On the Rise: Isaac Bonga

A 6'10" Point Guard? Have you ever heard of such a thing? Well besides Giannis of course.

Isaac Bonga. Playmaker. Giant. Freak of Nature. The next overseas sensation?

With the NBA Draft exactly 120 days away and our very first inaugural mock draft being released within the next week, we thought we'd start introducing some of the sleeper prospects that aren't as well covered but deserve significant draft consideration. So here's a big bang to get our On the Rise series started, perhaps the most intriguing prospect since Giannis Antetokounmpo himself, Isaac Bonga. His strengths, weaknesses, pro comparisons, and ideal fit will be analyzed whereas we break down this potent talent.

Overview:

Weight: 203 lb

Height: 6'10"

Position: PG/F

From: Germany

Birthday: 11/8/1999

Wingspan: 7'0"

Strengths:

• Solid fluid athlete, good mobility for his size

• Excellent vision that, paired with his elite size and length, makes his playmaker potential Giannis/Ben Simmons-eque

• Has honed soft touch with both hands from up to 10 feet out on runners and acrobatic finishes

• Has a strong, aggressive feel to his P&R playmaking contrasting to the passive play of several recent top guard picks such as Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz, and Dante Exum

• Length and impressive size improve his vision and make him a potential lock down defender

• Has a high drive as he tries hard, fights for loose balls, and hustles on both ends

• Adept at taking contact aggressively, averaging 6.5 free throws attempted per 40 minutes

• Excellent free throw shooter as he shoots 92% from the line

Weakness:

• Very slim frame that could need bulking out for NBA success

• Developing shot from 3pt range, shooting only 26.1% on 5.9 3 pointers attempted per 40 minutes

• Although he has tremendous vision, he needs to work on his playmaker IQ as he averages 6 turnovers per 40 minutes; worst comes to worst he can serve more as a point forward than point guard

• Tends to be foul-prone with 4.4 fouls per 40 minutes

Pro Comparisons:

Ceiling: Giannis with a jumpshot

Floor: Omri Casspi

Clearly there's a HUGE gap between his ceiling and his floor. There's no two ways about it. Isaac Bonga is the literal definition of a high-risk high-reward prospect because we his long slender physical build, his unique playmaking, promising shooting, and adept touch around the rim, he has all the tools to become an absolute force in the league. Say his shooting never fully develops, however, such as the case with Bruno Caboclo, or his lack of athleticism catches him lagging behind his competitors, he will still be a long forward with good vision and excellent finishing. He deserves to be taken because even if all he amounts to is his floor, that's still a more-than-competent shooter that can make tough finishes, once made 9 threes in a game, and is making $2.9 million this year.

Ideal Fit(s):

Milwaukee Bucks:

Crazy, I know, but just imagine adding him to the Milwaukee Bucks, who are already chock full of tall athletic guard skilled forwards, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thon Maker, Khris Middleton, and Jabari. This could create a new wave in the NBA and potentially end the era of three point shooting and replace it with an era of tall athletic skilled bigs, led by this championship caliber team.

Chicago Bulls:

The Bulls have had a breakout season from Kris Dunn, a successful injury comeback from Zach Lavine, and an outstanding rookie campaign for Lauri Markkanen, who became the fastest player to 100 three pointers made. They've had holes at the SF and C position however and need another secondary ball handler, so Bonga would fit right in with this rising team.

Portland Trailblazers:

Now this is certainly the least likely team, but the Trailblazers are in desperate need of a cheap and talented two-way combo forward. In comes Bonga. He can replace the combined $28 million yearly salary of Evan Turner and Maurice Harkless and can come in as a secondary ball handler off the bench to team up with breakout star Shabazz Napier.