3 players who slipped at the NBA draft
The 2019 NBA Draft is in the rearview mirror, and a number of players garnered some attention, for positive and negative reasons.
Here are three players who took steep falls on Thursday.
Bol Bol - Nuggets at No. 44
The Denver Nuggets reportedly landed a top-five talent with the 44th pick that they acquired in a trade with the Miami Heat. Bol was almost a guaranteed lottery pick before suffering a season-ending foot injury just nine games into his freshman campaign with Oregon. And at 7-foot-2, there were many concerns about his setback and thin frame that likely scared suitors away.
Regardless, Bol remains among the most skilled players in the draft. The Sudanese center is an elite floor-spacer with excellent ball-handling chops for his size. Unfortunately, after apparently losing 30 pounds between his injury and the NBA combine, the potential star simply wasn't worth the risk.
Kevin Porter Jr. - Cavaliers at No. 30
Porter was considered a lottery pick by many and would have cracked the top 10 if it wasn't for the reported character issues that plagued him throughout his lone season at USC. Despite the question marks, he is still an elite offensive talent with high upside and should be a monster in isolation for the Cleveland Cavaliers if given the opportunity.
At 6-foot-6 and 213 pounds, Porter has good size and strength as a guard. Though he has an awkward hitch on his jump shot, the crafty left-hander has been compared to James Harden at times because of his signature step-back from behind the arc.
Luguentz Dort - Undrafted (signed 2-way deal with Thunder)
In a shocking revelation, Canadian star Luguentz Dort dropped out of the draft entirely despite being considered a potential late-first- or early-second-round selection. Dort has a strong exterior, standing at 6-foot-5, 222 pounds with on-ball skills that should inevitably find him a place in the league.
The former Arizona state guard struggles as a shooter from the perimeter, which likely hurt his stock. However, after signing a two-way deal, it's likely that the Oklahoma City Thunder's depleted roster will provide Dort with an opportunity to impress in the big leagues sooner rather than later.