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The first round of the NBA Draft is in the books, with 30 players being drafted to their professional homes last night. But there is still plenty of work for each organization to further shape their roster, with the next 30 selections taking place tonight. With some surprises in the last few picks of the opening round, a few intriguing names remain on the board tonight. Let’s look at the top players remaining on the second-round board, with the trade market sure to heat up ahead of the 8:00 p.m. ET start.
Keep in mind that all odds offered on DraftKings Sportsbook are subject to change.
You can also check out all grades and analysis for the first round picks here.
Standing just shy of 6-foot-11 with an intriguing skillset, Baba Miller has the makings of a rotational big man at the NBA level right from when he enters the league. The 22-year-old spent the first two seasons of his college career at Florida State, transferred to Florida Atlantic the following season, and played at Cincinnati last year. Miller is coming off a season in which he posted averages of 13.0 points, a Big 12-best 10.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. There is some reason for optimism about his perimeter shooting, as he connected on 29% of his three-point looks on 2.4 perimeter shots per game across his college career, although he regressed to just a 19.2% perimeter shooter this season. Miller is a good ball handler for his size and a better passer than you would expect. There were major expectations for the All Big-12 team member coming into college, and he is a high caliber of talent that always leaves you wanting a bit more. While he did not achieve the lottery upside that was once attached to his name, Miller has proven capable of playing in different systems and finding a way to make a positive impact. His playmaking ability gives him a bit of a different look as a rotational big man, and there are some really encouraging flashes with his weak-side shot-blocking. Consistency will always be a concern, but drafting Baba Miller is a great value in the second round.
While Darius Acuff Jr. stole the headlines in the Arkansas backcourt, there is plenty to like about Meleek Thomas as well. During his one-and-done season, Thomas posted averages of 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, while shooting 41.6% from beyond the three-point arc. The 6-foot-3 guard is a score-first player with a near 6-foot-7 wingspan and some intriguing stop-and-go ability with the ball in his hands. The 19-year-old can sometimes play a bit out of control and appear rushed around the rim. He is a bit stiff at times, but plays bigger than his listed frame. It also feels pretty certain that Thomas sacrificed some of his individual production for the better of the team, and took a backseat to Acuff Jr. There were some encouraging flashes as a decision-maker, with a 2.5/1 assists-to-turnover ratio overall, but not as large a sample size as you would hope. Thomas is a high-caliber spot-up shooter and should be able to fit next to just about any other guard in the backcourt. There is a real chance that Thomas was not able to give the full display of his skillset based on the constraints of the Arkansas offense, and he is worth a swing in the early parts of the second round.
If it were not a torn ACL that ended his senior season, Richie Saunders likely would have walked across the stage last night. A four-year standout at BYU, he posted averages of 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.7 steals across his first 25 games this season before the injury occurred. Saunders shot 37.6% from beyond the three-point arc this season on 6.8 perimeter shots per game, and also connected on 43.2% of his long-range shots last year. The 6-foot-5 guard primarily played off-ball and showed impressive instincts in his movement and ability to relocate without the ball in his hands. He is a high-IQ basketball player who rebounds better than his size and is a great cutter. There are some limitations with his athleticism, and the perimeter shot will need to remain elite for him to maximize his NBA role. But Saunders is a high-level processor of the game and plays with an admirable competitive spirit. He does not need the ball in his hands much to be effective, and expect the 24-year-old to make a clear case why he can make an immediate impact. Saunders’ grandfather is also credited with inventing the Tater Tot, which is among my favorite fun facts of this draft class.
Largely expected to be a late first-round pick, Henry Veesaar spent four seasons at the collegiate level and truly had his breakout this season. He spent three years at Arizona, one of which was a redshirt season, but transferred to North Carolina this year, where he fully flourished. The 6-foot-11 big man boasts a 7-foot-2 wingspan and posted averages of 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. The Estonia native is a capable lob threat and can stretch the floor effectively. Veesar shot 42.6% from beyond the three-point arc on 3.0 perimeter attempts per game. While he lacks some physicality and can be a bit late on some defensive rotations, there is enough offensive skill to deal with this trade-off. He is an impressive connective passer in the flow of offense, and a match for the skillset you hope with modern big men. Expect Veesaar to carve out a path for himself as a rotational big man and potentially have more to his skillset than just this, which is terrific value at this stage of the draft.
The biggest surprise to remain on the draft board entering the second round is Duke standout, Isaiah Evans. A confident shot-maker who flourished in his second season, Evans posted averages of 15.0 points and 3.2 rebounds, while shooting 36.1% from deep on 7.4 perimeter shots per game this season. The 20-year-old also shot 41.6% from beyond the three-point arc last year, when he was able to be a bit more selective with his shots. Standing 6-foot-6 with a quick release, Evans is comfortable letting it fly from well beyond the arc, and there are some flashes of ability with the ball in his hands off the dribble. He can be overpowered defensively when forced on the wrong matchup, but has good instincts for where to be defensively, and does a solid job generating turnovers. The ceiling is not sky-high for the All-ACC team member, but he should be able to make a day-one impact as a role player at the NBA level. Getting this type of talent in the second round is a major win from a value perspective. Shooting is at a premium in the NBA more now than ever, and expect Evans to hear his name in the first few selections tonight.
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