5. Talen Horton-Tucker
One of the more “high upside” guys in this years draft is easily Iowa State’s Talen Horton-Tucker. He’s still only 18 years old, and teams are going to fall in love with his physical profile and potential.
Horton-Tucker may be undersized at 6’4″, but he has a ridiculous 7’1″ wingspan to make up for it. He’s a very good athlete with a strong build and will fit in to today’s game of position-less basketball. If he can add a consistent jump shot to his repertoire, look out.
As a freshman, Horton-Tucker averaged a solid 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals. He shot just 30 percent from three-point land, but he has a good looking form and will improve in that area with repetition.
Like I mentioned earlier, he’s still only 18 years old. He’s one of the youngest players in this draft, and I feel like he will be able to contribute sooner than some would think thanks to his NBA ready body.
Horton-Tucker could very well end up begin a late lottery pick, which is right where the Charlotte Hornets are projected to be picking. We’ll see where he ends up in a month, but Charlotte could be a realistic destination.