticism. He can guard two to three positions and has excellent timing for rebounding and shot blocking.
The reason for his fall this far in the draft was his dropoff of production from junior to senior year. The dropoff was partly due to the change from power forward to small forward in preparation for the NBA Draft.
Jaron could play two different positions in the NBA. With the league transitioning to small ball, he could become a huge asset in that transition for the Spurs.
The 2017 NBA Draft was one that was filled with useful future NBA players.
Whether it is a player going in the top five or a pick taken at 60, any athlete could provide value if they are in the correct system.
Every NBA team is looking for a late draft pick that can turn there team into a title contender. These athletes could potentially be the pieces that could help their teams take the next step to being a contender.
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