Jalen Brunson, Villanova
The point guard for a national championship team rarely should be ignored. He, after all, led his team to a national championship. So he must be doing something right with his leadership and playmaking skills.
Jalen Brunson is not just a national champion, but a three-year starter and two-time national champion for the Villanova Wildcats. Last year he was solid all around, averaging 18.9 points per game and 4.6 assists per game while shooting a 60.4 percent effective field goal percentage. He was a 40-percent shooter from beyond the arc last year.
That all put together for his Big East Player of the Year and Associated Press Player of the Year campaign. Yes, even over his teammate Mikal Bridges.
Brunson feels like he is the overlooked veteran. The guy that ends up on the San Antonio Spurs or some other contending team and fits in perfectly.
Brunson is probably not going to be a standout player in the NBA, but just a solid one. He is the guy that keeps everyone around him calm and simply does his job. Nothing spectacular.
If a team needs him to run the pick and roll, he can do that. Spot up shooting? Defense? Check and check.
That is not always enough to get a player drafted in the first round. It is not always enough for what some teams need. But a team looking for some solid point guard play or a good long-term backup option or immediate contribution, they will turn to Brunson. He very well could be a culture setter in that way.
Brunson though has a ceiling. He measured with one of the shortest wingspans at the Combine at 6-foot-4. That will prevent him from being a complete defensive ace at the next level. And he projects as a spot starter and reserve player in the NBA.
But he clearly has all the skills a team could want in a solid addition. He will be someone who can lead a team immediately and impact whatever unit he is on.