With the NBA draft tonight, here is my mock first round. Taking fantasy basketball into account, it is explained how the player can help their potential team immediately. Some are more long-term projects.
1st Pick: Philadelphia 76ers: Markelle Fultz, PG Washington: The 76ers have already won the draft for being able to acquire the No. 1 overall pick and Fultz will be a great fit for them. The Sixers got a lot of production from Joel Embiid, but his health cannot be relied on and they will have to start getting consistent production from their guards. Robert Covington and Dario Saric can both hit long-range jumpers and Fultz assist numbers should be in the six-seven range consistently. Fultz is the most NBA-ready guard of any of the other guards in this draft and the skill expectations of this draft class are massive. Fultz will not have competition at the position and will balance out the Sixers offensive attack. My favorite part about Fultz game is how he controls the pace of the possession when he has the ball. If the defenses collapses on him, he is able to use his momentum to attack the rim at different angles instead bulldozing into the defender who will likely have their feet planted. Fultz will average double figures in scoring and should be playing at least 30 minutes per game. The Sixers traded a future 1st rounder for him along with their pick this season which shows their need for a guy who will be ready to run with the veterans.
2nd Pick: Los Angeles Lakers: Lonzo Ball, PG UCLA: Any doubt that was raised about the Lakers taking Ball disappeared when they traded D’Angelo Russell to Brooklyn. The spot is open for him and his Father has been telling other teams not to draft him. Had the Lakers kept Russell, they would continue to suffer through consistency issues when it comes to guard production. By the end of last season it was difficult to figure out if Russell was better at PG or SG. Ball will fit right in and speed up the offense. The Lakers relied too heavily about getting open in the mid range and they need to speed up their play. Ball’s agility will help him slide through stacks and double screens so he can get to the basket. Ball is another guard with excellent ball-handling ability and he extends well when going up with the ball. He will draw a ton of contact and will lead a ton of breaks. Ball throws quick passes and is good at throwing leading passes from the outlet while other teammates were on the break. There are too many instances in which the guard tries to lead in transition, but it really is about that opening pass that sets the pace for the possession.
3rd Pick: Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum, SF Duke: Even though I thought the Celtics could get more for trading such a big asset in the first overall pick, but regardless, they did not need another guard. They need size! The Celtics can score, run and shoot effectively, but they can’t stop the bleeding from the other end. Their interior defense was virtually non-existent as Al Horford continues to prove he’s not a banger, but a jump-shooting PF with inside ability on offense. Amir Johnson, Kelly Olynyk and Amir Johnson provided limited support and teams walked down the lane like it was an exhibit in a Museum. They need to develop enforcers and even though Tatum will need to put on a bit more of muscle, he’s physical and will sacrifice his body. He has moves on offense, but his defense at the top of the paint is needed desperately. Avery Bradley can’t do anything. It takes a lot to turn your back to a heavily touted prospect in Fultz, but team needs are important and Tatum fits well in their system.
4th Pick: Phoenix Suns: Josh Jackson, SF Kansas: I thought Jackson was a LOCK to go to Phoenix up until about a day ago when they made Eric Bledsoe available in trades. All of a sudden a guard spot opens up and 
De’Aaron Fox could be the play if they deal Bledsoe. The Suns are another team that has enough support from the guard spot and they need guys with size to score inside. The Suns had a revolving door of players helping score inside last season. On the other side of the ball, Jackson’s size is a major sell for defense. The Suns were embarrassing defensively and Jackson can provide that support needed. Jackson also would be a great fit for the Kings as they are another team who needs size. If the Suns address their needs at Forward, Jackson is their guy at this spot. Jackson’s drive to the basket is explosive and will be hard to stop him from attacking once his journey to the basket has begun.
5th Pick: Sacramento Kings: De’Aaron Fox, PG Kentucky: The poor shooting finger is pointing right at Fox and teams know his biggest weakness is outside shooting, but, it’s ok! They have future “franchise player” Buddy Hield to take those long-range shots. The Kings are going through a major transition and having Fox running point will help them with tempo. The Kings guards would give up on their drive too quickly and then force-feed Cousins, until Cousins was traded. Fox has ups at the rim and is a good passer. When watching his footwork, he is good at transferring his body with ball from side to side and can keep the drive going even when trapped. The Kings have shooters, but Fox can help them gain control and stay organized.
6th Pick: Orlando Magic: Dennis Smith Jr, PG North Carolina State: Smith is one of the fiercest attackers in this draft and even with his smaller frame, he is able to do a ton with the ball when driving. Smith is excellent at attacking through the middle of the paint and switching his body mid-air. The Magic have Elfrid Payton, but he needs help, especially on the scoring front. Smith is a very motivated player and you can see that when he is on the court. He is willing to take contact and with the other jump-shooters that the Magic already have, even transitioning Aaron Gordon into one, Smith compliments them with his skills. Smith’s quickness will bolster the offense because the Magic have enough youth that can run with him.
