2018 NBA Draft: Predicting The Number 1 Pick

Deandre Edoneille Ayton, born July 23, 1998, plays professional basketball for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA. He played for the Arizona Wildcats in the Pac-12 Conference during the 2017–18 season. Ayton earned a consensus five-star prospect rating in the Class of 2017 and a McDonald's All-American honor. The Suns selected Ayton with the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. The Suns named him to the NBA All-Rookie First Team for the 2018–19 NBA season. On January 29, 2019, Ayton joined the World Team for the Rising Stars Challenge in the 2

Luka Dončić, born February 28, 1999, plays professional basketball for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA and the Slovenian national team. Dončić was born in Ljubljana, son of former player Sa-a Dončić. He played for Union Olimpija as a youth player and signed with Real Madrid at age 13 in 2012. Dončić debuted for the senior team at age 16, the youngest in club history. He led Madrid to the 2018 EuroLeague title. He won the EuroLeague MVP and EuroLeague Final Four MVP awards at age 19. He also received the ACB Most Valuable Player award.

Marvin Bagley III, born March 14, 1999, plays professional basketball for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA. Bagley played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils and was a 2018 Consensus All-American. The Kings selected Bagley with the second overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. Bagley played the system before his senior year of high school. He reclassified himself into the Class of 2017, allowing him to enter the 2018 NBA draft as an early collegiate entrant. On August 14, 2017, he

Mohamed Fakaba ”Mo” Bamba, born May 12, 1998, plays professional basketball for the Orlando Magic in the NBA. Bamba played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns. Scouts rated Bamba highly because of his 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) wingspan. He attended Cardigan Mountain School in Canaan, New Hampshire, and Westtown School in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Bamba was considered one of the top high school prospects for the class of 2017. The Orlando Magic selected Bamba with the sixth overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. On July 3, 20

Michael Porter Jr., born June 29, 1998, plays professional basketball for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA. Porter played college basketball at the University of Missouri. Porter ranked among the top prospects in the Class of 2017. The Nuggets selected Porter 14th overall in the 2018 NBA draft.

Mikal Bridges, born August 30, 1996, plays for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA. He played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats, winning national championships in 2016 and 2018. The Philadelphia 76ers selected Bridges with the tenth overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. Bridges is a Philadelphia-area player, the first of four Villanova players drafted this year. His mother, Tyneeha Rivers, is the Vice President of Human Resources for Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, which hires for the 76ers.

Kevin Knox II, born August 11, 1999, plays for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats and attended Tampa Catholic High School. On April 6, 2018, Knox declared for the 2018 NBA draft and hired an agent, skipping three final college years. December 1, 2018, Knox scored 26 points, four rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block in a 136–134 overtime win against the Milwaukee Bucks. Knox then received the Eastern Conference.

Collin Sexton, born January 4, 1999, plays for the Utah Jazz in the NBA. Sexton played college basketball for the Alabama Crimson Tide. In January 2017, Sexton became a McDonald's All-American. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Sexton with the 8th pick in the 2018 NBA draft. On October 17, 2018, Sexton made his NBA debut, coming off the bench for the Cavaliers with nine points and three rebounds in a 104–116 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Sexton also surpassed 1,000 career points. Sexton had his best week in the week of March 8, 2019.

Miles Emmanuel Bridges plays for the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA. He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. A native of Flint, Michigan, Bridges played for Flint Southwestern Academy as a freshman before moving to Huntington Prep School for his sophomore, junior, and senior years. On June 21, 2018, the Los Angeles Clippers selected Bridges with the twelfth overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. The Clippers traded Bridges to the Charlotte Hornets for the pick.

Rayford Trae Young, born September 19, 1998, plays for the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA. He played college basketball for the Oklahoma Sooners. On December 19, 2017, Young tied the NCAA single-game record for assists with 22 assists, matching Syracuse's Sherman Douglas (1989), Southern's Avery Johnson (1988), and Charleston Southern's Tony Fairley (1987). By the end of his college season, Young became the first and only player to lead the NCAA in both points and assists in a single season. The Dallas Mavericks drafted Young.

