Last week, I started off my draft coverage with an introduction to several of the players the Bulls have been linked to with the 22nd pick overall. These were players that were taken by the Bulls in one or more of the 18 mock drafts I had previously compiled. This week, I finish my introduction to the players the “experts” have the Bulls picking at 22nd overall, and throw in some honorable mentions as well.
Khyri Thomas is a 6’3”, 210 lb guard out of Creighton. The 22 year old played 3 seasons for Creighton averaging 51% from the field (40% on 3 pointers), with 11 points, and 2.5 assists per game. Thomas appears to have a very well rounded offensive game. He can hit threes, mid ranged twos, he can score from the post, take defenders off the dribble, slash from the wings, leak out for easy points on the fast break, he is much more accomplished on offense than his 11 point average might suggest. He is a very opportunistic defender, picking his spots, poking the ball away from his opponents off the dribble or off lazy passes. Thomas is speedy, and an above average athlete. He would flourish in the Hoiberg offense. Two mock drafts have the Bulls selecting Thomas with the 22nd pick.
Jacob Evans III played 3 seasons of college basketball for Cincinnati. He is a 6’6”, 210 lb, 20 year old wing. Evans is a very good spot up shooter from beyond the 3 point arc, and has a good deal of athleticism to go with his sniper abilities. He averaged 13 points a game last season, on 42% shooting (37% on 3 pointers), and his size and length help him on the defensive end. Evans played well on both the offensive and defensive sides of the pick-and-roll, but I wonder if his offensive game is a bit limited. At 20 years old, there is plenty of time for him to grow into a strong 3-and-D wing. The Bulls selected Evans in two of the mock drafts I looked at.
Mitchell Robinson is a bit of an enigma. He might be the best shot blocking big man in the draft. At 7’ 1” he is BIG but also athletic. Because he decided to skip college and work out for the draft on his own, the only video people have of him is his high school highlights. The mock drafts I looked at had no idea where Robinson would fall. About half of the 18 mocks had him being selected between 15th and 20th overall, and the other half had him picked between 20 and 25. Two of the later drafts had the Bulls selecting the 20 year old. If his defense translates to the NBA, he could be a steal at 22nd overall, and the athletic, defensive anchor the Bulls need to seriously compete in the up and coming Eastern Conference. It could be fun to watch Robinson battle Embiid in the post.
Troy Brown is going to be a Chicago Bull, according to 5 mock drafts. He came up the most as the Bulls 22nd overall selection. He is a 6’7”, 215 lb, wing from Oregon who can do pretty much everything on the basketball court. The 19 year old scored 11 points, dished out 3 assists, and grabbed 6 rebounds a game in his single season with the Ducks. He was a solid defender (1.6 steals a game), but a poor 3 point shooter (29% on 3’s). Unless he improves from beyond the arc, he could cause spacing issues for a modern NBA team. As young as Brown is, there is plenty of time for him to work on his shooting, and the rest of his game is so polished, it would be tough for the Bulls to pass on him if he is available at pick 22.
Ever since the Draft Lottery and NBA Combine, a blur of college players have rolled through Chicago, working out for the Bulls. Here are just some of the guys to participate in these pre-draft workouts:
-Allonzo Trier of Arizona
-Brandon McCoy of UNLV
-Bruce Brown of Miami
-Brian Bowen of South Carolina
-Devonte Graham of Kansas
-Hamidou Diallo of Kentucky
-Kenrich Williams of TCU
-Moritz Wagner of Michigan
-Shake Milton of SMU
-Svi Mykhailiuk of Kansas
-Tony Carr of Penn State
-Eugene German of Northern Illinois
-Anas Mahmoud of Louisville
-Fred Sims Jr. of Chicago State
-Donte Ingram of Loyola Chicago
-Ben Richardson of Loyola Chicago
-Nick Ward of Michigan State
-Elijah Stewart of USC
-Thomas Wilder of Western Michigan
-Duncan Robinson of Michigan
-Jalen McDaniels of San Diego State
-Kendrick Nunn of Oakland
-Trevon Bluiett of Xavier
One of the more interesting names on this list is Shake Milton, the 6’5” wing from SMU. He has been all over draft boards, and a decent outing at the Combine has him creeping up the ranks of his fellow draft hopefuls.
Another player that has sparked NBA interest with a strong Combine showing, is the 6’5” guard from Villanova, Donte DiVincenzo. His scoring, play making, and strong defense opened a lot of eyes at the Combine. He might be a player worth considering with the 22nd pick.
That will conclude the 2nd installment of Draft Madness 2018. I hope this was a good introduction to the players the Bulls might select with the 22nd pick. Next week it’s part 3 of my free agency guide, and in two weeks, I will conclude my pre-draft coverage with a look at the 5 players most likely (and worthy) to be picked 7th overall by the Bulls. Until then, thanks for reading… Go Bulls!
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