Alabama guard Collin Sexton confirmed what pretty much everyone assumed he would do after his one season at Alabama when he declared for the NBA draft on Thursday at a press conference with his teammates.
Sexton did not hire an agent and could still decide to return to school. But he is expected to be a lottery pick, so a return seems unlikely.
Sexton, who will be the first Alabama player drafted since Richard Hendrix in 2008, would be a good fit on numerous NBA teams.
He and Oklahoma’s Trae Young are seen as the top two point guards in the draft, though one scout told Bleacher Report he prefers Sexton over Young.
“Sexton has the NBA body, NBA athleticism and he plays both ends of the court,” one scout told Bleacher Report. “It depends on the team picking, but he’s bigger, stronger and more athletic than Young. He definitely has a chance to go before him.”
Four recent mock drafts by Yahoo!, NBA Draft Net, Hoops Hype and SI.com have Sexton going anywhere from seventh overall to 12th overall. (Note that the NBA draft order is not yet set in stone.)
Here are three good fits for Sexton at the next level:
Phoenix Suns:
The Suns currently own three picks in the first round. They will likely head in to the NBA draft lottery with the best chances of getting the first overall pick. The Suns are not going to select Sexton first overall, but Phoenix would probably snatch him up if he fell to one of its other picks (currently projected 16 and 17).
Pairing Sexton with former Kentucky star Devin Booker would make for a dynamic backcourt. Booker scored 70 points on March 24, 2017, setting a Suns franchise record. The duo would give fits to NBA defenses for a long-time. If the Suns land the top pick and select Arizona star Deandre Ayton, the franchise has the recipe for a dynamic, young big three.
Los Angeles Clippers:
Despite trading Blake Griffin earlier this year, the Clippers barely missed the playoffs and looked like a competitive team after the blockbuster trade. Pairing Sexton with big man DeAndre Jordan and current point guard Patrick Beverley would give the Clippers a defensive lineup that would instill fear in offenses across the NBA.
Sexton would provide the Clippers the scoring ability the team missed this season with former star Chris Paul leaving for the Houston Rockets. The Clippers could be in position to select Sexton because of the first-round pick they acquired in the Griffin trade.
Cleveland Cavaliers:
The huge question surrounding the franchise will always be the future of superstar LeBron James. If James decides to stay in Cleveland, the fit for Sexton would be a great one. He would join a team that will be in contention for winning a championship as long as James plays at an elite level.
Sexton would provide the Cavs with the scoring they have missed with Kyrie Irving being traded to the Boston Celtics. Though Sexton would need to improve his three-point shooting to be the best possible fit next to James, his ability to get to the rim at will would still be tough to game-plan for defenses across the league. His defensive ability would also bring something Cleveland has lacked in the 2017-2018 season.
