NBA Draft Big Board 2.0: The Top 30 players in the draft

NBA Draft Big Board 2.0: No. 22-24

22. Jaden Hardy, Wing, G-League Ignite

As we’ve discussed before, on-ball shot creation is the most important skill in a star-level player. It’s often the most frustrating skill in role players, as it leads to lost possessions and redundant skillsets when building lineups. That puts Jaden Hardy in a tough spot and in wildly different slots on draft boards. He can absolutely “get buckets” no matter where he plays; can he shoot well enough to be an off-ball player? Hardy either has to become a number one creator or he has to develop role player skills; it’s unclear if he can do either, but the possibility of both keeps him in the first-round mix.

23. Wendell Moore, Wing, Duke

Another player who helped himself by returning to school, Wendell Moore made huge strides as a shooter and playmaker this season. If the shooting improvement sticks, his combination of ball-handling, passing and cutting will make him a great role player. Defensively he has a massive wingspan and has excellent instincts, and is strong enough to survive on switches. He needs to prove he can be consistent, but all of the pieces are there for a high-level role player, the kind of guy who is a fifth-starter on a contender.

24. Christian Braun, Wing, Kansas

You want hustle? Christian Braun has hustle. He works tirelessly on both ends of the court, defensively constantly moving to dart into passing lanes or provide help before recovering to his man. He fights for rebounds, battles over screens and is hard to beat one-on-one. On offense he does all of the little things, cutting and moving the ball and crashing the boards. His shot has been all over the place year-to-year; can that become a weapon? If so Braun is a top-20 guy in this class; if not he’s a clear backup at best.