As we get closer to a fresh new year of NBA action, myself and Ronnie Flores wanted to take a closer look at players who have the potential for breakout campaigns. Both Ronnie and I selected three players who we think will raise their levels of play this season.

Ronnie's Top Pick: Christian Wood | PF | 6-10 | 215 | Rockets

Christian Wood

6'10"   -   PF   -   2013

Incredibly, this former UNLV standout and So Cal native is entering his sixth season in the league and is finally starting to find his groove. When scouts refer to “upside,” Wood is a perfect example because this scoring forward is still only 25 years old. With former league MVP Russell Westbrook no longer in the fold, the oft-traveled Wood will be an important cog for a Houston franchise in a bit of turmoil. Will another former league MVP, James Harden, be unloaded? Whether he stays or goes, expect good production from this hybrid four who can fill it up in a hurry. Wood was a highly-coveted free agent whose sign-and-trade (he inked a three-year, 41-million dollar deal) signaled the likely end of small ball in Houston and let teams know the Rockets plan on contending. Wood averaged 22.3 ppg and 9.5 rpg over his last 15 games for Detroit. If he continues at that pace, and compliments newcomer John Wall well, he’ll be considered one of the best late-bloomers in recent memory. Wood went undrafted in 2015.?

Ronnie's Second Pick: ?Keldon Johnson | SF | 6-5 | 220 | Spurs?

San Antonio typically brings rookies along slowly and Johnson was no different last season as a 20-year old first year player one season removed from high school. As the 29th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the former Oak Hill Academy standout is showing signs of being the best asset that came out of the deal that sent NBA star Kawhi Leonard to Toronto. Johnson is the definition of high energy and his approach to the dirty work, plus his desire on the glass, rubs off on teammates. Right before the COVID-19 outbreak in March, this rookie was just beginning to hit his stride when the 2019-20 season came to an abrupt halt. It would have been easy for a rookie to lose focus or struggle when the season resumed in the Bubble, but for us it’s a tremendously positive sign that the Kentucky product elevated his game at that point. He averaged 14 ppg, 5 rpg and shot 64 percent from the field down in Orlando. Combine his team-first attitude, high energy and production, and the Spurs have themselves a nice piece for a future Johnson will be a big part of. We wouldn’t be surprised if he has a better NBA career than half the players taken in front of him in the 2019 first round.?

Ronnie's Third Pick: Michael Porter Jr. | SF | 6-10 | 218 | Nuggets

This lightning rod of a player is a well-known commodity who had some big moments for a talented Nuggets team that made the Western Conference Finals with a string of comeback wins. MPJ played a big role in that playoff run with his gifted offensive game and big perimeter shots. Once in a while (like every other game) Porter does something that makes not only the other team scratch its head, but some of his teammates as well. If he can continue to harness that cockiness and mature in his shot selection, the Nuggets should once again challenge the Lakers in the Western Conference. Last season as a rookie (Porter sat out 2018-19 with injury), he put up 9.3 ppg and 4.7 rpg, but when healthy he has as much potential as any young forward in the league sans Luka. Those injury issues made Porter fall to the No. 14 pick in 2018, but he is an all-star caliber offensive talent. With Jamal Murray on the perimeter and The Joker inside, Denver has its core for the forceable future, but the trajectory of MPJ could ultimately decide just how realistic it will be for Denver to challenge for a NBA title in the next 2-3 seasons. If MPJ's consistency grows as his minutes do, Denver should have three all-star talents in its stable.

Devin's Top Pick: Coby White | PG | 6-4 | 195 | Bulls

Coby White

6'5"   -   CG   -   2018

White was an All-Rookie Second Team selection last season after averaging 13.2 points and 2.7 assists in just under 26 minutes per game for Chicago last season, playing in 65 games with only one start. As he heads into his second season, it's become clear that White will take over the starting point guard duties from Kris Dunn who is now in Atlanta. The 6-foot-4 point guard out of North Carolina showed plenty of flashes of brilliance during his rookie campaign, especially when getting out in transition and downhill to the basket where he used his speed and athleticism to create for himself and teammates. White's style of play will benefit even more from playing under the system of new head coach Billy Donovan instead of Jim Boylen, who has shown the ability to make the most out of athletic guards who thrive in fast-paced environments. The biggest key for White to truly break out this season is becoming a more efficient scorer. In his rookie season, White shot 39.4 percent from the from the field overall and 35.4 percent from three-point range.

