2014 NBA Draft: Top 100 Big Board

Foot issues for potential No. 1 overall pick Joe Embiid and fellow freshman phenom Julius Randle have infused Thursday’s NBA Draft with uncertainty and plenty of drama to unfold. Teams holding Top 10 picks now must weigh potential versus the risk factor in a deep draft class.

The top 100 prospects for the 2014 NBA Draft, compiled by The Sports Xchange Senior NBA Draft Analyst Tyler Jamieson.

1. Andrew Wiggins, SG/SF, Fr. Kansas. Had Wiggins been allowed to enter last year’s draft he was widely considered to be the top pick. After a year at Kansas, he still has a tentative hold on the top spot with Duke’s Jabari Parker in the mix following Embiid’s injury.

2. Jabari Parker, SF/PF, Fr. Duke. After just one year at Duke, Parker’s size & skill has drawn comparisons to Carmelo Anthony.

3. Joel Embiid, C, Fr. Kansas. An athletic 7-footer with 7-foot-5 wingspan, Embiid has scouts salivating over his already proven shot blocking ability and offensive potential. However, foot surgery that will sideline him for 4-6 months – and potentially all of his rookie season – could lead to a draft day slide out of the top five… or further.

4. Marcus Smart, PG/SG, Soph. Oklahoma State. After a volatile year that included a suspension, Smart is still one of the top guards in the draft and has been impressive in pre-draft workouts.

5. Dante Exum, PG/SG, Int. (Australia). Exum is considered a wild card by many because he is not well known. His size and athleticism has people around the NBA intrigued, but pre-draft workouts will play a big part in where he lands.

6. Julius Randle, PF, Fr. Kentucky. Randle was considered a potential top 5 pick entering last season due to his size and finesse. After a standout season at Kentucky concerns about a foot injury that might need surgery might affect his draft status. Randle insists he is pain-free and has no lingering issues with the foot.

7. Noah Vonleh, PF, Fr. Indiana. Vonleh is just 18 years old and sports a 7-4 wingspan; he’s considered by many to have the best natural rebounding instincts in the draft.

8. Aaron Gordon, PF, Fr. Arizona. Also just 18 years old, Gordon is extremely athletic for his size and has drawn some comparisons to Blake Griffin.

9. Doug McDermott, PF, Sr. Creighton. McDermott’s stellar senior year combined with his size and offensive polish should land him in the top 10.

10. Dario Saric, SF/PF, Int. Croatia. Would have been a first-round pick in last year’s draft but withdrew to stay in Europe. At 6-10 and extremely coordinated, many people believe he is the most versatile player in the draft.

11. Gary Harris, SG, So., Michigan State. A very good all-around guard whose stock was helped by a good end of the year and tournament run by Michigan State.

12. Kyle Anderson, SF, So., UCLA. A unique 6-9 jack-of-all-trades type. Scouts love his ball handling and passing for his size.

13. Nik Stauskas, SG, So., Michigan. Sharpshooting guard from Michigan whose stock increased due to an increased role in Michigan’s offense last season.

14. Tyler Ennis, PG, Fr., Syracuse. After one year at Syracuse, Ennis’ natural instincts and maturity are what make him stand out as one of the best point guards in this class.

15. Zach LaVine, SG, Fr., UCLA. A wildly athletic prospect who probably should have stayed at UCLA for another year. Will most likely take a couple years to develop, but the payoff could be huge.

16. Elfrid Payton, PG, Jr., Louisiana Lafayette. Coming from Louisiana Lafayette he’s flying under the radar for most, but his almost 20 ppg and above average defense have caught the eyes of scouts and he has worked out well since the season ended.

17. James Young, SG/SF, Fr., Kentucky. Highly touted freshman whose play during Kentucky’s deep tournament run aided his decision to declare for the draft.

18. Rodney Hood, SF, So., Duke. The 6-8 southpaw from Duke has the look of a prototypical NBA wing player.

19. Jerami Grant, SF, So., Syracuse. An intriguing athlete whose combination of size, quickness and explosiveness around the basket separates him from other wing players.

20. Adreian Payne, SF, Sr., Michigan State. Payne’s ability to shoot the college 3-pointer at his size was a big reason why Michigan State was so successful last season.

21. Jusuf Nurkic, C, Int. (Bosnia). Not well known but a surprise player in Europe earlier this year. Has been ranked as high as a lottery pick by some and as low as late second round by others.

22. T.J. Warren, SG, So., North Carolina State. An elite wing scorer with nothing left to prove at the college level.

23. Clint Capela, PF, Int. (Switzerland). Nineteen-year-old 6-11 Swiss born big man currently playing in France. Not a lot of scouts have seen much of him, but his ability to block shots stands out.

24. Shabazz Napier, PG, Sr., Connecticut. Nobody benefited more from a strong tournament than Napier. Considered a second rounder most of last season, Napier’s hot tournament looks to have propelled him into the first round.

25. C.J. Wilcox, SG, Sr., Washington. One of the best pure shooters in the draft, Wilcox is deadly in spot up and catch-and-shoot situations.

26. P.J. Hairston, SG, Jr., Texas Legends NBDL. Played in the NBDL after being dismissed from North Carolina. Has NBA 3-point range and can score in bunches.

27. Cleanthony Early, SF, Sr., Wichita State. One of the elder statesmen in the draft at 23 years old, Early clearly benefited from Wichita State’s success the past two seasons.

28. Deonte Burton, PG, Sr., Nevada. Not well known coming out of Nevada, Burton has a pro style game and is a 20 ppg scorer.

29. Mitch McGary, PF/C, So. Michigan. An important piece to Michigan’s 2012-’13 team, McGary had last season cut short with a back injury and declared following a positive test for marijuana.

30. Glenn Robinson III, SF, So. Michigan. Son of former NBA player the “Big Dog,” Robinson is an above average scorer who does most of his damage from the perimeter.

31. K.J. McDaniels, SF, Jr., Clemson. Very good athlete and high flying leaper; possesses an all-around game that should translate well in the NBA.

32. Walter Tavares, C, Int. (Cape Verde). Raw 7-3 prospect with a long wingspan and big hands. His defensive prowess and shot blocking has people interested. Could find his way into the first round.

33. Jordan Adams, SG, So., UCLA. A natural scorer who plays with a high basketball I.Q. Finds ways to get shots and scoring opportunities despite being labeled an average athlete.

34. Patric Young, PF, Sr., Florida. A rough and tumble 6-9 brute with very good quickness who could fit in nicely in the right role in the NBA.

35. Spencer Dinwiddie, SG, Jr., Colorado. Had he not tore his ACL midway through last season, Dinwiddie would probably be higher on this list. Has the potential to jump up with a healthy knee and good pre-draft