7th Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves: Jonathan Isaac, PF Florida State: The Wolves are addressing defensive needs this offseason and Isaac would be a perfect fit for them. Not only will Isaac be able to have a slow transition, but, he will (hopefully) learn from Gorgui Dieng how to control the paint and box out and not get forced out of the lane. His athleticism will help him attack the basket easily. On defense, he has excellent reach and should be able to block shots in the post. Isaac will make an impact against other teams second units quickly. Last season, the Wolves lost a lot of their big-man depth to injury. Isaac gives them serious depth and will not need to do a lot offensively. Having Isaac manning the paint allows Karl-Anthony Towns to continue burning defenses from the elbow.
8th Pick: New York Knicks: Frank Ntilikina, PG France: Phil Jackson loves European’s (except Kristaps Porzingis right now) and Ntilikina has been linked to the Knicks for a while. It’s a great marriage! The Knicks have needed a PG for years and Ntilikina, is the speedster they need. The Knicks would be able to play him both on and off the ball. Ntilikina is able to drive into traffic deep in the paint, and still find a way to control his dribble and take the ball back outside and shoot. Ntilikina does not need a lot of time to shoot as he has a very quick shot release. Ntilikina is a strong defender as well and that is definitely another area the Knicks could use assistance in. With Ntilikina and Courtney Lee on the floor, teams will find it hard to get openings for shots and will have to force themselves inside more. This backcourt will slow down the opposing team’s pace. Could the pick be traded, along with Porzingis?
9th Pick: Dallas Mavericks: Lauri Markkanen, PF Arizona: I don’t like making player comparisons because you get situations in which Jahlil Okafor is touted as the next Tim Duncan, YIKES! In this case, Markkanen plays a very similar style to Dirk Nowitzki and with Nowitzki aging and in the twilight of his career, he has to pass his skills on to the next generation of players and Markkanen can learn how to harness his craft at a professional level. Markkanen can drive and shoot outside. When met with a straight up hand while driving, he is good at switching his body and the ball to the opposite hand while in flight. Size is not on his side and he isn’t the best defender, but Nowitzki had a similar frame when he came into the league. Markkanen will learn how to be a Point-Forward from the original Point-Forward in Dallas.
10th Pick: Sacramento Kings: Malik Monk, SG Kentucky: The Kings need a compliment to Buddy Hield and that player must be one who attacks the rim with force. Hield can stick to burning teams from mid-range and Monk, with his tremendous ups, will be the attacker. The Kings think the world of Hield but he has a lot of growing to do and the Kings will need to make it a slow transition. Having Monk on the floor with Hield will cause defenses to back off. The Kings should be able to land two attackers in this draft as they lost a lot of their rim attacking ability when DeMarcus Cousins was traded. Monk could play some time at PG as well and control the flow of the offense.
11th Pick: Charlotte Hornets: Luke Kenard, SG Duke: The Hornets need depth and have a very scoring dependant frontcourt. Adding Dwight Howard balances them out and gives them an inside presence, but, once you get past the starters, there is not much left and the Hornets did have to part with Marco Belinelli when they traded for Howard. Kenard is not only an incredible long-range shooter, but he will be an excellent free-throw shooter and will be a nice spark off the bench to start. Kenard is a hustler and will get a lot of time with the ball and should be playing 20 minutes a game his rookie season if he lands with the Hornets.
12th Pick: Detroit Pistons: Donovan Mitchell, SG Louisville: Detroit is historically known for their toughness, but they have not found the right fit to lead their guards. Reggie Jackson regressed majorly last season and even though Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was effective from the elbow, they need a guard who will sacrifice his body and Mitchell will do so. Expect Mitchell to come off the bench to draw contact. Mitchell is tough and it will be hard for defenders not to come with in contact. Mitchell will pump fake multiple times to try to catch his defender off guard.
13th Pick: Denver Nuggets: OG Anunoby, SF/PF Indiana: Like Detroit, Denver is in the market for a tough, gritty player and Anunoby is a good fit for them. They are set at Center with Nikola Jokic, but they need more and they were missing a strong secondary piece up front and while Jokic will look to create from the elbow working in, Anunoby can compliment him by playing exclusively in the paint and give the Nuggets a second chance opportunity. Not all players drafted are expected to be game-changers, but players like Anunoby are a good piece to any team because of that defensive commitment.
14th Pick: Miami Heat: T.J. Leaf, PF UCLA: The Heat have their dominant force in Hassan Whiteside, but he can use help and Leaf trailing behind him would work perfectly. Leaf would be great at cutting inside the open lane once defenses collapse on Whiteside. Whiteside requires a lot of attention and is hard to stop once he’s driving. James Johnson was very productive last season because of this and like Johnson, Leaf will benefit by getting open baby jumpers and layups. The Heat have enough guards and their stud Center. They would be addressing a serious need by adding Leaf.
