It's no surprise who's sitting at #1 overall... but what about the rest of the board?

Level of Concern Key:
Red Text: High Concern (pass)
Yellow Text: Medium Concern (caution)
Normal Text: No Concerns of Note (all clear)
*Concern level is in relation to health, personality and/or character concerns

Notes About The Tiers:
The tiers are labeled as applicable NBA talent level outcomes. Players in a given tier are ranked as such because that's what's been deemed as their most likely outcome. That being said, players nearer the top of a tier are often seen as being more likely to jump into the tier above them sometime during their careers (ex: Ja Morant is seen as being more likely to become an all-star than Jaxson Hayes in the "starter" tier). However, this is not a completely accurate depiction of all the players rankings throughout all the tiers as some players may be ranked higher or lower in a tier based on their risk/reward ("boom or bust") profile composition. Example: some players may have a relatively higher chance of jumping up a tier, but they may also be more likely to bust out or drop down a tier relative to other players in their given tier (and vice versa). This dynamic of varying risk/reward profiles can and does, at times, play into how players are ranked within tiers (ex: Nazreon Reid is ranked lower in the "rotational player" tier due to his higher bust potential despite having a high talent level that gives him a likelier chance to become a starter than say a Carsen Edwards, who's ranked just head of him and has a lower risk profile than Nazreon Reid). So while the general rule is that players that are ranked higher in a tier are seen as being more likely to jump into the tier above them at some point in their career, it's not an exact representation of all player rankings within a given tier and some unique discrepancies to that general rule exist throughout the big board.

Notes About Relative Positional Value & How it Affects Rankings:
Similarly to how players are ranked within tiers, the general rule is that all players in a tier are valued and evaluated equally, regardless of position. However, this is not always the case and some relative positional value is considered at times, especially in the case of tie-breakers in a given tier. And when I say relative positional value, I'm talking about the fact that wings are more valuable in the league than centers are, etc. So inherently, if relative positional value was always taken into consideration, all the tiers would break down into wings being ranked the highest, than guards, than stretch/playmaking 4's and then centers last. But as we can see, this is not the case. So again, while it is considered at times, it's not a fundamental consideration in the rankings of players. Players are ranked, in it's most pure form, by talent. More talented players are ranked higher, it's that simple (at least, that simple at face value).

Notes About Player Specific Concern Levels:
Cameron Reddish:
Questions about his personality; i.e. - Can he lead a team? Does he love the game enough? Will he be vocal enough? Can he/will he perform on the big stage in big moments? Etc.

Bol Bol:
Health concerns (broken foot this past season + frail frame for his size) and personality/character concerns.

Kevin Porter Jr: 
Questions about his maturity and approach to the game. Questions about how he handled his time at USC.

Jontay Porter:
Tore his ACL twice. Major concerns about how he re-tore his ACL during rehab from the first surgery. Questions about his maturity level.

Chuma Okeke:
Tore his ACL this past season. No indications of long-term complications, but it's something to be aware of.

Mfiondu Kabengele:
Health concerns, as he wore double knee braces this past season + has poor knee mechanics when jumping and running (knocked kneed, especially when loading to jump). Also weighs 250+ pounds which puts him at increased risk for injury. Although, he was apparently medically cleared by NBA draft combine doctors.

Nazreon Reid:
Some questions about his approach to the game when it comes to conditioning, etc. Will he get and stay in shape? Will he work hard enough to be successful in the NBA?

Charles Matthews:
Tore his ACL during pre-draft work-outs. No indications of long lasting issues, but he'll likely miss most, if not all of next season.
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Jalen Lecque:
Questions about his maturity level and how realistically he views himself as a pro ready prospect.

Simi Shittu:
Questions about his maturity level and past interactions with teammates.

