We are one month into the college basketball season, and if you are a NBA draftnik like us, you might be losing hope. With no clear No. 1 prospect at the top of the draft, the inevitable "what's happened to all the talent in college hoops?" debates have begun.
However, if you pause for just a minute and look forward a year, the news gets much brighter. On Friday, Chicago prep star Jabari Parker announced his decision to go to Duke with a lot of fanfare. Parker got a 30-minute special on ESPNU, and he's neither 1 nor 2 on our 2014 Big Board.
Next year's draft class is shaping up to be pretty spectacular thanks to a stellar incoming freshman class.
So before we go back to the dreariness that is the draft class of 2013, I thought it would be wise to remind our draftniks and NBA GMs alike that it gets better. Next year, there are four incoming freshmen who NBA scouts feel could be franchise-changers.
After speaking with numerous NBA scouts and some of our own high school recruiting gurus, here's a sneak preview at the top four players on our 2014 Big Board. These guys should dominate the first five spots in the 2014 NBA draft.
1. Andrew Wiggins, G/F, Undecided
The buzz surrounding Wiggins started during the 2012 Nike Hoop Summit when the 16-year-old was the standout among players two classes ahead of him. Since then, Wiggins has solidified his place as the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA draft. He dominated summer ball to the point that many NBA scouts believe he's a once-a-decade type of prospect. If he were in the 2013 NBA draft, he would be, hands down, the No. 1 pick.
What makes Wiggins so special? He's an uber athletic wing who can score from anywhere on the floor. He glides in transition, attacks the basket and finishes with flair, and can shoot the ball with deep range. He has a high basketball IQ and is super aggressive. In other words, he's almost a perfect prototype of an NBA wing. NBA guys not prone to hyperbole have compared him to a young Tracy McGrady with a better motor.
He's reportedly narrowed his choices down to Florida State, North Carolina and Kentucky. Of the three, Florida State is a bit of an odd choice. Both parents went to school there, but Leonard Hamilton's slow-down, grind-it-out offense doesn't exactly showcase NBA talent. Nevertheless, I don't think it will matter. Barring some sort of major injury, Wiggins is the clear favorite to be the No. 1 pick in 2014 and a potential franchise-changing player.
2. Andrew Harrison, PG, Kentucky
NBA scouts love big point guards -- especially ones who are truly point guards. Add to the mix that he's playing for John Calipari (who coached both Derrick Rose and John Wall to the No. 1 pick), and you can understand that if anyone challenges Wiggins for the No. 1 pick, it might be Harrison.
Harrison is also an elite athlete, a fierce competitor and a natural leader. His ability to finish through contact at the rim is special. He's tough, physical and always is attacking the basket. His jump shot is also very solid for a player his age. You hear a lot of comps to Jason Kidd and Deron Williams when scouts talk about him.
3. Jabari Parker, SF, Duke
The hype surrounding Parker has leveled off a bit the past year. Why? Wiggins' rise explains some of the waning attention. There's also a bit of Parker fatigue among NBA scouts. Parker has been on the NBA radar since he was a freshman. At a certain point, scouts just start picking players apart. Finally, a foot injury has kept him at less than 100 percent since this summer.
However, I have feeling more and more scouts will start getting back on the bandwagon after a year at Duke. Simply put, Parker's just a special basketball player. He can score from anywhere, he can handle, rebound, shoot, drive, post up. He has a pheonomenal basketball IQ. He has a great work ethic. He's a high character player. You name it. If he was an elite athlete, he'd be the No. 1 pick in the draft. As it stands, he's still likely to go in the top five in 2014.
4. Julius Randle, PF, Undecided
Randle is the last of the four elite prospects from this class and is the only one of the group with the size to play in the front court. He's a very unique player who can bang down low or step out on the perimeter and pick you apart with his jump shot.
Some NBA scouts think he's the second-best prospect in the draft behind Wiggins, while others have him ranked at the bottom of the top four. For the scouts who love him, they see a little Chris Webber in him. For those that think he spends too much time shooting jumpers and is a tweener, you hear some Terrence Jones comps.
Randle fractured his right foot in late November and will be out until late February. Randle is considering Kentucky, Florida, Kansas and North Carolina State.
Other potential one-and-dones: James Young, G/F, Kentucky; Noah Vonieh, F, Indiana; Aaron Gordon, PF, Undecided; Aaron Harrison, SG, Kentucky
