The 2018 NBA Draft seems like it happened eons ago, what with LeBron James turning free agency upside-down by signing with the Lakers, Demarcus Cousins taking his talents to the loaded Warriors, Paul George staying put in OKC, and Kawhi Leonard getting traded to the Raptors. Summer League has passed us by like a gust of wind as well with the Golden State Warriors coming out on top. Now, the search for the next impact player in the mold of a LeBron James or a Kevin Durant is officially on. As members of Ladbrokes’s highest earning sports stars in the world list, both James and Durant started out as rookies and went on to great success. They left no doubt that they would soon take over the NBA from their first seasons. And they have, indeed, taken over.
That being said, here are eight rookies that will surely hit the ground running next season:
DeAndre Ayton
With his wealth of physical tools, Ayton will give the moribund Suns the inside presence they sorely need on both ends. On offense, the former Wildcat will be a perfect complement to shooter extraordinaire Devin Booker, whose dead-eye jumper will give Ayton space to work down low. On defense, the Bahamas-born center will anchor a porous Phoenix defense that surrendered a league-high 113.3 points per game.
Jaren Jackson
Jackson will benefit tremendously from playing with Marc Gasol, who will help ease the rookie’s transition from college to the pros. The former Spartan’s skillset is nothing to sneeze at either, as the 18-year-old New Jersey native has skills that translate nicely in the NBA: deft touch around the basket, a refined shooting stroke, and great athleticism. He’ll play alongside Gasol as a playmaking four, a stark departure from the bully ball playing style of the Zach Randolph, the Spaniard’s former Michigan State alum running mate.
Luka Dončić
If Rick Carlisle and the Mavs coaching staff could turn less-heralded players like JJ Barea and Yogi Ferrell into borderline stars, imagine what they can do with a basketball savant like Dončić? Described by Sports Illustrated as Europe’s next big thing, the young Slovenian will likely be one of Europe’s finest imports to the NBA when all is said and done. And this is saying a lot considering the number of European players in the league — 124 by our unofficial count last January 2017.
Wendell Carter
Steady and heady, Carter will fit in nicely with the Baby Bulls, whose frontcourt needs all the help it can get. He’ll get his fair share of touches down low, and his crafty post game will complement the outside shooting of Lauri Markkanen, last year’s seventh overall pick.
Kevin Knox
Knox was booed by Knicks fans on draft day, but he’ll turn those doubters into believers this season. The Knicks have no other viable option on the wings aside from Tim Hardaway, Jr., which means the hyper athletic Knox will get a lion’s share of the minutes at the three spot. He’ll make the most out this time by using his breathtaking athleticism to get to the rack on offense and defend multiple positions on defense.
Collin Sexton
With the Cavs in post-LeBron mode, everyone will get a chance to step up, and Sexton will make the most of his opportunity. Wildly competitive and deceptively athletic, the Crimson Tide alum will push the pace early and often and give Believeland a playmaker to get excited about.
Donte DiVincenzo
With Jabari Parker taking his talents to the Windy City, DiVincenzo figures to get a good amount of minutes for Mike Budenholzer’s Bucks. And Big Ragu will take full advantage by showing why he was one of last year’s NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Players. He’s a gamer who knows how to get it done, and get it done he will.
Lonnie Walker
The Spurs know how to develop young players. They’ll do the same with Walker, who will get plenty of minutes with the departure of Tony Parker, Danny Green, and Kawhi Leonard and the irreversible aging of Manu Ginobili.
The draft class of 2018 is remarkably long on talent, and the eight rookies in this list will make an immediate impact for their respective teams. They likely won’t be the only ones, though, as a host of other newbies will surely be solid contributors next season.
Article written for the sole use of inspirationalbasketball.com
Miranda Kate