15th Pick: Portland Trail Blazers: Zach Collins, C Gonzaga: The only gripe against Collins is his defense, but that can be learned in time and Jusuf Nurkic needs back up. Collins is an excellent lane driver and will fit well along with the post-player in Nurkic.
16th Pick: Chicago Bulls: Justin Jackson, SF North Carolina: Bottom line, the Bulls need shooters and after trading their depth away last season, they were unable to hang with the Celtics (much deeper team) in the Playoffs. 
As soon as the Bulls lost Rondo, they lost all of their momentum and fatigue settled in. Jackson would be a good knockdown three-point shooter for them.
17th Pick: Milwaukee Bucks: John Collins, PF Wake Forrest: The Bucks need interior help and Greg Monroe woke up in the Playoffs and then opted in to stay with the Bucks. When it rains for Monroe when he’s in, it pours and having a more defensive centric player in Collins could be a good compliment to their starters. Collins, because of his defense, can absolutely start at Center on this team. He would be a much more effective option than John Henson and with the injuries the Bucks have faced over the last few years, he could secure a good amount of playing time early.
18th Pick: Indiana Pacers: Terrance Ferguson SG (Played in Australia instead of College): Players who choose to play overseas instead of college tend to scare me off, but because the Pacers need more consistency at their Shooting Guard spot, Ferguson fits. Ferguson is quick and will take a bit to hone his craft as he gets used to the uptick in competition in the U.S. compared to the land down under. He will develop into a good spark off the bench for the Pacers who will attack.
19th Pick: Atlanta Hawks: Jarrett Allen, C Texas: With Dwight Howard gone and likely Paul Millsap done in Atlanta as well, the Hawks need size. Allen has a great wingspan and he is very defensive-minded and that fits the model the Hawks front office wants to go with.
20th Pick: Portland Trail Blazers: Semi Ojeleye, PF SMU: Ojeleye will be able to play multiple positions and contribute on both ends of the court. He will need to gain a bit of muscle mass, but he will able to create with the ball at the Forward spot and the Blazers need to improve their SF/PF depth.
21st Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder: Jawun Evans PG, Oklahoma State: Evans is a quick driver who can keep the pace of the offense at a quick level and he can learn how to take advantage of defenses not being set by learning from Russell Westbrook. Evans will allow Westbrook some breathing room and the offense will still be controlled.
22nd Pick: Brooklyn Nets: Justin Patton, C Creighton: The Nets know they need more than Timofey Mozgov can offer. Mozgov can handle himself on the court in small doses, but will be limited offensively. Patton can shoot from mid-range and can cause match up problems for the opposition.
23rd Pick: Toronto Raptors: D.J. Wilson, PF Michigan: If the Raptors end up losing Serge Ibaka, Wilson’s style of play can help fill that void. He is a bigger player with ups who uses his hops well on defense, but on offense, he sticks to the elbow and beyond.
24th Pick: Utah Jazz: Harry Giles, PF Duke: Derrick Favors health cannot be trusted and Rudy Gobert needs help up front as he is coming off of an injury in the playoffs. Giles plays big and will be able to handle the paint while Gobert is on the drive.
25th Pick: Orlando Magic: Jordan Bell PF Oregon: The Magic can use this spot to give Aaron Gordon some help on the defensive end. The Magic want Gordon to be an offensive force and having Bell will be able to balance out the Magic’s PF spot. They are already set with Vucevic at Center.
26th Pick: Portland Trail Blazers: Anzejs Pasecniks, C Latvia: The Blazers will use their final first round pick on a project and in an effort to continue to bolster their frontcourt they will take another big who can bang. He will take time to develop.
27th Pick: Los Angeles Lakers: Bam Adebayo, C Kentucky: The Lakers will need to play SOME interior defense this season and Brook Lopez is not the best defender, but Adebayo proved that it is hard to box him out of the lane and will be able to score in the paint while Lopez takes mid-range jumpers.
28th Pick: Los Angeles Lakers: Derrick White, G Colorado: Lonzo Ball will get the starting nod, but having fresh legs at the position will be key for the Lakers. Both guards can learn the offense together as rookies and the Lakers can even play White off the ball as he can shoot off the screen.
29th Pick: San Antonio Spurs: Ike Anigbogu, C SAS: The Spurs love projects and Anigbogu definitely is one. The Spurs will need to get more help up-front, especially if Pau Gasol does not return. Anigbogu is a long-term project though and will be stashed.
30th Pick: Utah Jazz: Frank Jackson, G Duke: The Jazz may lose George Hill in the offseason and they need to add a few guards and having Jackson’s quickness coming off the bench will be beneficial to them and too much won’t be asked of him early. The Jazz have had issues with guards getting hurt and being out for extended periods of time.