NBA Draft 2019: 3 Potential Lottery Picks With Bust Potential

Nassir Little

Nassir Little had high expectations coming into the season, but after a disappointing season, it has teams very wary about selecting him in the lottery of the 2019 NBA Draft. He was thought of as a top-five pick in the same class of elite prospects as Duke’s stars RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson, but now he seems to be possibly dropping out of the lottery.

His freshman season didn’t go as planned at North Carolina. He played just 18 minutes in the 36 games he played in and he wasn’t a starter in any of them. He averaged just 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game on 48% shooting including 27% from three-point range.

While Little does have a lot to work on offensively he does have some areas that excite NBA teams about his potential. He is an explosive athlete who has the length and physical ability to be a quality defender in this league. He only averaged 0.5 blocks and 0.5 steals per game in college, but with his size, speed, and strength he should be able to improve upon that at the next level.

His potential on the defensive end has excited NBA teams, but he also has had some offensive games that show off some of his ability on the offensive end. He scored 23 points against Virginia Tech and 21 points against Elon.

In the game against Va Tech, he did a good job on offense being aggressive and making plays for both himself and others. When you aren’t an elite shooter that’s what you need to be able to do if you’re going to be successful. He finished that game with 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists on 7-12 shooting including 2-3 from three-point range and 7-7 from the free-throw line.

That game shows off his offensive potential, but as a small forward who isn’t a good shooter, he will struggle early on. He has the potential to become a very good player, but often when players struggle the first couple of seasons it’s difficult for them to turn it around.