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The Collective Charlotte Hornets Bloggers 2018 Mock Draft

By Noah Purser

Luka Doncic #7 of Real Madrid in action during the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Play Offs Game 4 between Real Madrid v Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens at Wizink Center on April 27, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by COOLMedia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Luka Doncic #7 of Real Madrid in action during the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Play Offs Game 4 between Real Madrid v Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens at Wizink Center on April 27, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by COOLMedia/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /
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SAN ANTONIO, TX – APRIL 2: Jalen Brunson #1 of the Villanova Wildcats soaks in the moment after defeating the Michigan Wolverines during the 2018 NCAA Men’s Final Four Championship game at the Alamodome on April 2, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX – APRIL 2: Jalen Brunson #1 of the Villanova Wildcats soaks in the moment after defeating the Michigan Wolverines during the 2018 NCAA Men’s Final Four Championship game at the Alamodome on April 2, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) /

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. PF/C. 27. 18. University of Southern California. Chimezie Metu. player

Chimezie Metu is a 6’11” big man who has the potential to be a steal for the Boston Celtics. Metu improved his shot at USC, and even tried to expand his range to behind the three-point line, but was not overly successful in that endeavor. Metu averaged 16 points and 7 rebounds in his junior season for the Trojans.

Seeing as they are already in position to contend for NBA championships, it makes sense to draft a project like Metu to develop for the future Celtics team.

High School. 28. player. 41. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. PG. Anfernee Simons

Anfernee Simons is the mystery guard who will essentially hold the key to where he wants to go in the NBA Draft. With multiple teams certainly interested in the mysterious prospect, Simons can decline to offer medical information and team workouts at his own discretion. With this in mind, it makes sense for Simons to fall down the board until he gets to a more desirable destination; enter the Golden State Warriors. We know, we’re sorry.

Simons averaged 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in his senior year in high-school. He projects as a quick, bouncy point-guard with a quick jumper. Though his offensive decision making is questionable, many point to the fact that he was still playing in a high-school atmosphere.

147. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. PG. University of California - Los Angeles. Aaron Holliday. 29. player

Aaron Holliday is a team point guard. At UCLA, he was a primary facilitator and scored when the Bruins offense was stagnant. For the Nets, Holliday probably won’t be asked to take on the same scoring load.

With D’Angelo Russell already on the team, Holliday would assume a backup role, learning the ropes from the Ohio State product.

Pick Analysis. Villanova University. Jalen Brunson. player. Scouting Report. PG. 30. 125

The NCAA Player of the Year can’t be left out of the first-round, we simply couldn’t allow it. Jalen Brunson was the leader of the NCAA champion Villanova Wildcats and averaged 19 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds in his junior season.

With numerous veteran college point-guards finding success lately in the NBA (see Malcolm Brodgon), NBA teams will find themselves torn on passing the solid, all-around player that Brunson is. With three picks in the first-round and a tumultuous, ongoing situation with Dennis Schroeder, the Hawks find themselves selecting Jalen Brunson with the final pick in the 2018 NBA Draft’s first-round.