Marvin Bagley III Landing Predictions
The NBA Draft is fast approaching, and one player that has taken an incline in draft stock is Duke star Marvin Bagley III. Only playing one season with the Blue Devils, Bagley is ready to enter the draft, and is projected as a top five prospect. Who will select the power forward? Here are what select members from The Athletes Hub have to say:
Brian’s Prediction
The first two picks in the draft seem like a formality at this point, as Deandre Ayton and Luka Doncic seem to be the top two. With the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks currently at the third and fifth picks respectively, Bagley would be an excellent choice for either franchise.
Possible Teams
His college stats were impressive in his one season at Duke, where he won ACC Player of the Year, averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds per game. He also shot around 62% from the floor, and his overall skill on offense should be a welcome contribution to whoever selects him. The Mavericks were dead last in offensive rebounds in 2017-18, and the Hawks weren’t too much better, ranking 23rd. The teams were also 28th (Dallas) and 25th (Atlanta) in points per game, so if Bagley ends up on either team, as he should, they will receive decent stat boosts in both of these categories.
Overall Prediction
Overall, being able to learn from Dirk Nowitzki, along with their lesser offensive numbers, Marvin Bagley would be a better fit with the Mavericks. Although, more than likely, he is going to end up as the newest member of the Atlanta Hawks. Bagley might be the closest to a sure thing that is in this draft class, and he shouldn’t make it past the third overall selection.
Devon’s Prediction
Considering Marvin Bagley is considered one of the top three most talented prospects in this draft class, any team that receives the power forward will have a game-changer on their hands. While he only ranked 26th among prospects in points per game, Bagley winded up shooting at a higher percentage from the field than 24 of those respective names.
Possible Teams
In the best case scenario, the team that could use Marvin Bagley includes the Sacramento Kings. With no distinct face of the franchise for years to come, this was a team that ranked last in the NBA in 2017 when it came to scoring. In addition, Sacramento ranked 27th in rebounds per game this last season, while Bagley ranked in the top ten among prospects in the same category.
If not Sacramento, look for a team such as Atlanta or Dallas to sneak their way in with the following picks.
Overall Prediction
With the second overall pick, the Sacramento Kings need to invest in Marvin Bagley. He improves the team when it comes to both scoring and rebounding, and this team contains no true threats on the perimeter or down low. With Zach Randolph set to become a free agent after next season, the Kings need to find young talent through the draft.
Martin’s Prediction
Leading up to the NBA Draft, there is a lot of talk about where Marvin Bagley III out of Duke will land. The Sacramento Kings with the second overall, the Atlanta Hawks with the third pick, and the Dallas Mavericks with the fifth selection all seem like the perfect fit for Bagley come draft night.
Possible Teams
During his time at Duke, Bagley showcased his skill set, proving that he has NBA potential. Outside of the Phoenix Suns, the rest of the top five would love to have a franchise player such as Bagley on their roster. Atlanta has a young player at the power forward position in John Collins, but Bagley has a higher ceiling and will likely emerge as the better player.
Overall Prediction
It will be interesting to see where Marvin Bagley land, there are a lot of people that are expecting him to be picked by the Sacramento Kings, but the team will likely go with Deandre Ayton out of Arizona or Luka Doncic out of Slovenia. It would be amazing to see Bagley slide down to Dallas with the No. 5 pick and being able to learn from Dirk Nowitzki and grow his game, but in my opinion, Bagley will be just short of sliding down to No. 5 with the Atlanta Hawks selecting him with the No. 3 Pick.
Judge’s Prediction
Marvin Bagley III is very plainly noticed to be one of the top prospects in this years draft, but the main speculation is who will draft him. Now that it’s obvious he will be taken in the top five, I would not be a bit surprised if Bagley went within the top three.
Possible Teams
With Luka Doncic projected to become the first overall selection, that leaves the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, and the Memphis Grizzlies as potential suitors. The Kings could easily use the star power of Bagley, which is also true for a franchise like the Hawks. Considering Deandre Ayton is the heavy favorite for Sacramento, that eliminates the Kings as a suitor. The Atlanta Hawks could definitely use his scoring and ability to protect the rim, but with Mohamed Bamba on the board (who is an inch taller than Bagley), Atlanta may pass on Bagley.
Overall Prediction
I think Marvin Bagley III will land in Memphis, because of the aging factor in Marc Gasol. It is still possible for Bagley to learn from him, as Bagley could play alongside Gasol on the floor.
ABC Images
