US media re-arranges the 2018 draft: Brunson counterattack, Trae Young is 4th, No. 1 pick

Time flies, and the 2018 NBA rookies have been working hard in the league for many years. They gradually gained a foothold, realized their talents, and grew into the backbone of each team and even the core.

Recently, the US media "Hoop Central" reranked the draft, with Brunson's ranking counterattack, Trae Young rose to fourth place, and No. 1 pick Ayton fell to tenth place. So, let’s take a look at the specific ranking of this list.

10. Aiton (formerly No. 1 pick)

As the original No. 1 pick, Aiton has top inside talent, 2.13 meters tall, 2.27 meters wingspan, excellent athletic ability and soft shooting feel, which is also the key to why he was elected as the No. 1 pick. However, Ayton's performance on the field failed to meet expectations. Despite his double-double data of 16+10 per game, his defensive attitude and game hardness are questioned, which has caused him to slip to tenth place in the rearrangement.

9. Divinchenzo (formerly 17th pick)

Divinchenzo was selected by the Bucks with the 17th pick in the 2018 draft. Later, he played an important role in the Bucks' championship. He was known for his tough defense and outside shooting. He was a reliable helper around Antetokounmpo at that time. So far in his career, Divinchenzo averaged 10.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

8, Sexton (formerly No. 8)

Sexton was the No. 8 pick in 2018 and was selected by the Cavaliers at the time. After James joined the Lakers, Sexton was trained by the Cavaliers as the core of the team building, but his growth rate failed to meet the team's expectations and was eventually traded to the Jazz in 2022. However, Sexton can still rank eighth in this reorder.

7. Porter Jr. (formerly 14th pick)

Porter Jr. has extremely excellent physical fitness and good shooting ability, so he was also known as the "Successor of Durant" in the draft. After being selected by the Nuggets, Porter Jr. quickly became a right-hand man next to Jokic. Although Porter Jr. was questioned for his injuries and instability, he was undoubtedly one of the important puzzles for the Nuggets to win the championship when he was healthy. With his outstanding performance and championship wins in the Nuggets, Porter rose to seventh place in the rearrangement.

6. Bridges (formerly 10th pick)

Bridges was selected by the Suns with the 10th pick in the 2018 draft. After entering the league, Bridges made his mark as a high-quality 3D. His excellent running without the ball and defensive enthusiasm have provided the team with many aspects, becoming the backbone of the team, helping the Suns to the finals in 2021, and this season, he helped the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals. With its stable and efficient performance, Bridges ranked sixth in the rearrangement.

5. Jaren Jackson Jr. (formerly No. 4)

As the inside core of the Grizzlies, 3J is good at protecting the basket and shooting from the outside. His height and wingspan advantages make him extremely deterrent on the inside defensive end, and his outside shooting ability also provides space for the team's offense. So far in his career, Jackson has been selected as the Best Defensive Player 1 time, 2 times blocking the shots, 2 times selected as the Best Defensive Team, and 2 times All-Star. The reason why his ranking declined was not because he performed poorly, but because the first few people were too outstanding.

4. Trae Young (formerly 5th pick)

Trae Young was selected by the Mavericks with the fifth pick in the 2018 draft and was then traded to the Hawks. As the core of the Hawks' offensive, Trae Young averaged nearly 20 points per game in his rookie season, and led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in the third year of his career. Despite his shortcomings on the defensive end, his offensive talent and team record have brought him up to fourth place in the rearrangement.

3. Brunson (formerly 33 pick)

Brunson is undoubtedly the most inspiring player of this class. He was originally a second round pick, but later gradually grew into an All-Star backcourt with an average of 26+3+7 per game. This year, he led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals as a core identity. Brunson's counterattack path is inspiring, from a undrafted player to the team's core, which is why he was able to counterattack to third place in the rearrangement.

2. Alexander (formerly the 11th pick)

As the leader in the Clippers' trading in George back then, no one could have thought that Alexander could grow into an MVP-level player. In his rookie season, Alexander averaged only 10 points and 3 assists per game. By this season, he averaged 32+5+6, and was elected as the scoring leader and won the MVP. And it should be known that Alexander is still improving.

1. Doncic (formerly third pick)

Doncic was selected by the Hawks with the third pick in the 2018 draft and was then traded to the Mavericks. Since entering the NBA, Doncic has shown his super potential. He led the team to the playoffs for many years and was selected as the best team for five consecutive years, and was once the scoring leader. Last year, Doncic led the Mavericks to the finals. Although he failed to win the championship, he has proved that he is the best player in the 18th draft.