The top 10 in the 18th draft were rearranged: Ayton did not make it into the top five, and Alexander and Doncic finished in the top two

There is no 24th in the rivers and lakes

2024-05-23 18:35Posted in Henan Sports Creators

The class of 2018 was one of the best drafts in the 10s, and many players in the league who played well now entered the league that year, but although everyone entered the NBA through the 2018 draft, the direction of development after that is very different. And even though the success rate of the 2018 draft is already very high, it is still inevitable that there will be "parallel imports", so if the top ten picks are rearranged, whose rank will decline, and who can counterattack?

10. Porter Jr

The 14th pick in the original first round

He averaged 15.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game in his career

Before the injury, Porter Jr. was also the favorite at the time, but unfortunately due to a back injury, he could only transform into a player who mainly attacked without the ball. After entering the league, with Jokic by his side, Porter Jr. played like a fish in water, and he gave full play to his "high battery" advantages.

Last season, the Nuggets won the championship, and Porter Jr.'s performance in the playoffs was also quite crucial, and his scoring, opening up space, rebounding and other aspects helped the team. However, the Nuggets failed to defend the title this season, and Porter Jr. still exposed his shortcomings, and the instability of projection and the single offensive means have become important problems restricting his ceiling.

9. Sexton

The original 8th pick in the first round

He averaged 18.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game in his career

The Cavaliers were very much in Sexton's esteem at the time, and he was once considered the key to the team's revival, and he also averaged 24.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game in the 2020-2021 season. However, due to injury, Sexton missed a lot of games in the 2021-2022 season, so Garland took this opportunity to make a complete name, and then Sexton was replaced by him.

Later, he was traded to the Jazz, and Sexton played most of the time off the bench, but after returning to the starting line this season, his form has picked up, averaging 18.7 points and 4.9 assists per game, and the defensive end has also improved. Although Sexton is no longer the core of the team, he is still an excellent player, and his scoring ability is relatively outstanding among players of his age.

8. Ayton

The original first round 1st pick

He averaged 16.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1 block per game in his career

Ayton can be said to be a proper parallel import, his original draft template was known as "Admiral" David Robinson, but now five years later, he doesn't even see the latter's taillights. However, Ayton has a champion-level talent after all, no matter how he is every season, the average of 15+10 per game is still very easy, and his one-hand distance is one of his few bright spots. But Ayton, who is now 25 years old, if he can't prove himself in the Trail Blazers, then he can only slowly disappear from everyone.

7. Simmons

The 24th pick in the original first round

He averaged 14.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in his career

In the early stages of Simmons' career, he didn't get many opportunities, until McCollum was sent away by the team, and he started to start directly, so his strength also ushered in the rise. With Lillard also traded this season, Simmons became the absolute core of the team's perimeter, but he only played 46 games due to injury, but his average of 22.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game is still quite impressive, and he still has hope of becoming a revival of the Trail Blazers in the future.

6. Bridges

The original 10th pick in the first round

He averaged 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game in his career

At the beginning of his career, Bridges was positioned as a 3-and-D player with the Suns, and he did a very good job of that. However, since last season, the Suns have given Bridges more ball-handling duties, and he has seized the opportunity, taking advantage of this time to play his value, and he will remain a part of the core of the team after being traded to the Nets.

Bridges is averaging 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game this season, and it can be seen that his ball holding ceiling is just that, but combined with his ability on the defensive end, he is still a player who can impact the game in high-end games.

5. Jaren Jackson Jr

The 4th pick in the original first round

He averaged 17.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks per game in his career

As a spatial No. 4 position, Jaren Jackson Jr. can hold the ball on the offensive end, has three points, and on the defensive end from one to five, the help defense and frame protection are the top level in the league, and he was also voted the best defensive player last season. Jaren Jackson Jr. has taken on more tasks on the offensive end this season with a large number of other core players absent, so his 22.5 points per game also broke a career high.

However, Jaren Jackson Jr. as an interior player, his rebounding ability is really terrible, many No. 3 positions are better than him in this regard, and he can't control his foul count many times, and he seems to only be able to play the No. 4 position, he is more resistant to playing center. If those three points don't improve, Jaren Jackson Jr.'s ceiling won't be breached, and if the Grizzlies want to win a championship, then he will have to get better.

4. Trae Young

The 5th pick in the original first round

He averaged 25.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 1 steal per game in his career

Trae Young's performance after entering the league was quite impressive, and his various unreasonable three-pointers and brilliant passing made him gain a lot of attention, and Trae Young's stats skyrocketed to 29.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game in the second season, which also helped him be selected as an All-Star. Later, Trae Young led the team to the division finals, and he was also selected for the best team, but there was still a big gap from winning the championship.

Trae Young's reputation in the league is also polarized, with some people believing that he can score and pass on the offensive end, and is the top ball-handling core in the current game, while others think that he is the most "watery" star, not only inefficient offensively, but also one of the worst players in the league on the defensive end. Given Trae Young's age, though, he still has a chance to prove himself, but not with the Eagles.

3. Brunson

The original third pick in the second round

He averaged 16.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game in his career

As the lowest-ranked player on this list, most fans didn't know Brunson at the time, but although he was a second-round pick, he still got stable playing time in the early part of his career, and later under Kidd, Brunson completely shined, and in the 2022 playoffs, he averaged 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, and with his help the Mavericks reached the Western Conference finals.

Later, Brunson joined the Knicks, and Brunson was given a stage where he could fully show his talent and strength, and his performance last season had a visible improvement, and this season he was selected as an All-Star and All-Second Team with an average of 28.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. Although the Knicks fell in the second round in the playoffs, Brunson has done his best, not only did he fight for the team to the point of a fractured left hand, but also averaged 32.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game throughout the playoffs, and it can be said that he is one of the best players in the league right now.

2. Alexander

The 11th pick in the original first round

He averaged 22.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game in his career

Alexander's performance in his rookie season that year was also very good, averaging 10.8 points and 3.3 assists per game, and in the playoffs against the Cosmos Warriors, he averaged 13.7 points and 3.2 assists per game, but everyone's eyes were on Doncic and others at that time. After moving to the Thunder, Alexander began to improve, and he exploded last season not only as one of the league's leading scorers, but also as a first-team player.

Alexander has been selected to the All-Star team this season and is also the favorite for MVP, and under his leadership, the Thunder are back in the playoffs as No. 1 in the West. Facing the Pelicans and Mavericks, Alexander averaged 30.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.

1. Doncic

The original third pick in the first round

He averaged 28.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game in his career

In the early part of his career, Doncic was arguably the only rookie in the same class, and he was named to the All-Round Team in his second season, and it wasn't until last season that Alexander became the second player to be named to the All-Round Team in the class of 2018. Over the years, Doncic has basically been the favorite for MVP every year, and his personal ability is obvious to everyone, and it may be a matter of time before he wins the MVP in the future.

Doncic is still improving this season, averaging 30+9+9 per game in the regular season and leading the team to a sixth-place record in the West. In the playoffs, Doncic eliminated the Clippers and Thunder successively to help the team advance to the Western Conference finals, and it can be said that this is his best chance to win the championship since entering the NBA. But even if the Mavericks don't make it this year, Doncic will still be the best player in the class of 2018 with his talent and strength, and he has even become one of the faces of the league now.

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