Chicago Bulls big board for 2018 NBA Draft
By Ryan Heckman
3. Forward/Center Marvin Bagley III, Duke
Out of the top five or six guys on this list, Marvin Bagley III might just scare me the most. While his 2017-2018 campaign at Duke was phenomenal, there are some things that kind of worry me. But first, let’s start with the good.
Bagley’s line is hard to argue with: 21.2 points and 11.3 rebounds per game while shooting over 61 percent from the field. Bagley is as good as it gets as far as being effective in the paint. He finishes at an elite level, making it look easy. He is quick to soar up for rebounds as well, and uses his great timing and athleticism to come down with a lot of boards. Scoring in the paint and rebounding are the things he makes look incredibly easy.
Marvin Bagley has a huge chip on his shoulder and that might be a good indication to draft him and let him roll. #Yoda pic.twitter.com/9Y6axKYx4v
— Rashad Phillips (@RP3natural) June 11, 2018
The part that scares me is when you look at just about everything else. Outside of the paint, he’s not very good. He can’t shoot from beyond the arc and is inconsistent in the mid-range, leaving his offensive game pretty one-dimensional. Defensively, he’s no where near elite either. In terms of shot-blocking, you’d much rather have guys like Bamba or Jackson Jr.
The reason why Bagley is going to be so sought after, though, is because of what scouts see in terms of potential. He has a quick burst and an athletic frame, which is always good to start with. It is going to be all on Bagley to improve the areas he needs to improve upon if he’s going to be a stud in the NBA. While some may view him best as a stretch four, he might fit best as a center due to his limited game.
Once again, what he does well, he does very well. But, the holes in his game are undeniable and must be made strengths.