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RidiculousUpside.com 2019 NBA Draft Big Board 1.0: R.J. Barrett On Top

From R.J. Barrett to Carsen Edwards, the complete RidiculousUpside.com NBA Draft Big Board is here.

NCAA Basketball: Preseason-Duke at Ryerson University Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

After three installments, the complete RidiculousUpside.com 2019 NBA Draft Big Board is finally here. Our own Steve Dewald has worked through his list of 40 prospects, and for the first time, the complete list in one place. Following the conclusion of the list, there will be a list of notes and thoughts on the evaluations ahead.

This list is based off overall value, and isn’t to be interpreted as a mock draft. This list will fluctuate throughout the season. Players will rise and fall based on their performances across all competitions leading into next year’s draft.

With all that in mind, let’s get to the rankings.


2019 NBA Draft Big Board 1.0

Rank Name Position Current Team (Nationality)
Rank Name Position Current Team (Nationality)
No. 1 R.J. Barrett SF Duke
No. 2 Nassir Little SF North Carolina
No. 3 Zion WIlliamson PF Duke
No. 4 Cam Reddish SG Duke
No. 5 Romeo Langford SG Indiana
No. 6 Jaylen Hoard F Wake Forest
No. 7 Sekou Doumbouya F France
No. 8 Quentin Grimes SG Kansas
No. 9 Keldon Johnson SF Kentucky
No. 10 Jontay Porter F/C Missouri
No. 11 Daniel Gafford C Arkansas
No. 12 De’Andre Hunter F Virginia
No. 13 Darius Garland PG Vanderbilt
No. 14 Rui Hachimura F Gonzaga
No. 15 Luka Samanic PF Croatia
No. 16 Charles Bassey PF/C Western Kentucky
No. 17 Bol Bol C Oregon
No. 18 Louis King F Oregon
No. 19 Bruno Fernando C Maryland
No. 20 P.J. Washington PF/C Kentucky
No. 21 Darius Bazley F N/A
No. 22 Jalen Smith PF Maryland
No. 23 Nazreon Reid C LSU
No. 24 Ja Morant PG Murray State
No. 25 Herbert Jones G/F Alabama
No. 26 Jarrett Culver SG Texas Tech
No. 27 Jalen McDaniels F/C San Diego State
No. 28 Kris Wilkes SF UCLA
No. 29 Lindell Wigginton PG Iowa State
No. 30 Shamorie Ponds PG St. John's
No. 31 Eric Paschall PF Villanova
No. 32 Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG Virginia Tech
No. 33 Kevin Porter Jr. G/F USC
No. 34 Aric Holman PF Mississippi State
No. 35 Ty Jerome SG Virginia
No. 36 Tyus Battle SG Syracuse
No. 37 Oshae Brissett PF Syracuse
No. 38 Killian Tillie PF Gonzaga
No. 39 Matisse Thybulle G/F Washington
No. 40 Carsen Edwards PG Purdue

The Duke Trio

Half of Duke’s talented trio got to show off their skills on the Blue Devils’ trip north of the border. R.J. Barrett and Zion Williamson both looked like top picks, but everyone is still waiting to see how Cam Reddish will fit into the equation. One common concern is scarcity of touches, and how it could negatively impact the trio’s respective draft stocks. These concerns might be overblown, as both Barrett and Williamson proved they can be efficient without have plays designed for them. If this pattern holds true, Reddish should thrive in an offense that features him creating off the bounce.

Searching For A True Point Guard

The 2019 class features plenty of talented combo guards, but the list of true point guards is much smaller. Due to this dearth of facilitators, Darius Garland is a prime candidate to rise up draft boards throughout the year. The crafty Vanderbilt guard is calm under pressure, and did a solid job of setting up his teammates in last year’s prep showcases.

Outside of Garland, Carsen Edwards will attract suitors looking for point guard depth in the late stages of the first round. If the Boilermakers put together a solid season, expect Edwards to draw comparisons to current Mavericks rookie Jalen Brunson.

Maryland’s Big Fellas

The Terrapins frontcourt should be dominant. Bruno Fernando and Jalen Smith form a promising pair of big men for Maryland. The pairing is more than just a case of two high-profile post players operating in the same area. The young duo have skills that fit together seamlessly. Fernando will be able to operate inside the paint, while Smith can show off his versatility on the perimeter. Maryland’s backcourt will be charged with getting them involved on offense, but the tandem should form one of the stingiest defenses in the country.


Do you agree with the first complete list of rankings? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

—Steve / @SteveDHoops / BEdgeSteve@gmail.com