2018 NBA Mock Draft: Early first round projections

With the NBA at the midpoint of the season and college basketball in full swing, fans, scouts, and GM's from all across the league are getting a good idea of where teams stand and which young prospects are going to be the next wave of players to hit the big stage and possibly lead a franchise to a title over the next decade.

It's always interesting to see the progression young players make after leaving high school. The biggest success story thus far isn't happening in the NCAA, but rather in Spain.

Luka Doncic is taking the basketball world by storm with his play for Real Madrid in the Euro League. The 18-year-old is averaging 17.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists this season and has catapulted himself to the top of the latest player rankings.

Orlando has struggled this season and reports have the Magic making some major changes to the roster in the coming months. Adding a young international star could be the first step in the rebuilding process for the franchise and by all appearances, Doncic is just the man for the job.

Atlanta is in a good position to take some positive steps in the right direction this off-season. The Hawks own three picks in the opening round of the players Draft and have the room under the salary cap to add some veteran experience to help the newbies next year.

The latest mock from Tankathon has the front office looking at Arizona center DeAndre Ayton. At 7'0" and movement like a small forward, this 19-year-old has impressed. Ayton is averaging 20.2 points and 11.3 rebounds this year. He would be a great fit for a Hawks squad that has depth issues in the paint.

Another terrific story coming from college basketball this season is the rise of Oklahoma guard Trae Young. The Sooners' dynamic young backcourt star has hit the ground running in his first season in Norman, averaging over 29.5 points and 9.8 assists per game; mind-boggling numbers from the 19-year-old.

With Cleveland owning the rights to Brooklyn's first round pick, don't be surprised to see the Cavs front office add some scoring punch to the backcourt and get LeBron James the help he needs to win another NBA Championship.

Another team that has struggled over the last decade, but has a good chance of turning things around are the Phoenix Suns. The Suns also have three picks in round one and will use these selections to add some much-needed talent and depth to their roster.

Point guard seems the logical first step for the franchise and this years draft class is deep at the position. Freshman Collin Sexton of Alabama is another young man climbing the player rankings. With a 6'7" wingspan and above-average outside shooting skills, scouts project this 6'2" backcourt chap to be one of the top-10 players selected this summer and a good starting point for the Suns to finally make some noise in the Western Conference.

There's still plenty of big games, including the NCAA Tournament for players to get noticed, but for these youngsters who have shown brilliance already, the next few months can elevate them even higher. But this will happen only if they continue to perform at a high level, both on and off the basketball court.