Darius Bazley
We have previously discussed Darius Bazley as a potential draft pick for the Atlanta Hawks in this draft after a tumultuous pre-college year in which he committed to Syracuse then reneged on the commitment to join the G-League.
One of his advisors must’ve let Bazley know that a spindly five-star recruit was likely to get walloped by players that are many years his senior in a fairly intense playing atmosphere that is far less forgiving and prestigious than in the NBA.
As such, Bazley sat out this season to prepare for the draft. While it’s unknown exactly what that means, Bazley still has a lot of upside to explore in his rookie season.
Slight as a beanpole, Bazley clocks in with a 6-foot-10, 195-pound frame that he needs to bulk up to truly reach his potential. However, as one of the youngest players in this draft class – Bazley will turn 19 eight days before the 2019 NBA Draft takes place – the Atlanta Hawks should be willing to take a chance on a five-star recruit that played extremely well in the McDonald’s All-American game.