No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers: SG R.J. Barrett, Duke
No. 2 Dallas Mavericks: SF Nassir Little, North Carolina
R.J. Barrett enters the college basketball season as one of the favorites to be the top pick in the 2019 NBA draft. I had the opportunity to see Barrett both play and practice multiple times during his time at Montverde as well as the McDonald's All-American week. Barrett is an exciting playmaker who relies on his slashing ability to score most of his points.
What NBA scouts want to see from Barrett at Duke is an improved long-range shooting ability. It is something Barrett has prioritized since his junior year of high school. Barrett will check all the boxes when it comes to intangibles. Barrett's father, Rowan Barrett, played professionally in Canada, and his godfather is NBA legend Steve Nash.
Barrett will have the difficult task of showing off his skill set while also sharing the spotlight with several other Duke teammates who are likely to also be future NBA players. Some of the concerns coming out of McDonald's week this past spring was the ceiling for Barrett and other players.
My sense is the class may surprise NBA front offices by the time we get to next year's draft. Be sure to check out our in-depth profile of Barrett.
The Cavs are heading in a new direction without LeBron James. Cleveland's pick is top-10 protected so they have a bit of incentive to be down in the standings. Barrett and Collin Sexton could help form the Cavs backcourt of the future.
R.J. Barrett & Nassir Little Will Make UNC-Duke Matchups Must-Watch Games for NBA Scouts
Nassir Little had no problem going right at Barrett in the McDonald's All-American Game. Little feels like he is flying under the radar, but his MVP performance during the McDonald's game has helped put him in the No. 1 pick discussion.
“I always tell people, ‘Be so good nobody can ignore you," Little said after winning the McDonald's MVP. "After the game, some girl called me R.J. Barrett because she expected him to win. I told her to remember my name.”
There is no question about Little's athletic ability as the North Carolina forward had the most bounce of any player not named Zion Williamson during the McDonald's week. Like Barrett, NBA teams want to know if he can shoot, or if his scoring will be limited to near the basket.
Little has the size and length to be a two-way player. He will assuredly get a chance to showcase his defensive ability in what should be epic North Carolina and Duke rivalry matchups this season.
The Mavericks season has not gone exactly as planned, but right now they would hang onto their draft pick since it is inside the top five. Luka Doncic has lived up to the hype so far this season and will benefit from the NBA's strength and conditioning program.