[Jeffruel]

Top 10 Returning Players this Year

#1 Ja’Ron Becker
Position: Small Forward
School: Wake Forrest
Class: Junior
Height: 6’8
Weight: 230
Profile: Becker returns for his junior year after he likely would have been a top 10 pick in last years draft. Becker is a very sound athlete who does a good job of getting to the rim by cutting back door. He knows what to do when he gets to the rim and he uses his size to finish in the lane. His best attribute is his defense, and he is arguably the best defender in the nation. Becker has a good mid range and you need to respect it, but he definitely needs to work on his 3 point shot. He shoots it frequently, and is a hard worker, so there is no doubt he has been working on it all off season. Ja’Ron does not need the basketball in his hands to be effective on offense. He is an efficient passer and will always make the simple play to set a teammate up. He could defend multiple positions with ease.
NBA Comparison: Jimmy Butler

#2 Quintevin Cherry
Position: SG/SF
School: Ole Miss
Class: Sophomore
Height: 6’7
Weight: 206
Profile: Quintevin Cherry is the highest rated recruit from last year who decided to come back for their sophomore year. He was the #13 rated recruit, and he looks to build on a strong freshman campaign in which he averaged 15.3 PPG. Scouts are looking to see how he will handle being the #1 scoring option on his team this season. He is a very aggressive scorer and will pull up from anywhere on the floor. Cherry shows a lot of promise as an off the dribble scorer, as well as being a solid slasher. He is a willing defender, but not outstanding by any means, and he pulls in a fair share of rebounds. At times, he can get dependent on his 3 point shot, so you would like to see him mix it up a bit more. He has a chance to end up in the top 10 if this season goes well for him.
NBA Comparison: Taller Buddy Heild

#3 Trevor Petrie
Position: Point Guard
School: Virginia
Class: Junior
Height: 6’0
Weight: 198
Profile: Last year as a sophomore, Trevor Petrie was a snub from the NCAA all-defensive team, but he was rewarded with the ACC DPOY. He makes heads up plays and looks for his teammates first. Petrie possesses good quickness and agility, and he uses those qualities to play excellent defense. He is a good hustler, and will provide your team with good energy and leadership. He is a bit small to play PG in the NBA, both in his weight and height, and it can make it hard for him to finish while in the lane. He could develop a 3 point shot and turn into a solid 3 and D player, but it is still in the works. Virginia will have one of the better defenses in the nation as usual, and Trevor Petrie is a huge reason why.
NBA Comparison: Patrick Beverly

#4 Junior Higgins
Position: Guard
School: UCONN
Class: Senior
Height: 6’4
Weight: 217
Profile: Junior Higgins is a former top 100 recruit who has perfected his craft over 3 years at UCONN, and he looks to build on a strong junior year. A crafty scorer possessing a high quality outside jump shot, Higgins shot 40% from deep as a junior. He has shown the ability to shoot both off the dribble, and as a spot up shooter and he has consistently shown his capability to extend his range out past the NBA line as well. His long range shooting will certainly translate to the current NBA landscape. His freshman and sophomore year he played at the PG position, while he transitioned over to SG as a junior and the move was positive. He could play either position in the NBA. Junior is also well adept at running the pick, and roll and is excellent at throwing lobs in pick and roll situations. He likely won’t be asked to carry the scoring load in the NBA, so he should have more energy for the defensive side of the court. He comes up with a decent amount of steals and is always well positioned on the court. At times, he has been inconsistent on the floor, and he does not have much upside due to his age.
NBA Comparison: Devonte’ Graham

#5 Paxton Smith
Position: Shooting Guard
School: Washington
Class: Sophomore
Height: 6’6
Weight: 211
Profile: Paxton Smith is back for his sophomore year after a surprising run to the Final 4 last year. He was absolutely incredible during the run for the Huskies, and he gets the #1 player in the nation, Zyheir Moss as his backcourt running mate this season. It's pretty obvious what Paxton offers as a prospect, as he's one of the best shot-creators in the country, despite being only 19 years old. His combination of strength, aggressiveness and scoring instincts are hard to find at this level, and should translate to the NBA level effectively when you consider his terrific footwork, body control, and hesitation moves. He does an excellent job pushing the ball up the floor in transition, and can create and finish with either hand almost equally as well. Paxton is an absolute bulldozer slashing his way through the paint and creating contact at the rim. While not an incredible leaper, Smith knows how to get to the free throw line. He struggles shooting from outside, and his mid range needs improvement, but he will progress with more practice. His go to move is the step back in the mid range. He needs to focus on his passing and making the easy play this year.
NBA Comparison: Tyreke Evans

