NBA Draft 2019 Highlights and Analyses: 20 Best picks from the class of 2019

#16 Portland Trail Blazers – Nassir Little, 25th overall pick (North Carolina)

Before the draft, Nassir Little was projected to go in the top 15, however, in possibly the biggest drop in the draft he was drafted at 25 by the Portland Trail Blazers. As the 2019-20 season begins in October, we shall see how Little responds to all the sleeping teams.

Nassir Little was the second-ranked small forward in the draft rankings, boasting a 6’6” 224-pound frame and a 7’1” wingspan. He has great movement with his feet and speed, allowing him to hustle to the board for rebounds and offensive finishes.

Little’s potential will come out more through his defense than his offense, however. He averaged 9.8 points per game but his shooting in those games was not always fluid. He does not hit a lot of 3-pointers either, but he has a knack for converting his free throws (77% from the line).

Portland saw the value in Nassir Little when 24 other teams didn’t, and he is willing to come in and prove them all wrong. He may have to fill the shoes of Mo Harkless or Al-Farouq Aminu if the Blazers can’t sign them to a new contract.

#15 Philadelphia 76ers (traded to PHX) – Ty Jerome, 24th overall pick (Virginia)

Probably one of the most talked about players in the NCAA Tournament and a key player for the Virginia Cavaliers in their championship run, Ty Jerome is now heading for the Phoenix Suns.

What he lacks in length, height, and athletic metrics, he makes up in his defense and offensive ball handling and movement. In the interior, Jerome is a competitive defender who likes to poke the ball away and push down the court, logging 1.8 steals per 40 minutes.

He is also one of the best pick-and-roll passers in the draft rankings. Any space of the court where a teammate is roaming Jerome can make a pass, even in the tightest of openings.

Don’t be caught off guard thinking he doesn’t shoot the ball either. Jerome is a career 39.2% from 3-point range and is ranked 6th in Division I in catch and shoot efficiency (1.45 points per possession) according to ESPN.

Ty Jerome could be another Devin Booker kind of player for the Suns.

#14 Boston Celtics – Grant Williams, 22nd overall pick (Tennessee)

With the 22nd pick in the NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected Grant Williams from the University of Tennessee. Williams is coming off his junior season with the Volunteers which featured an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Like Romeo Langford at 14, Williams can be an all-round player who knows his role and helps his teammates know theirs. When he has the ball in his hands and doesn’t shoot it to average his 18.8 points per game, he reads the defense and reacts accordingly with the passing game.

He is also a fearless defender who will come out to the arc to guard the three or will body up the opposition in the interior making the post-up game difficult. Finally, when he does take the shots, he enjoys the perimeter, knocking down 32.6% from the three-point line.

His few deficiencies are his length and height for a modern big man and his heavy reliance at times to get to the free throw line which might not work as well with NBA officiating. However, in the end, if Al Horford is going to walk away from Boston, Williams may have some shoes to fill.

#13 Brooklyn Nets (traded to NOLA) – Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 17th overall pick (Virginia Tech)

How should one start with Nickeil Alexander-Walker? Well, he has got NBA experience in his family with his relative Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing for the Los Angeles Clippers.

As a sophomore at Virginia Tech, he averaged 16.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. In addition, per every 40 minutes of play, or one game, he used his strong defensive instincts to rack up 2.2 steals and 0.6 blocks.

Alexander-Walker is best at ball handling and making plays off the pick and roll, making passes with the left hand and shooting shoots with the right. There are times however when his passing goes askew leading to his 1.39 assist to turnover ratio, so he will need to keep all his passes under control.

One thing he will need to learn in the NBA is how to beat defenders with speed and direction to get around them to the rim when handling the ball. Usually, he will have to bounce the ball out to a teammate if he can’t get that look at the basket.