NBA Draft Big Board 1.0: Three players in the top tier

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Malakhi Brandom and E.J. Liddell, Ohio State Buckeyes. Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images /

NBA Draft Big Board 1.0: Tier 5

16. Malaki Branham, Wing, Ohio State

Few expected Malaki Branham to be at Ohio State for just one year, but he had a breakout freshman season and played his way at least into the first round; many would take him in the lottery. He was a knockdown shooter for the Buckeyes, with an 82.6 percent mark from the free-throw line to back it up. Great at attacking advantages and scoring, although he isn’t a great passer. Defensively he was everywhere, with both strength and lengths to defend multiple positions. Branham is one of the players who continue to rise up draft boards because he fits what talent evaluators are looking for.

17. Kennedy Chandler, Guard, Tennessee

Kennedy Chandler is fast, with and without the ball, and speed translates to the NBA. He shot a solid 37.2 percent from deep and has a smooth jumper in the midrange too, where he can slither his way into openings and hit the pull-up shot. He also plays well off-ball, cutting into space or repositioning on the perimeter. Defensively he flies around the court, snagging steals (2.1 per game) and generally getting in the way. The problem will be whether he can hold up at a small six-foot, and whether that shot improves or proves to be inconsistent.

18. TyTy Washington, Guard, Kentucky

TyTy Washington came into his freshman season at Kentucky and looked really good at first, but struggled as the season went on. Was that due to the lingering effect of injuries or because defenses figured him out? He is not a great athlete so he relies on crafty moves to find space; that part of his game is advanced, but it doesn’t give him much to fall back on. He was a really good passer and his length translates on defense, but he was also a really poor and infrequent perimeter shooter.

19. Ousmane Dieng, Wing, Breakers

Our second prospect from Oceana, the 6’10” New Zealand forward is one of the most intriguing prospects in this class. He has guard-like ball-handling despite his height, and he loves to probe a defense and either find space to pull up for a jumper or hit a teammate cutting to the rim. The problem is that when he calls his own number he rarely succeeds in scoring; he shot an abysmal 21.3 person from deep this season, He finished strong in his NBL season and his defensive upside is a significant plus, so it’s not unreasonable to think a team will take a shot on him even as high as the lottery.

20. E.J. Liddell, Forward, Ohio State

Very few juniors make their way into the NBA Draft pool; freshmen and seniors tend to dominate the list of prospects. E.J. Liddell is that rare junior who blossomed as a sophomore, returned to school to improve his NBA draft stock, and now enters the draft as a likely first-round pick. The 6’7″ forward is big (240 pounds) and strong, one of this class’s better defenders both inside and on the perimeter. His shooting is improved but not great, and while he is a good passer he doesn’t do as well passing on the move. A good outcome for Liddell is to play a role similar to Grant Williams at the next level.