Not everyone’s dreams are made in the first round of the NBA Draft.
Even when every expert writes someone in as a first-rounder, they sometimes slip through the cracks.
Now that the draft is split between two days for each round, the wait, suspense, and nerves are just that much longer.
In the past, stars such as Nikola Jokic, Jalen Brunson, Draymond Green, and Khris Middleton have all been selected in the second round. This shows that elite play comes from anywhere.
These are the top ten remaining prospects as we enter the second round tonight.
1. Rasheer Fleming, Forward, St. Joseph’s
It is absurd that Rasheer Fleming is still on the board in the second round.
Fleming has the measurements, strength and talent of a complete NBA contributor. Measuring in at 6-foot-8 and 232 pounds with a giant 7-foot-5 wingspan, he should be hard to pass up on early in the second.
In his junior season with St. Joseph’s, he averaged 14.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. He shot 53.1% from the field and 39.1% from three on 4.5 attempts per game.
Fleming is a top defender in this draft who can switch one through five on the ball. In addition, his length and size make him even more of a force on that end.
A drawback of Fleming is his limited feel on the offensive end. Furthermore, he has slow processing at times with the ball, which makes him mistake-prone.
Fleming can be an instant rotational player for any playoff contender.
2. Adou Thiero, Forward, Arkansas
With one of the most exciting highlight tapes of any prospect in this draft, Adou Thiero has high potential as a plug-and-play wing.
Thiero measures in at 6-foot-6 and 218 pounds and still could be growing. He was 5-foot-8 as a freshman in high school and hasn’t stopped growing since.
He is an aggressive defender and can create his offense, turning forced turnovers into points. Additionally, he is a nightmare to stop driving to the rim in a straight line.
Thiero is an absolute freight train of an athlete and is arguably the best in the draft class.
3. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Center, Creighton
Ryan Kalkbrenner’s resume is immense. 3x All-Big East, 4x Big East Defensive Player of the Year, and he was an All-American this past season.
Kalkbrenner is elite at the rim with his size and has been consistently one of the best rim protectors in the nation. He measures in at 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan.
Kalkbrenner has undoubtedly improved as a three-point shooter every season throughout his career. He has gone from not attempting threes at all as a freshman and sophomore to shooting 34.4% on 1.7 attempts a game.
On the other hand, he is not the most physical player in the world, hindering his potential NBA ceiling.
Kalkbrenner projects as a solid backup big for any team that selects him.
4. Maxime Raynaud, Center, Stanford
Maxime Raynaud is undoubtedly a phenomenal scorer at the center position.
The Paris, France native lit up the ACC last season, averaging 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Also, he shot 46.7% from the field and 34.7% from three.
Raynaud is a much improved defender, but still has a ways to go on that end, as his defensive motor and athleticism are the only reasons he has not been drafted.
A 7-foot stretch five will be hard for a lot of teams to pass on as we move along through the draft.
5. Chaz Lanier, Guard, Tennessee
Chaz Lanier is a true late bloomer. Despite only averaging 3.7 points per game through his first three years at North Florida, he broke out in his junior year with North Florida, transferred to Tennessee, and became a star.
https://twitter.com/SavantHoops/status/1937585455303692676
He is a prolific shooter who can play one of the most important roles for a championship contender, the bench sharpshooter. In his junior and senior seasons, he shot a combined 41.1% from three-point range.
After leading the SEC with 123 threes made, Lanier is ready to make an impact.
6. Noah Penda, Forward, France
Noah Penda is an interesting wing prospect who fills up the statsheet. He averaged 10.2 points and 5.2 rebounds this season for Le Mans Sarthe in France.
He is a solid defender who was a contributor on a playoff team in Betclic Elite. He is 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan that can be formed into a solid, defensive-minded wing.
His shooting needs to improve in the NBA for him to succeed after shooting 30.5% from three this past season.
The 20-year-old could be a draft and stash candidate for teams who may not have roster room for another selection.
7. Kam Jones, Guard, Marquette
Kameron Jones has been the guy in Marquette for all four years of college.
Jones is the definition of a bucket, finding ways to score against all competition. His three-point shooting took a step back this past season, but he has shown to be a 40% shooter in the past with a more relaxed role.
He projects as a potential microwave bench scorer in the NBA, along the lines of a Lou Williams-type player.
Jones is also an elite creator in the pick-and-roll and can make any team that picks him up appreciate his offensive output.
8. Sion James, Forward, Duke
Sion James is an elite defender and will have no trouble adjusting to his role at the professional level.
On day one, James can be a positive three-and-defense guy off the bench or even in the starting lineup. That was his exact role at Duke.
James averaged 8.6 points, shooting 41.3% from three-point range this season. This is all while guarding the top cover on the floor at all times.
Any playoff contenders will appreciate drafting James.
9. Vladislav Goldin, Center, Michigan
Vladislav Goldin is a very interesting prospect at the center position.
He has great motor and works hard on both ends of the floor. Goldin was crucial in Michigan’s run through the NCAA Tournament.
On the other end, he’s one of the oldest players in the class at 24 and lacks any perimeter skills that are useful in the modern NBA. He will need to become a much better passer and take a similar route to development as an Isaiah Hartenstein-type player to become a great NBA player.
Without a doubt, Goldin would become a great choice for a team that believes in his development.
10. Javon Small, Guard, West Virginia
Javon Small can make many playoff teams happy tonight.
https://twitter.com/big12studios/status/1937496624525091130
Small is a very crafty guard with a great stroke from beyond the arc. He is a strong defender who can take on any matchup against another guard.
He shot 35.3% from three facing heavy defensive pressure this season with the Mountaineers, but shot 37.4% while being one of the best catch-and-shoot shooters in the nation the year before with Oklahoma State. Small averaged 18.6 points and 5.6 assists this past season with West Virginia.
Small would fit perfectly with playoff teams who have questionable backup guard situations, such as the Magic and Cavaliers.
These players, among others, will hear their names called and have their dreams come true tonight in the second round.
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