Jaren Walter Jackson Jr., born September 15, 1999, plays professional basketball for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. Memphis selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft.

Wendell Andre Carter Jr., born April 16, 1999, plays professional basketball for the Orlando Magic of the NBA. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. On October 31, 2018, Carter scored 25 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks, and three steals in a 107–108 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets. He scored 28 points on November 30 in a loss to the Detroit Pistons.

Jalen Marquis Brunson, born August 31, 1996, plays professional basketball for the New York Knicks of the NBA. He played college basketball for Villanova University, where he earned National Player of the Year as a junior and won two national championships. On January 5, Brunson posted 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists against the Philadelphia 76ers, despite J. J. Barea and Devin Harris being sidelined.

Jevon Carter plays professional basketball for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. He played college basketball for West Virginia University (WVU). Carter was a point guard for the Mountaineers. He earned the NABC Defensive Player of the Year and the Lefty Driesell Award after his junior and senior seasons. He won the inaugural Naismith Defensive Player of the year in his final season.

Robert Lee Williams III, born October 17, 1997, plays professional basketball for the Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He played college basketball for the Texas A&M Aggies.

Malik Benjamin "Shake" Milton, born September 26, 1996, plays professional basketball for the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA. He played college basketball for Southern Methodist University (SMU) from 2015 to 2018. The Dallas Mavericks drafted Milton 54th overall in the 2018 NBA draft. Milton previously played for the Delaware Blue Coats.

Shaivonte Aician Gilgeous-Alexander, born July 12, 1998, plays professional basketball for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA. Gilgeous-Alexander played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. The Charlotte Hornets selected him first round in the 2018 NBA draft with the 11th overall pick. The Hornets traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers that same night. The Clippers traded him to Oklahoma City along with Danilo Gallinari and several first-round picks. He earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in his single season with the Clippers.

Lonnie Walker IV, born December 14, 1998, plays professional basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. Walker played high school basketball for Reading High School in Pennsylvania. He signed a letter of intent to continue his college and athletic career at the University of Miami. In January 2017, Walker became a McDonald's All-American. Walker made his NBA debut on January 3, 2019, in a 125-107 win against the Toronto Raptors. He scored three points and grabbed one rebound in five minutes of play.

Chandler Hutchison plays professional basketball for the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. Hutchison played college basketball at Boise State. As a freshman, Hutchison posted 3.1 points per game and started the NCAA Tournament matchup against Dayton. In the 2015–16 season, Hutchison averaged 6.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Coach Leon Rice began seeing Hutchison as an offensive threat after James Webb III left. Hutchison responded by hitting the weight room and remaking his jump shot. He had a breakout junior season, averaging 17.4 points.

Hamidou Diallo, born July 31, 1998, plays professional basketball for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA. Diallo played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. Diallo was a consensus 5-star prospect, ranking among the top basketball players in the 2017 class. Diallo is of Guinean descent. His parents, Abdoulaye and Marima, moved to New York from Guinea. Diallo won the 2019 Slam Dunk Contest.

Mitchell Robinson, born April 1, 1998, plays professional basketball for the New York Knicks in the NBA. The New York Knicks selected Robinson with the 36th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. Before his pro career started, Robinson gained national attention for withdrawing from Western Kentucky University. He chose to dedicate the entire 2017–18 season to training alone, becoming the first player to make that choice.

Chimezie Metu plays for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA. Metu played college basketball for the USC Trojans. As a freshman, Metu played 34 games, starting 2. He averaged 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Metu recorded 54 blocks, the second most by a USC freshman since Taj Gibson. Metu played 10 minutes in USC's first-round loss to Providence in the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. Metu started all 36 games as a sophomore, averaging 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

Trevon Tyler Duval, born August 3, 1998, plays for the Hamilton Honey Badgers of the CEBL. Duval played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. As a high school player, Duval was a consensus five-star prospect in the Class of 2017. In January 2017, Duval earned a McDonald's All-American selection.

