NBA Draft: Five power forward steals


(Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters/Bob Donnan)

The upcoming NBA Draft is stacked with power forwards, with names such as Marvin Bagley, Jaren Jackson and Wendell Carter leading the pack.

However, there is plenty of quality to be found at the position for teams picking later in the first round, and even for those digging around for serious talent in the second. Here are five non-obvious potential power forward steals for the 2018 NBA Draft.

1. Robert Williams, Texas A&M

Coming back for a second year at Texas A&M University has not hurt Robert Williams’ stock one bit. Last year, he projected as a solid lottery pick, but this year, he could be one of the steals of the NBA Draft, period. Williams was named the DPOY in 2017 for arguably the most competitive conference in college basketball, and his offensive game draws obvious comparisons to Shawn Kemp. Watch a highlight cut of this kid and tell me you don’t want him on your team.

2. Omari Spellman, Villanova

Many think Omari Spellman, and they think an undersized power forward who benefited from playing for the national champions, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. If anything, they benefited from him play with them. What Spellman lacks in size, he makes up for in shooting ability, going .476% from the field and .433 from 3-point range. And unlike other knockdown stretch forwards, the 20-year-old can rebound the ball, grabbing eight boards per game last season.

3. Jontay Porter, Missouri

He's obviously not the most notable Porter in the Draft, but Michael’s brother Jontay should hardly be ignored. JP was one of a number of University of Missouri Tigers keeping his school in the conversation while his bigger brother sat on the sidelines. At 6'11" and 240 pounds, Porter is big. And in the mould of a traditional power forward, he knows how to use his body to score. He may not have the highest upside on this list, but he should have no problems whatsoever adapting to the NBA.

4. Moritz Wagner, Germany

One of the most underrated players in this year's draft, one wonders how highly Moritz Wagner might be thought of if he was from Berlin, New Hampshire and not Berlin, Germany. Named to the 2018 NCAA All-Tournament team, Wagner is eerily similar to Dirk Nowitzki and Lauri Markkanen, to draw European comparisons, but he’s spent three years at college – there must be something wrong with him, right? Wrong.

5. Sagaba Konate, Mali

Arguably the most exciting player in the 2018 NBA Draft class, Sagaba Konate is a classic African volleyballer in the mould of Bismack Biyombo. If a team can tap into this kid's offensive potential, they’ve got themselves a gem. At 6'8" and 260 pounds, Konate spikes balls all over the gym on a daily basis, and if you need any convincing of his basketball abilities, check out his 16-point, ten-rebound, five-block display against Final Four team the Kansas Jayhawks.

What other power forwards offer great value at the 2018 NBA Draft? Comment below!

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