For convenience sake in comparing between the two big board's, we've posted Marks' big board is posted on the left, while Zachs' is posted on the right.
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Additionally, each player with a corresponding in-depth scouting report page has been linked. Simply click on the players name and you'll be taken to their report. More reports for more players will be completed in the near future, so be sure to check back often.
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To visit the in-depth scouting report homepage: click here​

For convenience sake in comparing between the two big board's, we've posted Marks' big board is posted on the left, while Zachs' is posted on the right.
​
Additionally, each player with a corresponding in-depth scouting report page has been linked. Simply click on the players name and you'll be taken to their report. More reports for more players will be completed in the near future, so be sure to check back often.

To visit the in-depth scouting report homepage: click here

The first big board listed is Mark's.
​You can find Zach's big board below.
(Titled: Zach's Top 30 NBA Draft Big Board)

Additional statistically "sweeping" was used along with added insights from watching the NBA playoffs in this version of the big board. Greater emphasis was placed on the following skills & traits after watching the NBA playoffs:

1. Physical Tools & Athleticism
2. Defense (all aspects)
3. Shooting
4. Playmaking (1 on 1 Creation)
5. Passing

The Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder playoff series was a great example of the need to have elite physical tools & athleticism and at least average defense and shooting. Certain players were completely unplayable in this series due to their inadequate size, strength or athleticism (such as Raul Neto and to some extent, Alex Abrines). Dante Exum, who was an elite prospect and has shown a lot of promise lately, struggled to add positive value to the Jazz in this series due to the physicality of the series. Although, it should be noted that Exum has been tremendous in the Jazz's series against the Houston Rockets, where the overall physicality of the series has decreased, and the importance of quickness and speed has increased (his perimeter defense has also been elite, and was a huge factor in the Jazz's game 2).

Additionally, the poor defense of Carmelo Anthony essentially cost the series for the Thunder, showing the importance of having at least average defenders at every position in the playoffs. On the flip-side, Rudy Gobert was the key to the series win for the Jazz with his elite rim protection and defensive impact.

It's also been obvious while watching the playoffs that it's important to have multiple playmakers on the floor at the same time. In today's NBA, switching defense is very popular, and in order to best attack a switching defense, teams need players that can make plays off the dribble when a team forces a mismatch. Again, the Utah Jazz being a great example of this, showing their struggles against Houstons' switching defense with Rubio out for the series (their 2nd best creator off the dribble).

Passing ability has also proven to be very important, with so many of the successful playoff teams utilizing pass heavy systems (Jazz, Celtics, Spurs, Golden State, Houston, etc.) Passing is also directly related to what was discussed previously with the importance of creation off the dribble against mismatches: once a mismatch happens, the 2nd best way to take advantage of it is to move the ball quickly to the open man as the defense shifts to react to the mismatch (or as the defense rotates to help with the dribble penetration). 

Lastly, essentially all playoff teams have struggled immensely when they're unable to make outside shots. Having at least average outside shooters (3 or more on the floor at all times) is hugely important to successful NBA teams.

This is just a small commentary on the lessons learned from watching the NBA playoffs in relation to NBA prospect evaluation, but it reflects the greater emphasis placed on those traits and skills of prospects (and in large part, the changes in player rankings) of this version of the big board.

We've begun working on posting our detailed scouting reports for the class of 2018. You can view them here: ​2018 NBA Draft Class Scouting Reports.

The detailed scouting reports are in the early stages of being compiled, so be sure to check back often for updates. When each report is fully completely, they'll be sent out via The Five By 5's social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc).

Again, please let us know of any feedback you have about our pre-draft coverage. Especially if you feel like we've overlooked any particular player. We're still in the process of scouting players throughout the world and want to make we leave no stone un-turned. We'd also love to hear your thoughts & feedback on our pre-draft rankings of players and other general thoughts about the 2018 NBA draft class, so please be sure to comment here and on our social media account's posts.

