The first round of the NBA draft was not a terribly unpredictable one. When the dust settled, the top three picks unfolded as expected, as did much of the lottery. There weren’t many surprises despite a very active rumor mill entering the night. But the quality of this class meant it was a very entertaining night anyway. This is one of the most talented drafts we’ve seen come along in years and nearly every pick seems ripe with the potential to alter the course of the franchises that made the selections—even more than usual, anyway. The draft is a hopeful night every year.
With the first round behind us, there’s a group of prospects and teams who were clearly made for each other. Some of the players selected on Tuesday night need a particular mix of opportunity and environment to succeed. Similarly, some teams were in great need of one specific type of player to add to their roster—and were quite pleased to see the perfect players fall right into their laps on draft night.