Devin's Second Pick: Thomas Bryant | C | 6-10 | 250 | Wizards

Bryant has steadily improved each and every season since entering the league as a second round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-10 center has worked his way into a part-time starting role with the Wizards in the last two seasons where he's averaged double-digit points and over seven rebounds per game. The biggest stat I see from last season that makes me think Bryant is primed to become the team's most reliable starting center is his 1.1 blocks per game average. With the current make-up of the Wizards roster, assuming that the starting lineup is: Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal, Davis Bertans (or rookie Deni Avdija), Rui Hachimura and Bryant, the fourth-year man out of Indiana will be the interior presence that this team needs on the defense and rebounding fronts. High energy big men who can protect the rim, run the floor and operate out of ball-screen action are the guys who see the majority of the playing time at the five position in the NBA.

Devin's Third Pick: Brandon Clarke | SF | 6-8 | 215 | Grizzlies

It's not often you see a 23 year-old rookie who still has plenty of upside left in his game, but that was the case with Clarke last season. The 6-foot-8 forward spent his first two college seasons at San Jose State before transferring up to Gonzaga where he played his way into the NBA Draft conversation. Clarke appeared in 54 games with four starts as a rookie, averaging 12.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Clarke's versatility both offensively and defensively, combined with his scoring efficiency without needing the ball in his hands to be effective, should make him the long-term starter at the small forward position alongside power forward Jaren Jackson, Jr. and center Gorgui Dieng.

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With the 2020 NBA Draft date of Nov. 18 swiftly approaching, we wanted to take a deeper dive into this year's crop of talent. The winner among the losers on NBA Draft Lottery night was the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team with the third-worst regular season record was awarded the first overall selection.

The Golden State Warriors, who are looking to get healthy and return to their winning ways, will pick second, the Charlotte Hornets third, with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers rounding out the first five selections.

This will be one of the most unique NBA Drafts on record due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only is the draft delayed by five months, NBA front offices will be making picks with far less real-time evaluation because of the cancellations of many conference tournaments and last season's NCAA Tournament. Another interesting aspect of this draft is NBA scouts and front office personnel will not be able to evaluate prospects in a live draft combine setting, but rather a virtual one taking place at regional sites.

In this piece, myself and Ronnie Flores do our best to predict which players the lottery teams will select based on fit and team needs. Check out our selections in a three-part series, beginning with picks No.'s 10-14 below.

14. Boston Celtics (from Memphis)

Ronnie’s Pick: Precious Achiuwa | PF | 6-9 | 225 |Memphis | Freshman

Precious Achiuwa

6'9"   -   SF   -   2019

Why: The Celtics have done a good job in the draft and on are the cusp of being the best team in the East, so whoever they bring in would be fighting to become a rotation player. Achiuwa has a chance to do that because he brings energy to both ends of the floor and is a hellacious rebounder. The brass will be taking a long look at North Carolina’s Cole Anthony, but the Celtics don’t need perimeter scoring more than they need front court depth. Achiuwa fits the bill.  

Devin’s Pick: Jalen Smith | PF | 6-10 | 225 | Maryland | Sophomore

Why: I can see Boston going in multiple directions with this pick, because when you look at the Celtics roster, there’s not a specific area of need they need to fill. With Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart occupying the guard positions along with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward on the wing, if Boston keeps this pick I can seeing them adding some more front court depth as current starter Daniel Theis is fills more of a glue-guy type of role. Smith, if available would be a nice choice here of proven production at a high college level with plenty of tools to build on at the NBA level. Smith was a double-double machine for the Terrapins during his sophomore season, averaging 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, and his 2.4 blocked shots per game were good for second in the Big Ten Conference. Smith shot 36.8 percent on just under three attempts per game from the college three point line, which makes me think he could be a potential two-way impact guy as a rim protector and versatile scoring option at the five, which is very reminiscent of Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner.

13. New Orleans Pelicans

Ronnie’s Pick: Saddiq Bey | SF | 6-8 |215 | Villanova |Sophomore

Why: The Pelicans have some terrific offensive pieces and could shore up their defensive prowess, and Bey foots the bill. If he earns minutes on the floor because of his defense (which would be a tremendous value at this spot), he is a good enough spot-up shooter to keep defenses honest and compliment Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.