​--------------- Tier 1
1. DeAndre Ayton
2. Luka Doncic
--------------- Tier 2
3. Jaren Jackson Jr.
4. Marvin Bagley III
--------------- Tier 3
5. Trae Young
6. Michael Porter Jr.
--------------- Tier 4
7. Miles Bridges
8. Mikal Bridges
9. Mohamed Bamba
--------------- Tier 5
10. Collin Sexton
11. Wendell Carter Jr.
12. Robert Williams III
13. Kevin Knox
--------------- Tier 6
14. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
15. Lonnie Walker IV
16. Zhaire Smith
--------------- Tier 7
17. Jacob Evans III
18. Mitchell Robinson
19. Troy Brown Jr.
20. Anfernee Simons
21. Khyri Thomas
22. Aaron Holiday
23. Keita Bates-Diop
24. Chandler Hutchison
25. De’Anthony Melton
--------------- Tier 8
26. Melvin Frazier Jr.
27. Jontay Porter
28. Jalen Brunson
29. Landry Shamet
30. Shake Milton

This version of our big board reflects greater usage of Synergy sports technology to further our scouting reports and rankings of each player.

Additionally, we've also gone back through our big board with an evaluation process that we call a "stat sweep". This "stat sweep" helps us to reflect upon the relationship of a players draft profile between our traditional eye-test and their statistical profile. This process aids us in identifying possible biases that we've had about a player with traditional eye-test evaluation. After a "stat sweep", we try to re-rank players accordingly and then finish with another film session to ensure we didn't go too far towards over-valuing the statistics. 

The top 6 tiers remained unchanged in this rendition of our big board. That's to be expected moving forward towards the pre-draft process.

Expect only minor changes to the big board as we continue towards to pre-draft process, with larger changes occurring as the NBA combine and pre-draft workouts begin.

We've begun working on posting our detailed scouting reports for the class of 2018. You can view them here: ​2018 NBA Draft Class Scouting Reports.

They detailed scouting reports are in the early stages of being compiled, so be sure to check back often for updates. When each report is fully completely, they'll be sent out via The Five By 5's social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc).

Again, please let us know of any feedback you have about our pre-draft coverage. Especially if you feel like we've overlooked any particular player. We're still in the process of scouting players throughout the world and want to make we leave no stone un-turned. We'd also love to hear your thoughts & feedback on our pre-draft rankings of players and other general thoughts about the 2018 NBA draft class, so please be sure to comment here and on our social media account's posts.

This rendition of the 2018 big board reflects a greater emphasis on assimilating statistical analysis of prospects into our rankings than previous versions. 

Daniel Gafford surprisingly decided to return to Arkansas and will not participate in the pre-draft process this year. He was projected as a border-line lottery pick on our previous big boards, and is expected to be a lottery pick in the 2019 draft.

Several of the top tier prospects have officially declared for the NBA draft. The list of those that have declared include: DeAndre Ayton, Jaren Jackson Jr, Miles Bridges, Mo Bamba, Michael Porter Jr, Marvin Bagley III, Trae Young, Robert Williams III, Anfernee Simons, Jacob Evans III, Keita Bates-Diop and Melvin Frazier Jr (and many more). More prospects are expected to declare for the 2018 NBA draft in the coming weeks.

Tiers 1, 2 and 3 are solidified. This rendition of the big board saw Wendell Carter Jr. make the jump from tier 5 to tier 4, primarily due to the increased emphasis on assimilating statistical analysis into our rankings.

Tiers 5 and 6 feel solidified and further minimal movement between these tiers is not expected.

Most of tier 7 is solidified, however the back-end of the tier is still semi-fluid with tier 8 prospects. Mitchell Robinson, Jontay Porter and Tyus Battle have all recently seen a jump from tier 7 to tier 8.

We've long had our eye on Eric Paschall, who has had a tremendous run for Villanova during the the Wildcats conference and NCAA tournament run. He's solidified himself as a legitimate NBA prospect for the class of 2018, and has seen a jump all the way up from tier 12 to tier 9 (+20 increase).

Tiers 10, 11, 12 and 13 remain fluid with one another. We expect the most movement to occur between these tiers throughout the pre-draft process.

We've begun working on posting our detailed scouting reports for the class of 2018. You can view them here: ​2018 NBA Draft Class Scouting Reports.

They detailed scouting reports are in the early stages of being compiled, so be sure to check back often for updates. When each report is fully completely, they'll be sent out via The Five By 5's social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc).