Khyri Thomas plays for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA. Thomas played college basketball for the Creighton Bluejays. The Philadelphia 76ers drafted Thomas 38th overall in the 2018 NBA draft; he later traded to the Detroit Pistons. As a freshman at Creighton, Thomas averaged 6.2 points, 1.4 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game. As a sophomore, Thomas averaged 12.3 points, 3.3 assists, and 5.8 rebounds, earning Big East Defensive Player of the Year with Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. As a junior, Thomas averaged 15.1 points.

Austin Jermaine Wiley, born January 8, 1999, plays for the Auburn Tigers in the Southeastern Conference. Wiley debuted for the Tigers on December 18, 2016, scoring nine points, three rebounds, and two blocks in a 76-74 win against Mercer. Wiley finished his freshman year with 8.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 18 minutes. Wiley helped Team USA win gold at the 2016 FIBA under-17 World Championships in Spain and bronze at the 2017 FIBA under-19 World Cup in Egypt.

Bonzie Alexander Colson II, born January 12, 1996, plays for the University of Notre Dame. Colson has played more games than any other active college basketball player as of December 6th, 2017. Colson became the first player under 6'7" to lead the ACC in rebounding since 1958. Before the 2017–18 season, Colson received the preseason ACC Player of the Year award and a first-team preseason All-American selection from the Associated Press.

Brandon Lee McCoy plays for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA. He played college basketball for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. McCoy stands 7'0" (213 cm) and plays center. McCoy debuted in college on November 11, 2017. He scored 25 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a 108-66 win over Florida A&M University. On November 23, McCoy recorded 26 points and 17 rebounds in an 85-58 win against the University of Utah. Two days later, McCoy recorded a 6-block season-high.

Ömer Faruk Yurtseven, born June 19, 1998, plays for the Miami Heat in the NBA. Yurtseven is Turkish. He played college basketball for the NC State Wolfpack and the Georgetown Hoyas. Listed at 7 feet 0 inches (2.13 m) and 275 pounds (125 kg), he plays center.

LiAngelo Robert Ball, born November 24, 1998, plays professional basketball. He last played for Vytautas Prienai–Birštonas of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL). Ball is a 6-foot-6, 215-pound shooting guard. He originally signed with the UCLA Bruins as a three-star recruit. Ball withdrew from UCLA after the university suspended him for a shoplifting arrest in China in November 2017. Ball played for Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, California for four years. He gained national exposure in 2015–16 playing with his brothers: Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo and former UCLA commit, Vytautas teammate, and current Los Angeles Ballersplayer LaMelo Ball. His father LaVar became a media personality starting in 2016 due to Lonzo's success at UCLA.

Gary Dajaun Trent Jr., born January 18, 1999, plays for the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. Trent Jr. played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. As a high school senior, Trent Jr. earned McDonald's All-American honors.

Troy Randall Brown Jr. plays for the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. Brown was named a 2017 McDonald's All-American in his senior year of high school. Brown Jr. played college basketball for the Oregon Ducks. Scout.com, Rivals.com, and ESPN considered Brown Jr. one of the best players in the 2017 recruiting class. On November 7, 2016, Brown Jr. committed to play with the Oregon Ducks from Las Vegas. He was a top prospect for the Ducks entering his freshman season and maintained that reputation throughout college.

Danan Musa, born May 8, 1999, plays for the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA. Musa is Bosnian. Standing 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) and weighing 215 pounds (98 kg), Musa plays small forward. The Nets selected Musa with the 29th pick in the 2018 NBA draft.

Luke David Maye, born March 7, 1997, plays professional basketball for Baxi Manresa in the Spanish Liga ACB. He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

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Landry Michael Shamet, born March 13, 1997, plays professional basketball for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. He played college basketball for the Wichita State Shockers.

Grayson James Allen plays professional basketball for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. Allen played college basketball at Duke University. During his freshman year at Duke, he averaged 4.4 points per game and earned an ACC all-academic team spot. Allen became a major contributor in the NCAA tournament. On April 7, 2015, he played in the championship game, scoring 16 points, including eight straight. After the game, commentators named Allen a main reason for Duke's victory. Coach Mike Krzyzewski agreed, stating, "We were kind of dead in"