Devin’s Pick: Saddiq Bey | SF | 6-8 | 216 | Villanova | Sophomore

Why: This will be another interesting pick come draft night as the Pelicans have a host of young talent on its roster to go along with the veteran leadership of Jrue Holiday and J.J. Redick. New Orleans has nine players aged 24 years or younger and we didn’t get to see the full extent of what the youth movement looked like due to Zion Williamson missing time due to injury and the stoppage of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking strictly at roster need, three-point shooting is always of value, especially when your best long distance shooter (Redick) is heading toward his 36th birthday. I think Bey fits in nicely here because of his size, length, athleticism to go along with his 45.1 percent three-point shooting clip as a sophomore at Villanova.

12. Sacramento Kings

Ronnie’s Pick: Patrick Williams | PF | 6-8 | 225 | Florida State | Freshman

Why: The Kings’ front office is in transition and after some draft gaffes in recent years, they want to get this pick right. This isn’t a particularly loaded draft, but Williams has the potential to stick because of his frame, foot speed and long-term defensive ability. There are some terrific wing defenders in this draft, and the Kings can’t afford to swing and miss badly. Williams didn’t produce at a high level offensively in his lone college season, but the Kings need a shot in the arm not someone jacking up shots. 

Devin’s Pick: Aaron Nesmith | SG/SF | 6-6 | 215 | Vanderbilt | Sophomore

Why: For me, this is a best available pick type of situation for the Kings. The point guard spot is locked up with De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic (if he re-signs) will see the majority of the time at shooting guard, while Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley III and Richaun Holmes will continue to see the minutes in the front court and Sacramento needs a reliable piece that can come in and help right away. The best available guy at No. 12 could be Nesmith out of Vanderbilt. The 6-foot-6 wing brings versatility on the offensive end as evidenced by his above 50-percent shooting clip from both two and three-point range to go along with his 82.5 percent success rate from the free throw line. Nesmith played only 14 games last season due to injury, and while that’s a small sample size to draw from, his scoring feel on the perimeter and has some defensive versatility upside with his frame.

11. San Antonio Spurs

Ronnie’s Pick: Aaron Nesmith | SG/SF | 6-6 | 215 | Vanderbilt | Sophomore

Why: The Spurs will take a long look at Florida State’s Patrick Williams and can only hope Isaac Okoro (Auburn) falls this far. He likely won’t, so Nesmith is a terrific value pick because he can really shoot the deep range shot and complement the talented backcourt players the Spurs already have. It will be enticing to pick up a defensive-oriented forward, but passing up an offensive talent the likes of Nesmith will be too difficult to pass up.    

Devin’s Pick: Patrick Williams | PF | 6-8 | 225 | Florida State | Freshman

Why: This is the first time in a long time (23 years to be exact) that the Spurs will draft in the lottery, so San Antonio will have to rediscover this uncharted territory. As most know, this franchise has a rich history in drafting an unknown international player, stashing him, and bringing him over at the perfect time to help them on a championship run. Could that happen again this year? Sure, but for the purposes of this “mock lottery” let’s pick a player for Pop & Co. The reason I go with Williams here is because San Antonio could benefit from adding some athleticism and energy to its front court. The one-and-done forward out of Florida State fits that bill quite well with his explosive leaping ability, mobility in transition and ability to finish with through and above contact in the paint. Williams didn’t put up eye popping numbers during his only college season, averaging 9.2 points and four rebounds in 22.5 minutes per game and needs some work to refine his all-around offensive skill set. Where better to do that than with the Spurs who happen to have one of the best power forward’s the world has seen on its coaching staff.

10. Phoenix Suns

Ronnie’s Pick: Killian Hayes | PG | 6-5 | 215 | France | PRO

Why: The Suns ended the season on an upswing and hope to keep the positive momentum going with a home run at this spot in the draft. The Suns will likely look to the backcourt with someone who can play on the ball and be effective off it. Tyrese Maxey (Kentucky) will get a look at this range, but Hayes has terrific upside and there won’t be tons of pressure for him to perform right away. If Hayes can learn the NBA game from Ricky Rubio and be a complement to Devin Booker, this would be a terrific spot for him. 

Devin’s Pick: Killian Hayes | PG | 6-5 | 215 | France | PRO

Why: The Suns need to show they are committed to building a long-term backcourt around superstar guard Devin Booker in addition to providing a true point guard who can operate out of ball screen action with stud power forward De’Andre Ayton. Hayes might be the perfect successor to Ricky Rubio at the point guard position in Phoenix. The 18 year-old lefty plays with a high basketball IQ, great vision and decision-making out of the pick and role, and knows how to use angles and changes of speeds to get into the paint. Just imagine a high ball screen with Hayes and Ayton with Booker spotting up on the wing. That’s tough to guard. Hayes does need to get better as a three-point shooter to keep defenses honest in those ball screen situations.

