Arizona Sports roundtable: Who in the NBA Draft is most underrated?

For the third piece to our four-part roundtable with the hosts, reporters and Empire of the Suns bloggers at 98.7 FM, Arizona’s Sports Station, we ask which player in the 2017 draft is the most underrated.

Who is the one prospect you like more than the average consensus?

Vince Marotta: De’Aaron Fox. Seeing what he did against ASU in the Bahamas when he torched them for a triple-double was the first eye-opener. He outplayed Ball twice and downright embarrassed him in the Sweet 16. I like his skill set and his passion.

Kellan Olson: Dennis Smith Jr. is, without a doubt, a top-five prospect in this class and it’s driving me crazy that it’s not a movement catching steam the closer we get to the draft. He’s the best scorer in the draft besides Fultz, has legitimate point guard skills, is a terrific athlete and could be something defensively if he wants to be. His upside only trails Fultz and Ball and he would be a fine selection for the Suns at No. 4 if they want that point guard of the future now.

Dave Burns: Zach Collins. I think in today’s NBA he has the type of game that fits the league moving forward.

John Gambadoro: Isaac – I like his ceiling, he can play the 3 now and likely play some 4 in a year and possibly some 5 in the next couple of years as he matures. He is a rim protector that can run the floor, pass and dribble. He is very intriguing.

Craig Grialou: Though he plays the same position as Devin Booker, I like Malik Monk, even at No. 4. I do subscribe to the saying, teams can never have enough shooters. And I like Monk’s attitude, his confidence. That alone goes a long way in whether or not a player succeeds in the NBA.

Jon Bloom: Josh Hart from Villanova. If that guy is there (and the Suns keep their 32nd pick), he’s the guy I want next to Ulis as the future second team backcourt in Phoenix. I also like Dillon Brooks from Oregon more than most — both guys are winners and won’t be afraid to step into a rotation out of the gates.

Kevin Zimmerman: I’ll give Lauri Markkanen and Dennis Smith Jr. a tie for this honor. I understand their floors might be lower than other players in the top-eight or so of the draft, but their ceilings might be top-five worthy.

Doug Franz: Jonathan Isaac.

Adam Green: These days it might be Ball, but I’m going to go with Oregon’s Jordan Bell. I don’t see a way where he isn’t a good, useful NBA player, and in a situation where draft busts will certainly exist, that kind of sure thing is an attractive option.