The power forward position in this year's draft class features the most well-rounded freshman last season in the Pac-12, the defensive anchor for the preseason No. 1 team last year, the most tantalizingly and mysterious international prospect, and the reigning Naismith National Player of the Year. If your team is in the market to upgrade at the position, then the options are aplenty.
So who are the top prospects at the position in this year's draft? Take a peek below as we continue our positional series examining the top players in the draft. (If you missed it, here's a look at the top point guards, shooting guards and top 3-and-D players from this year's class.)
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Top NBA Draft Power Forward Prospects
| 1 | |
| USC | Fr | 6-9 | 245 As a freshman for USC last season, Onyeka Okongwu averaged 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and a whopping 2.7 swats per game en route to a somewhat unexpected one-and-done campaign. Now, Okongwu is widely seen as a top-10 pick, with his range spanning as high as No. 3 and as low as No. 10. Even at 6-foot-9 -- slightly undersized for a power forward who plays more like a center -- he has the shot-blocking skills and smooth offensive game in the paint to be an impact player in the frontcourt. | |
| 2 | |
| Dayton | Soph | 6-9 | 220 A breakout 2019-20 campaign earned Dayton star Obi Toppin consensus national player of the year honors, and a wealth of draft buzz to boot. Between his leaping ability and offensive arsenal that extends beyond the 3-point line, he figures to be an above-the-rim, floor-spacing big who can affect the game with athleticism and versatility. | |
| 3 | |
| Serbia | 7-0 | 205 The international man of mystery no more, Aleksej Pokusevski has emerged as a legitimate lottery prospect because, frankly, he does what 7-footers don't do. He can handle the ball, create offense, run the break, block shots and shoot the 3-point shot at his size, and while he's skinny as a toothpick and physically raw, the tools are in place for him to be an X-factor of the first round. | |
| 4 | |
| Memphis | Fr | 6-9 | 225 After James Wiseman left Memphis, Precious Achiuwa stepped up in his absence and took the reins of the Memphis frontcourt, averaging 15.8 points and 10.8 boards per game. His size, agility and defensive versatility were all on display as he boosted his stock into surefire first-round territory. The way he can defend from post to perimeter is his biggest asset for a team looking to add a dynamic defensive asset with untapped offensive potential. | |
| 5 | |
| Michigan State | Jr | 6-8 | 245 Michigan State, the preseason No. 1 team last season, rated top-30 nationally last season in both offensive and defensive efficiency. It's not a coincidence that Tillman was on the team. He's a hyper-efficient big on both ends of the floor who can finish in the paint, pass out of the short roll and defend with physicality on defense. All the little things, Tillman does at a high level. Not the most flashy but easily one of the most impactful at the position in this draft. | |
| 6 | |
| Maryland | Soph | 6-10 | 225 The list of 6-foot-10 bigs who can stuff shots at the rim and make 3-pointers at a 36.8% rate in this draft -- or in the NBA, for that matter -- is a short one. It's why Smith's stock received a huge boost from last year to this year. He can not only step out and stretch the floor as a shooter, but he can also make above-the-break 3-pointers like a guard. His shooting ability coupled with his length and shot-altering instincts make him a potential top-20 talent in this class. | |
| 7 | |
| Arizona | Fr | 6-11 | 240 Arizona star Zeke Nnaji averaged 16.1 points and 8.6 rebounds last season, which helped propel him to winning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors over the likes of Onyeka Okongwu, Isaiah Stewart and even his own standout teammate, Nico Mannion. The 6-11 energy big is an effective rebounder on both ends of the court -- he finished top-seven in both offensive and defensive rebounding rate in league play, per KenPom -- and has an all-around game on both ends that translates well to the modern NBA. | |
| 8 | |
| DePaul | Jr | 6-9 | 220 One of the most overlooked and underrated prospects in this draft, Paul Reed starred in the shadows for a bad DePaul last season. He's a dynamic defender with good size and a long wingspan that he uses to defend up and down different positions, and he rebounds well for his 6-9 frame. Height-wise, he's perhaps a bit undersized. And he's still a bit limited in terms of what he can do on the offensive end. But everything he brings to the table on defense should help bump his stock up considerably in the hopes that the offense comes around. If teams buy the shot -- and there are teams that do -- then we could see him going inside the top-35 on draft night and potentially sneaking into the late first round. | |
| 9 | |
| Gonzaga | Sr | 6-10 | 220 The only obstacle keeping Killian Tillie from being a top-20 lock on draft night is his checkered injury history. He's a deadeye shooter with range who can create offense and has a high hoops IQ to boot, replete with a nice repertoire as a passer, finisher and off-ball spacer. If he can keep the injury bug at arm's length, Tillie will easily outperform his draft position. | |
| 10 | |
| Mississippi State | Soph | 6-10 | 250 There's plenty to like about Reggie Perry, but not a lot to love, which perhaps makes him an interestingly safe pick for a team in need of frontcourt help. He's not overly athletic, and doesn't quite have the floor-spacing skills yet to be considered a stretch big. But he averaged 17.4 points and 10.1 boards while hitting 32.4% from 3-point range last season as he emerged as one of the most productive bigs in the SEC. Still just 20 years old, he's a big with real potential to be productive in the NBA, too, as his shot continues to develop. | |