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Re-release of 1990 book titled “Swee’pea: The Story of Lloyd Daniels” brings to life the story of a 1980s basketball prodigy who was supposed to die young, but didn’t, and who wasn’t supposed to make it, but did. His story was quite powerful in an age before the Internet and social media and is a fantastic read for this generation's basketball players, parents and lovers of the game.

Note: “Swee’pea: The Story of Lloyd Daniels” is set for re-release July 5 and can be pre-ordered on Amazon. For updates on the book and its release, visit the Sweepeathebook Facebook page.

It would be hard for a vast majority of today’s high school and grassroots basketball players to completely understand the trails and tribulations Lloyd Daniels, a supremely talented 6-foot-7 guard who mesmorized college coaches in the mid 1980s despite being a functional crack addict, endured to eventually make a NBA roster.

Daniels was a constant, hard-core drug addict. Today’s youth hear the word “crack” and think disgust or a bad disease from another time. “Crack head” more often than not is a derogatory term or a “put down” than a descriptive word to describe someone using that powerful form of cocaine or other hard drugs – and that’s a good thing. In reality, people that have experienced what crack cocaine can do rarely use the word “crack” out of respect for its powerful effect.

The crack cocaine epidemic was very real in inner-city neighborhoods like the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn where Daniels grew up that was described in John Valenti’s and Ron Naclerio’s 1990 book, “Swee’Pea and Other Playground Legends: Tales of Drugs, Violence and Basketball”. Twenty-five years later, many of America’s largest inner-cities (sans Chicago) are much safer than they were a quarter century ago. In the re-release of his book (set for July 5), Valenti describes New Jersey Avenue in Brooklyn where “Swee‘pea” grew up as a neighborhood that has undergone a positive transformation, as have plenty of others in New York City and Los Angeles. Drugs and crime plagued Daniels’ ‘hood and he was not strong enough to escape it. Notice we did not say “not lucky enough” because Daniels had plenty of chances to escape those two dangerous vices.

Technology has advanced greatly over the past 25 years and so has the way in which the media covers elite basketball prospects. No longer do the exploits of star high school basketball players spread by word of mouth like it did when Daniels was creating a national reputation playing for various high schools and grassroots teams in places such as Las Vegas, the city where his basketball talent made him a legend, not to mention infamous, after a much-publicized 1987 arrest derailed plans for him to suit up at UNLV.

In 2016, elite high school players are public figures and most of their daily moves are chronicled on social media. Their accomplishments, as well as their missteps, are immediately known. In essence, today’s players can’t get away with things their predecesors could. In addition, college admission standards for student-athletes are much more stringent than they were in 1986 and breaking rules in order to successfully recruit the great player is more difficult because of that attention, not to mention political correctness.

Just imagine the nation’s top junior being a functional illiterate with a wicked drug problem playing at a public high school in the nation’s largest city with four newspapers chronicling his every move in 2016-17? We can’t either. Simply put, the things Daniels did, or someone did on his behalf, to circumvent the system would be hard to execute today, and quite frankly, rarely do we see elite players in today’s climate having the street savvy to pull it off because of the coddling nature of the grassroots industry.

Two things that haven’t changed in basketball over the last 25 years: One, talent is a narcotic and prodigies can get away with actions the lesser player can’t. Two, the number of people willing to help these talents is nearly endless, and many times that exacerbates the problems grassroots basketball faces.

“Lloyd Daniels is definitely one of the best grassroots players of all time, but what he could have been or where he could have ranked among the greats is the real story,” said Clark Francis of the Hoop Scoop, the publication Naclerio has been a long-time contributor to. “His story is the perfect example of what’s wrong with the system and how it can be manipulated.”

Francis is one of the many talent evaluators or college coaches we’ve talked to over the years about Daniels and all of them share the sentiment of Daniels being one of the best high school-aged players they ever saw. A tall point guard with a near mystical understanding of the game, Daniels could play the off-guard position or small forward and, before drugs wrecked his body, was also in the athletic range of his peers that size. Others who have raved about his abilities include Van Coleman of the Basketball Channel, travel basketball coach Ruben Luna and then Oregon assistant coach Morris Hodges.

All four of those respected basketball figures particularly recall his sensational performances in the summer of 1985 at Five-Star Camp or his run through the 1986 Las Vegas Invitational, in which he led the New York Gauchos to the team championship. Daniels reached legendary status in grassroots lore with his 24-point, 14-rebound,11-assist, 4-steal performance to knock off defending champ Mid-Valley ARC and its star players Sean Higgins and Chris Mills of Fairfax (Los Angeles) in the Las Vegas Invitational quarterfinals.

