Tyler Rucker of “No Ceilings NBA” outlines 7 players the players might select with picks No. 28 and No. 32 — from Florida’s Walter Clayton to Michigan’s Danny Wolf.
The Celtics have the No. 28 and No. 32 picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, and with their total salary continuing to balloon, securing some cheap(er) talent via the draft is as important as ever.
With that in mind, CelticsBlog sat down with Tyler Rucker, the founder of No Ceilings NBA, and a longtime NBA Draft expert. Rucker identified 7 realistic but impactful prospects that the Celtics could draft with either the No. 28 or No. 32 picks.
You can watch the full episode here and buy the full No Ceilings guide here.
And, if you’re looking to get into the draft and dive deeper into these prospects, I’ll recommend three draft guides I reference throughout this article: The Ringer’s Big Board, Kevin O’Connor’s Big Board on Yahoo Sports, and No Ceiling’s Big Board.
Now, let’s take a look at the prospects.
Maxime Raynaud (Stanford)
Class: Senior, age 22
Measurements: 7’1, 237 lbs
Comparison: Brooke Lopez, Rasheed Wallace
Projected draft spot: 14 (Yahoo Sports), 36 (The Ringer), 34 (No Ceilings)
Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images
Yahoo Sports: “Raynaud has leveled up every year at Stanford, turning into a player who pops 3s, slashes to the rim with a smooth handle, and makes eye-popping passes. As a talented passer who also offers solid defense, there’s little reason to think the Frenchman won’t carve out an NBA role.”
The Ringer: “Promising big man who wields an intriguing blend of spacing upside and interior physicality.”
No Ceilings: “Seven-footers who can shoot like Maxime Raynaud don’t grow on trees. His passing feel and solid handle for his position also helps his case; Raynaud has an argument as one of the best offensive big men in the class.”
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Class: Senior, age 23
Measurements: 7’1, 257 lbs
NBA comparisons: Jakob Poetl, Walker Kessler, Luke Kornet
Projected draft spot: 29 (Yahoo Sports), 35 (The Ringer), 38 (No Ceilings)
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
Yahoo Sports: “Kalkbrenner is a throwback 7-footer who owns the paint, swatting shots with his giant wingspan and dunking everything in sight. It’s a bit strange he isn’t a better rebounder. But as a super senior, he’s also developed some sneaky passing and shooting skills that hint at higher upside.”
The Ringer: “Colossal big and interior presence on both ends.”
No Ceilings: “Ryan Kalkbrenner has consistently been one of the best rim protectors in college basketball for years, and he pairs that with being one of the most efficient offensive big men in college basketball history. Now that he’s started to shoot threes, his already-lethal offensive game is even more.”
Kam Jones (Marquette)
Class: Junior, age 23
Measurements: 6’3, 202 lbs
Comparison: Shake Milton, Damion Lee, Donte DiVincenzo
Projected draft spot: 36 (Yahoo Sports), 47 (The Ringer), 35 (No Ceilings)
Yahoo Sports: “Jones offers crafty combo guard skills with advanced shot creation and a blossoming playmaking feel. But his so-so athleticism and streaky shooting paint him as just a cog rather than the rare star upperclassmen set to enter the league.”
The Ringer: “In a world where everybody needs well-rounded guards who can just play basketball, he’ll always have a home.”
No Ceilings: “Kam Jones has been getting buckets for Marquette for many years now, and his playmaking leap this season makes him even more intriguing. Teams in need of guard help and scoring punch will be well-served by looking Kam Jones’s way.”
Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida)
Class: Senior, age 22
Measurements: 6’2, 199 lbs
Comparison: Jamal Murray, CJ McCollum, Jordan Clarkson, Kemba Walker, Jameer Nelson, Fred Van Fleet
Projected draft spot: 33 (The Ringer), 28 (Yahoo Sports), 25 (No Ceilings)
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Yahoo Sports: “Clayton is a fearless shooter with the versatility to take any shot at any moment, as we saw when he led Florida to the national championship. But his limitations as a defender hold him back from being an elite prospect.”
The Ringer: “Multifaceted shooter who punishes the defense with the mere idea of his beyond-the-arc scoring.”
No Ceilings: “If you need a steady veteran point guard with excellent shooting touch and a great handle, Walter Clayton Jr. is the player for you. He also brings championship pedigree as the leader of this year’s title-winning Florida Gators squad – a factor that NBA teams will certainly not overlook.”
Danny Wolf (Michigan)
Class: Junior, age 20
Measurements: 6’11
Comparison: Kelly Olynk, Hedo Turkoglu, Naz Reid
Projected draft spot: 32 (Yahoo Sports), 13 (The Ringer), 18 (No Ceilings)
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Yahoo Sports: “Wolf is 6-foot-11 but ran point for Michigan, playing a slick style with risky passes and step-back jumpers that made him a highlight factory. But he’s also a turnover machine and his shooting numbers are shaky, making him more of a raw bet who needs time to prove he can match his flash with substance.”
The Ringer: “An enticing mix of face-up sauciness, playmaking, and size, but athleticism questions loom.”
No Ceilings: “Unique big man with impressive playmaking and ball-handling skills, often taking on the role of primary initiator. His ability to stretch the floor adds another layer to his game, but improving his decision-making will be key to unlocking his full potential.”
Ben Saraf (Ratiopharm Ulm)
Class: Age 19
Measurements: 6’5, 200 lbs
Comparison: Ramon Sessions, Goran Dragic, D’Angelo Russell, Tyrese Haliburton
Projected draft spot: 26 (The Ringer), 27 (Yahoo Sports)
Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Yahoo Sports: “Saraf is a crafty lefty playmaker who relies on guile, footwork, and body control. Limited shooting and athleticism could cap his upside, but his positional size and skill could be hard to pass up.”
The Ringer: “Lefty jitterbug with some of the best passing talent and creativity in the draft class.”
No Ceilings: “An Israeli combo guard with a unique blend of downhill burst and creativity as a passer, Saraf has already made an impact playing for Ratiopharm Ulm, the German prospet powerhouse. His ability to score, facilitate, and use his athleticism to break down defenses makes him an intriguing prospect with substantial upside.”
Liam McNeeley (UConn)
Class: Freshman, age 19
Measurements: 6’7, 215 lbs
Comparison: Keegan Murray, Corey Krispert, Sam Hauser
Projected draft spot: 28 (The Ringer), 20 (No Ceilings), 24 (Yahoo Sports)
Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images
Yahoo Sports: “McNeeley is a sharpshooting wing with superb instincts moving with the ball, and the touch to splash from deep ranges. Though he doesn’t project as a primary shot creator, his feel as a connective passer gives him the skill to fit into any type of offense.”
The Ringer: “Looks the part of a sizable floor-spacing forward but needs to improve physically to provide more.”
No Ceilings: “A versatile win with a smooth scoring game, McNeeley excels as a shooter while demonstrating the ability to get to the basket and generate free throws when he’s run off the line. His feel and size make him a highly intriguing prospect with star role player potential.”