Chicago Bulls: Pro comparisons for 2019 NBA Draft picks

Round Two, Pick 38: Daniel Gafford

Pro Player Comparison: Poor Man’s Clint Capela

With their second-round pick, the Bulls selected a backup center in Daniel Gafford.

Gafford, a sophomore from Arkansas, would have been a first-round pick had he declared for the draft last season. This season, his stock fell considerably, as his Arkansas squad heavily underachieved, leaving Gafford overshadowed.

Drafting Gafford in the second round should be a steal for the Bulls, as they snag a first-round talent without having to give up any assets.

Gafford’s play on the court is fairly one-dimensional, as he is a scoring and rebounding center. His scoring ability is limited to the post and his rebounding can be inconsistent, but when he is on, he is as productive as any center.

Due to his low(ish) ceiling, a fair comparison for Daniel Gafford is a poor man’s Clint Capela.

Capela, of the Houston Rockets, is an above-average player in today’s NBA, but he does not fit the billing as a modern-day center. His scoring is also limited to the painted area and his rebounding is very streaky. One day Capela might get 20 points and 15 rebounds, while the next day he’ll put up 6 and 8.

Getting either of those stat lines out of a second-round pick would be a little overzealous, so we’ll dub Gafford as a low-budget Capela. Gafford’s ceiling is Capela at full production, but considering his limited role for at least his first two NBA seasons, it is fair to assume that only his playing style, and not his stats, are like that of Capela.

All-in-all, the Bulls aced draft night. They get an explosive, high-ceiling player in White, while picking up a first-round talent in Gafford. The Bulls had to get this draft right and early indications are that they did just that.