“We stuck around to watch the Gauchos-ARC game,” said Luna, whose NorCal Connection team eventually lost to the Gauchos in the semifinals. “Lloyd was so good I got my kids out of there at halftime. I didn’t want them to be scared for the game the next day.”

The late Jerry Tarkianian was mesmorized by Daniels’ talents and bucked the system to get him enrolled at UNLV in the summer of ’86 despite dropping out of Andrew Jackson (Queens, N.Y.) the day after the 1985-86 season concluded. The recruitment of Swee’pea (coined after the fictional character in the Popeye cartoon) was so rediculious he likely is the only player in history with more college than high school credits. We’re not joking.

Valenti (a reporter for Newsday) and Naclerio (the current coach at Cardozo High School in Queens) cover these fascinating anecdotes, including the derailed plans for Daniels to play at UNLV following his arrest at a North Las Vegas crack house in February 1987 and being shot during a drug dispute in Hollis, Queens, New York, in May 1989, in gripping detail. Many of Daniels’ friends, advisors, and those interviewed for the book, including his grandmothers, Lulia Hendley and Annie Sargent, seriously feared Daniels would die young. What were they supposed to think, considering a major thoracic wound from three bullets didn’t quite put Daniels on a straight and narrow path right away?

The re-release of the book gives current context to the story and offers up the stories of other playground legends, even referencing California legends Valenti looked up in the ESPN.com articles celebrating the Under Armour Elite 24 game played at Venice Beach published in 2010 by yours truly.

Reading the book for the first time in the 1990s, its powerful message was prevalent, but its impact hard to gauge. Now with the re-release, there is no questioning the book’s wide-ranging appeal and the benefits of today’s players reading it. The new forward details how Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams, made the budding tennis stars from Compton read the book in their pre-teen years. There is also a new Epilogue that updates readers on Daniels and the other players mentioned throughout the 369 pages, along with the fact Valenti and Naclerio both had a long falling out with Swea’pea.

“Writing the epilogue now -- as a man in his 50s -- gave me a perspective on Lloyd and on the story that I couldn't have had when I wrote the book at age 29-30,” Valenti said. “It made me more critical of what Lloyd did, wasting his talent, and also LESS critical, understanding the circumstances of life more.”

Daniels proved many wrong simply by surviving. He didn’t die young – and with the help of Tarkanian – miraculously made the NBA in 1992. He didn’t become a star, but after surviving chronic drug and alcohol abuse, years of malnutrition because of poverty, being shot and not having much high school or college experience, his 26-point, 8-rebound, 6-assist, 3-block, 3-steal performance in his second regular season NBA game for the San Antonio Spurs proved to be both astonishing and sad. Many who saw him play in ’85 or ’86 considered him a shell of that player during his five NBA seasons.

Though Daniels didn’t always produce at that level in the league, his second game was almost like him saying, “See, I told you guys.”

There have been plenty of documentaries made on key grassroots basketball figures in recent years, including “Bounce Back: The Story of Ronnie Fields”, “Lenny Cooke”, and “Manchild: The Schea Cotton Story”, among others. Of course, there also a documentary out there about Daniels. “The Legend of Swea’pea” actually helped Valenti, Naclerio, and Daniels mend old wounds. At its premiere at the 2015 NYC DOC Festival, Daniels chides Naclerio and Valenti, “I didn’t die, did I? I didn’t die.”

No, Swea’pea has not died, and neither has the book about his surreal life.

Note: “Swee’pea: The Story of Lloyd Daniels” is a look into the world of high school and grassroots basketball recruiting set against the backdrop of the crime-infested streets of New York City in the 1980s. The book also tells the tales of why some playground legends make it and why some fall through the concrete cracks and traps of inner cities across America. The book also profiles players such as Kenny Anderson, John Salley, Mark Jackson, Earl "The Goat" Manigault, Richie "The Animal" Adams, Tony "Red" Bruin, Orlando Antigua, and Ron "Terminator" Matthias. The book is set for re-release July 5 and can be pre-ordered on Amazon

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

Photos: Lloyd Daniels at a British Knights commercial shoot at the legendary West Fourth Street courts in New York City, July 1993 (Mitsu Yasukawa, Newsday). "Swea'pee" with John Valenti, at the word premiere of “The Legend of Swea’pea”  in Manhattan, November 2015 (John Valenti) 

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