#6 Dalvin Tucker
Position: Small Forward
School: St. Johns
Class: Junior
Height: 6’8
Weight: 229
Profile: Dalvin Tucker took a major leap forward from his freshman year to his sophomore year, and if he takes that big of a leap forward again he could end up as a top 10 pick. Dalvin Tucker is your ultimate "Glue Guy", and his strongest asset is his ability to contribute across the board. He has a substantial wingspan with a strong frame, and is not scared to bang with bigger bodies down low. His jump shot could use work, but he is a good looking shooter when his feet are set and he catches/releases in rhythm. Dalvin can stretch the floor with NBA 3-point range at times, but again, it needs work. His vision, passing and ability to facilitate out of the post is another strong weapon of his. He needs to work on his dribbling as well. His biggest area of concern is that he is not great at any one area.
NBA Comparison: Draymond Green

#7 PJ Brogdon
Position: Power Forward
School: Cincinnati
Class: Sophomore
Height: 6’10
Weight: 241
Profile: PJ Brogdon looks to take a step forward after a solid, but underwhelming freshman campaign. Scouts have mixed opinions on Brogdon’s NBA position as he may be a better player early on in his career at power forward but has the tools to be a solid center. His position will depend on the team that selects him. In terms of physical skills he has great mobility. He is capable of consistently beating his man down the court and runs the floor well for a big, but scouts would not describe him as athletic. He has long arms and excellent timing for blocking shots which is one of his best attributes. He is a great rebounder, and will almost certainly average a double double this season. His footwork on post moves is constantly improving, and it would not be crazy to see him become a great low post threat. He is still a bit raw on and could take some time to develop, but he could be a very solid player in the NBA.
NBA Comparison: Tim Duncan lite (very lite)

#8 Brock Landesberg
Position: Center
School: Ole Miss
Class: Sophomore
Height: 7’0
Weight: 265
Profile: Brock Landesberg and Quintevin Cherry look to be one of the best inside out combos in the NCAA this season. Landesberg has added 30 pound of muscle during the offseason, as he is up to 265 this season after playing all of last year around 235. It will bode well for him as an interior big as he is not the best athlete in the world. He has a reliable hook shot with his right hand plus he has good instinct for the put back. His jump shot shows solid touch, giving him nice potential to develop further offensively, but it is still a project. He has a large wingspan and it allows him to put a lot of pressure on defenders. He works really well in pick and roll situations. Landesberg is really limited to scoring in the paint, and his leaping ability leaves a lot to be desired. While he backs opponents down very easily at this level, he does not have a go to post move at this point.
NBA Comparison: Bulkier/less athleticRudy Gobert

#9 Mecole Caffey
Position: Small Forward
School: Clemson
Class: Senior
Height: 6’6
Weight: 211
Profile: Mecole Caffey has led Clemson in scoring the past 2 years, and he looks to continue that trend as a senior as well. He has good speed and can finish plays above the rim when he has a head of steam, but doesn't have the type of elite leaping ability and quickness that would put him on par with the average NBA wing. He does not create his own shot well off the dribble, but he is a very solid spot up shooter. He has a very good floater while he is in the lane to make up for his average athleticism. He has a very high basketball IQ, and knows his shortcomings and has developed skills to work around them. Caffey plays with plenty of intensity on the defensive end, and is one of the better defenders in the ACC.
NBA Comparison: Taller Rodney McGruder

#10 RJ Patton
Position: Point Guard
School: Kansas
Class: Senior
Height: 6’3
Weight: 194
Profile: RJ Patton has been a solid player at the University of Kansas over 4 years. He looks to step up and shoulder the scoring load this season after averaging double digits as a sophomore and junior. Patton could be a better passer at the point guard position. He is a solid athlete, and gets into the lane very easily. He absolutely loves playing iso ball, and he does a pretty solid job at it. He is more of a slasher than a shooter. RJ Patton has a very solid spin jumper he loves to go to at the elbow. Patton is not as good of a defender as he appears, but he does block a decent amount of shots at the guard position. He could be a solid PG off the bench for an NBA team who is looking for a scoring spark from the position.
NBA Comparison: Poor mans Dwayne Wade

Honorable Mention
Donovoan Sheppard a 6’8 SF from Oklahoma
Stefan King a 6’5 sophomore SG from Purdue
Jaxon Bosh a 6’4 sophomore SG from UCLA
Tanner Ginyard a 6’2 junior PG from Butler
Brooks Buechler a 6’2 sophomore PG from Michigan State

All of them are former 5 star recruits who showed a lot of promise last year, and will certainly elevate draft stock this year.