Again, please let us know of any feedback you have about our pre-draft coverage. Especially if you feel like we've overlooked any particular player. We're still in the process of scouting players throughout the world and want to make we leave no stone un-turned. We'd also love to hear your thoughts & feedback on our pre-draft rankings of players and other general thoughts about the 2018 NBA draft class, so please be sure to comment here and on our social media account's posts.

The tiers have been slightly reworked in this rendition of the 2018 NBA draft big board to better reflect evaluated talent levels, perceived appropriate draft ranges for each tiers' group of players, and to better reflect overall draft philosophy. Explanations of each tier is provided in the notes below. However, it should be noted that the players within a given tier should be, for all functional discussion purposes, considered tied with one another in terms of draft value. The players rankings within each tier represent slight differences in evaluated draft value that isn't significant enough to place them within another tier, and is often more reflective of personal preference according to personal draft philosophy than actual perceived value. 

Tier 1: These players (Ayton and Doncic) are the only clear cut options for the #1 pick in this draft class, and are one or two steps above the tier 2 prospects in terms of value.

Tier 2: Just a step or two below the tier 1 prospects, these players (Jackson Jr and Bagley) are clearly top 5 in value.

Tier 3: This group of prospects (Porter Jr, Bamba and Young) have top 5 value, but each of them have one or more major concerns or question marks that separate themselves from being considered within the same tier as the tier 2 prospects. They also have much higher upside than the tier 4 prospects.

Tier 4: This group (Mikal Bridges, Miles Bridges and Collin Sexton) has top 10 value, but they don't have the upside of the tier 3 prospects. Not to say that their upside isn't extremely high, but it's just not as high as the tier 3 prospects.

Tier 5: Similarly to the tier 3 prospects, these players (Carter Jr, Walker and Knox) have top 10 value, but have one or more major concerns or question marks. Their upside is arguably higher than the tier 4 prospects, but the concerns knock them down a tier.

Tier 6: These players (Gafford, Smith, Simons, Gilgeous-Alexander and Metu) are clear 1st round talents that have more perceived upside than the tier 7 prospects, but less than the tier 5 prospects. They also have one or more major concerns or question marks related to their value, but their higher upside warrants the higher draft range (14 to 18) than the other lower tiers.

Tier 7: These are players that have clear 1st round value, but lesser perceived upside than the tier 6 players. Each players reasons for being deserving of a 1st round draft pick varies, but at the end of the day, when it comes between committing the time and money differences between 1st round and 2nd round draft picks, these players separate themselves from the tier 8 players. This tier remains very fluid with tier 8.

Tier 8: These are players that have 1st round value, but for one reason or another, aren't evaluated as being worthy of the additional time and money commitment that 1st round picks receive in comparison to 2nd round picks. Many of these players have higher upside than the tier 7 players, but have more major concerns or question marks.

Tier 9: These players are clearly draftable talents, but have lesser evaluated value than potential 1st round prospects of tiers 7 and 8. Reasons for being included in this tier varies greatly. Some of the players (such as Wagner and Konate, etc) have separated themselves as a step above the tier 10 players, but are still a step or two behind the tier 8 players in terms of draft value. But for many of the other players in this tier (such as Bruce Brown Jr, Allonzo Trier, etc) there's usually one or more major concerns or question marks related to fundamental aspects of their draft value (health, size, length, athleticism, personality, etc) that are preventing them from being considered as a legitimate 1st round prospect despite their higher skill or upside value. This tier remains very fluid with tiers 10, 11, 12 and 13.

Tier 10: This group of players are clear 2nd round talents with slightly less perceived value or upside than the tier 9 prospects. Tier 9 is closer to being a "higher risk, higher reward" tier, whereas this tiers' players are more "lower risk, lower reward" types. This tier remains very fluid with tiers 9, 11 and 12.

Tier 11: This tier is the "they probably shouldn't get drafted, but their upside is too tantalizing to not draft" tier. They (Hamidou Diallo and Jarred Vanderbilt) have extremely high upside, especially for this stage in the draft, but they also have massive concerns and/or question marks related to their overall draft value that make them borderline undraftable. 

