The playoffs of this season have already been marked by some great performances. Some of them were also delivered by members of the 2018 class. For one of them, this one is downright the best of all time!
Luka Doncic ? 35.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 10.3 assists on the first round against the Clippers. Trae Young? Nearly 29 points as well as 10 assists per game since the start of the postseason. To say that these two boys were successful in the playoffs would be an understatement, despite the elimination of the first. In any case, they proudly represent their 2018 draft promotion, through delusional performances.
Other players from this class include DeAndre Ayton, No. 1 in draft. This one has something to smile about, his Suns leading 2-0 against Denver in the conference semifinals. Asked about the performance of his peers after Game 2, the pivot did not mince words by delivering the following statement:
I think it’s the best class in NBA history. That’s what I feel. … Guys like Luka, Michale Porter Jr and Trae, it was great to see us young people fighting. We are not backing down.
A daring statement from the Bahamian player. However, when we look at the question, we realize that it has many arguments …
Indeed, in addition to the Doncic-Ayton-Young trio, the 2018 cuvée is exceptionally deep. MPJ has already been mentioned, but there are also guys like Mikal Bridges (Suns) or Kevin Huerter (Hawks), both of whom are firmly established in teams still in contention for the playoffs. Besides, it’s true that Ice Trae and Luka’s stats are absolutely crazy for their age.
However, we should not forget the previous classes. We are thinking in particular of that of 2003, with in particular, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony in the Top 5. Just that! And then, how not to mention the 1996 vintage, which counted Allen Iverson, Steve Nash or even Kobe Bryant, to recite nobody else but them.
And then, we must not forget that the 2018 draft also included some good big busts. There is for example Marvin Bagley, chosen second by the Kings who have been laughed at by the whole league, them who could have taken a Doncic. Or even Kevin Knox, drafted in 9th position by the Knicks and who has since turned out to be a big failure. Like what, we can always find crashes if we look closely enough.
We will probably never have a definitive answer as to the best draft in history. What is certain, however, is that some have marked the big league forever, and that of 2018 is certainly part of it.
