If you look at the top five picks of the 2018 NBA draft, it’s like seeing an all-NBA first team of 2022.
If not sooner.
Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Trae Young.
Here’s a list of NBA owners who would take that fivesome as their starting lineup right now, no questions asked and no matter who they currently have on their team:
All of them.
The talent and success of the top choices in last June’s draft has been on display all season and it’s why those players are going to be linked, compared and dissected with each other throughout their careers.
After roughly one season, there is no reason for any of the teams that took those players to be unhappy with their selection.
Memphis likes Jackson, Phoenix has a budding monster in Ayton, Atlanta struck gold with Young, the Mavericks have the clear-cut rookie of the year in Doncic and Sacramento feels like Bagley is destined for superstardom.
Bagley showed some of those attributes Tuesday when he had 14 points in Sacramento’s 125-121 win over the Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
Afteward, he talked about how he views any sort of rivalry with Doncic or any of the other rookies in his class.
“He’s a great player,” the 6-11 Bagley said of Doncic. “It’s always good to play against great players and great competitors, like myself.
“That (any sort of rivalry) is not for me to say. I’m working on my game, getting better every day and being the best version I can be of me. I’ll leave that up to y’all.”
However, Bagley and Doncic know there will be comparisons.
“There’s always a competition,” Bagley said. “When we’re on the court, there’s no friends. I know him off the court. I know a lot of guys off the court. But it’s all business when we get on the court and play. That’s just the way it is.”
And the way it is, is that these guys have a real chance of being the new face of the NBA, following in the footsteps of Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and all the other stars who are still 20-something.
So here’s a look at how the rookie class has stacked up against each other – so far.
Scoring:
Doncic 21.1
Young 18.9
Ayton 16.3
Bagley 14.7
Jackson 13.8
Note: Cleveland’s Collin Sexton averages 16.3 points.
Rebounds:
Ayton 10.2
Doncic 7.6
Bagley 7.3
Jackson 4.7
Young 3.6
Assists:
Young 7.9
Doncic 5.9
Ayton 1.8
Bagley 1.1
Jackson 1.0
Twitter: @ESefko
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