Tier 12: These players have separated themselves from the tier 13 players as viable 2nd round draft picks in a very similar way that tier 7 players separated themselves from tier 8 players as viable 1st round picks. At the end of the day, when it comes down to committing the time and money to a player that comes with drafting them in the 2nd round as opposed to trying to sign them as undrafted free agents, the tier 12 players have ever so slightly edged out the players in tier 13. As such, this tier remains very fluid with tier 10, 11 and 13.

Tier 13: This tier of players are all in consideration to be drafted in the 2nd round or signed to training camp rosters and/or G-league rosters and 2-way contracts. This tier remains very fluid with tiers 12, 14 and the unranked prospect list.

Tier 14: These players are at least a step or two below the tiers above them in terms of overall draft value. This tier remains fluid with tier 13 and with the unranked prospect list.

The biggest drop-off's between tiers remains between tiers 5 and 6 and between tiers 8 and 9, with a growing gap between tiers 4 and 5.

Minimal differences in overall draft value occur between tiers 12, 13, 14 and the unranked prospect list.

Lonnie Walker IV has been moved down from tier 4 to tier 5 mostly due to the improved play of the tier 4 prospects of Mikal Bridges, Miles Bridges and Collin Sexton. Both the Bridges and Sexton have recently separated themselves from Lonnie Walker IV and the other tier 5 prospects with their improved play.

Michael Porter Jr. returned to action for the last couple games of Missouri's season, but he looked extremely rusty, and was playing at a self-reported 60% to 68%. Being able to play a couple games, even at not full strength, is a promising sign in regards to his health. But with how badly he looked in those two games, especially with how poorly he moved, he's been moved down from tier 2 to tier 3. He'll need to work hard to get himself back to 100% before the pre-draft process begins as many teams will want to see how he's able to move on the court when at full strength before considering him with a top 5 (or even top 10) pick.

All rankings should be considered to be fluid, especially as we near the pre-draft process, but the top 6 tiers have all but solidified themselves with the remaining top 12 tiers looking more and more solidified with each passing day, especially tiers 8, 9 and 10.

Please let us know if you feel like we're missing any players that should be included. We try to cast our nets wide, but we often miss players due to the shear volume of players to watch and evaluate each year. This is especially true of overseas players, which we're working on improving.

Additional tiers have been added to this big board rendition in an attempt to be more specific in prospect rankings. I've also added an additional 40 players to the rankings to round out a top 100.

For all functional discussion purposes, the players in a given tier are essentially tied with one another. Only small differences separate the prospects in a given tier. 
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Michael Porter Jr. has moved up into tier 2 following the announcement that he's been medically cleared to participate in all basketball related activities. It remains to be seen if he'll play this season, and there are rumors that he may return to school for another year to see if he can work his way into becoming the #1 pick in the 2019 draft. But regardless of his decision to play this year or to come back next year, being medically cleared to play basketball is a great sign for him and his NBA draft stock.

The tier 1 prospects of Luka Doncic and DeAndre Ayton have separated themselves from the rest of the top prospects. They're the only two players in consideration for the #1 pick.

The biggest drop-off between tiers in terms of talent, skill, potential, etc. is between tier's 5 and 6.

Player rankings from tier 6 and beyond remain extremely fluid. Continue to expect a lot of movement in the rankings within and between those tiers. Although, tier 6 is starting to solidify itself more than it has in the past as those prospects continue to separate themselves from lower tiers. Expect only minimal movements within and between the top 5 tiers as the prospects in those tiers have solidified themselves as the clear top talents in this draft class.

I still have a lot of players to evaluate (especially overseas prospects) and their names will be added into the upcoming renditions of the big board as needed. Zhaire Smith, De’Anthony Melton and D’Andre Hunter are examples of players that I had not previously watched, but have since added to the big board after I was able to watch and evaluate them sufficiently. If you have any specific players that aren't included on this board that you feel like should be, please feel free to comment (or message me on social media) with their names.