The (likely) 2018 NBA draft class just got a lot better for Celtics

If the lottery gods smile down on Boston next May, the Celtics could have two top-5 picks (via the Lakers and Nets) in the 2018 NBA Draft. The talent the Celtics may be able to pick from next summer got a major boost on Monday night when the No. 1 prospect in the 2018 high school class, Marvin Bagley III, announced he would be reclassifying to the class of 2017.

Pending an approval from the NCAA, the 18-year-old Arizona native will graduate from high school this August ahead of schedule, making him eligible to attend Duke University in the fall and declare for the 2018 NBA Draft next spring.

If all goes according to plan, the 6-foot-11 Bagley will join an elite draft class that includes top notch prospects at a number of positions. The power forward may very well be the best of the bunch though, as Bagley has displayed a terrific mix of athleticism and strength during his high school career over the past three seasons. The standout big man routinely posted double-doubles and triple-doubles in contests for Sierra Canyon High School while showing early promising signs of an outside game as well. Bagley already has great tools in the post, and if his perimeter shot improves, he could develop into one of the best NBA prospects of the past few years. You can take a look at some of his highlights below. Needless to say, Duke turned into an NCAA title favorite shortly after Bagley announced his decision.



A pair of seven footers (Mohamed Bomba and DeAndre Ayton), a 6-foot-10 sharpshooting wing (Michael Porter), and a Slovenian playmaker (Luka Doncic) are the frontrunners for the top prospect of the 2018 draft class. There will be plenty of time over the next 10 months to debate which player has the best case to be No. 1 (don’t worry I’ll be diving into the play of these guys throughout the season as they reach the college level), but the Celtics have to be thrilled that their odds of landing a name with All-Star potential just went up yet again with Bagley’s decision.

The 2018 draft class has been hyped for awhile, which may have played into the C’s decision to trade the No. 1 pick this year for another chance of landing a top-5 talent in 2018 with the protected Lakers first round pick (via Philadelphia). Bagley’s inclusion in the mix should only add value to those potential 2018 selections going forward, whether the Celtics elect to keep or move the picks in a deal down the line.