Table of Contents
By Alex Lauzon from the “Course of Life” podcast
NBA Draft Preview: The Top 10
We’re just two weeks away from the NBA Draft at the Barclays Center, and there’s still lots of movement on the draft boards as we wrap up pre-draft combine events. The deadline for draft prospects to remove themselves from being picked has passed, so it’s time for them to jump off into the deep end of the draft pool. There are no life vests now as their stock is reliant on getting drafted and being one of those elusive 58 that can say an NBA team picked them. Up at the top of the board, there’s been some fluctuation on who may go where…after the first overall pick that is. Let’s mock up the very latest updated top 10 and see what these lower-level NBA squads can look forward to come June 22 in Brooklyn.
- San Antonio Spurs – Victor Wembanyama
It’s Wemby’s world and we’re just living in it these days as the hype has reached Everest heights in the weeks leading up to his No. 1 overall selection. Spurs season ticket sales are through the roof, and as the 19-year-old phenom still works his way through his French league playoffs and continues to impress, NBA fans everywhere are salivating to see what his true impact will be on the game.
- Charlotte Hornets – Scoot Henderson
The battle for the no. 2 selection is fierce and the margins between Henderson and Alabama gourd Brandon Miller are razor-thin at the moment. I lean towards Jordan’s front office taking Scoot because of his versatility to not only be the showrunner on offense but create his own.
- Portland Trail Blazers – Brandon Miller
Because of the Henderson pick, this will make the Blazers’ decision glaringly easy to go with the wingman that redefined what scoring looked like at the collegiate level. There are small bits of off-court baggage that may lurk in the thought process only, but he would be joining up with a certified star in Damian Lillard that can teach him the ropes of being an NBA guard.
- Houston Rockets – Amen Thompson
It’s time to pick your Thompson brother once we exit the top 3, as either Amen or his brother Ausur are candidates for the number four pick. As of now, it seems like Amen is going to go first off the board, and with a potential James Harden move back to Houston, Amen’s ball-handling skills would pair well with the young guards in HTown.
- Detroit Pistons – Cam Whitmore
It seems to be an open secret that the Pistons are in on the feisty Villanova guard that will instantly toughen up their front line. Whitmore doesn’t need to be the ball handler in Detroit and could play off of Jaden Ivey and Cade Cunningham nicely.
- Orlando Magic – Jarace Walker
Candidly the Magic need to get tougher down low, and Walker provides over other guards that potentially go at pick number six. The recent elbow injury he suffered has led to a bit of pre-draft questioning, but it’s mending and he’ll be ready for a rookie campaign.
- Indiana Pacers – Anthony Black
Apparently Black has put a little muscle on in recent weeks and he’s poised to make a quick impact wherever he lands off an impressive final season at Arkansas. In Indy, he could learn from Tyrese Halliburton and also work on developing his offensive repertoire.
- Washington Wizards – Ausur Thompson
Now here is where the other Thompson brother falls. Ausur may not have had the ramp-up in scout intrigue like Amen, but he plays more of an all-around game that could develop into something special. His defensive presence would be desperately needed in D.C.
- Utah Jazz – Taylor Hendricks
Hendricks is a young, raw, unproven three and D modernized draft prospect. He’s everything that’s scary about picking this high but the upside is there for him in the right fit.
- Dallas Mavericks – Grady Dick
There are all sorts of drama around the Mavs organization as LEBRON JAMES (?) is being courted to Texas…so who knows if this pick is even here for them. Regardless, Dick’s stock has risen enough to slide him into the top 10 conversations.
Trending Up: Ben Sheppard, Bilal Coulibaly
Trending Down: Jeff Howard
Draft Coverage begins at 8:00 PM on June 22nd on ESPN + ABC
NBA FAQs
How do you win NBA pick'em pool?
In order to win an NBA Pick'Em pool, players must have the most points at the end of the season. For each correct pick during the regular season, members will receive one point (customizable based on the pool commissioner). Some pools will choose picks based on the spread or straight up.
What is NBA pick'em pool?
In an NBA Pick'Em pool, players make weekly picks (either against the point spread or straight-up). The number of picks each week is customizable by the pool commissioner. Optional best-bet and confidence pick settings can be put into place as well. Commissioners can use a hosting site like RunYourPool to keep up with scoring and calculations.
How to play an NBA basketball pool?
The way one plays a basketball pool varies on the game type. For example, in Pick'em Pools, you simply pick every game each week.
How to run a weekly basketball pool?
In order to run a basketball pool, you must first crown yourself as Pool Commissioner. Begin by picking a game type like Survivor or Pick'Em. You'll want to establish rules before inviting friends, family, and colleagues to join. As commissioner, you make the rules and also need to enforce them equally and fairly.
How do you win NBA Survivor Pool?
In NBA Survivor, the last player standing wins. The name of the game is to make it to the next week. A member will select one game from all the games in that given week. If members choose the correct winner, they move on to the next week. If they pick incorrectly, they are eliminated from the contest.
What is NBA Surivor Pool?
In an NBA Survivor pool, players choose one NBA team each week that they believe will win. They may only pick a team one time per season. Picks are made "straight up," not using a point spread system. If their pick is correct, they survive until the next week. An incorrect pick eliminates the player from the pool for the remainder of the season.
What is a basketball pool?
"Basketball Pool" is a broad term for a group of people competitively guessing the outcome of one or more basketball game. There are many types of formats, each assigning winners differently. They can be played informally between friends or through a more formalized system.
How to make a basketball pool?
A basketball pool generally requires the creation of a shareable spreadsheet (like Google Sheets) so that members may pick teams. Then depending on the game type, creators must use several kinds of formulas (e.g. CountIF), data validation, and conditional formatting. Or, you can just use basketball pool hosting services like RunYourPool where we do all the work for you!
How do you win NBA Playoff Bracket Pool?
In NBA Playoff Bracket pools, the winning entry is the team with the most points at the end of Playoffs. Members try to pick the winner of each playoff series. For each series, they also pick how many games they think the series will go. Points are awarded for each winning pick, with bonus points for how close they come to the correct series length
What is an NBA Playoff Bracket Pool?
In an NBA Playoff Bracket pool, players pick the winner of each NBA Playoff series. Commissioners can choose to have members receive bonus points for guessing the series length. Points increase as the tournament progresses (points per round are configurable by the commissioner). The winning entry is the player with the most points at the end of the playoffs.
Are there other Playoff Pools?
Yes! RunYourPool offers plenty of contest types for various playoff events! March Madness squares and bracket pools aer very popular among basketball fanatics, while the Super Bowl Prop Pool is the most popular annual event game.
How to set up a basketball pool?
To set up a basketball pool, you'll need to first choose a pool type like Survivor or Pick'em. Then, you'll need to set the ground rules. As pool commissioner, you'll enforce these rules and make sure the game runs smoothly throughout the season. Many commissioners use pool hosting sites like RunYourPool to make it easier and more engaging.
