Valley of the Suns
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Marvin Bagley III, the next Phoenix Suns Star

By Joseph Lowery

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 05: Marvin Bagley, Jr., the top high school recruit in the class of 2018, looks on during a Drew League game at Los Angeles Southwest College on August 5th, 2017. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 05: Marvin Bagley, Jr., the top high school recruit in the class of 2018, looks on during a Drew League game at Los Angeles Southwest College on August 5th, 2017. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The basketball world is buzzing with the recent news that Marvin Bagley III has decided to reclassify and commit to play at Duke for the upcoming season.

Besides obviously making Duke a clear-cut Final Four contender for the 2017-2018 season, just how does this move impact the rest of basketball? For starters, it adds another über talented young player to the 2018 NBA Draft – a draft that the Phoenix Suns are likely to once again have a top pick in.

Marvin Bagley III was pegged as the top prospect in his draft class before moving up a year. So clearly MB3 has the goods.

Let’s take a look at exactly what makes Bagley such a promising young player and just why Phoenix should be looking to draft him in 2018.

Size:

Bagley is listed at 6’11” and 220 pounds. He already has NBA height (and a NBA wingspan at just over 7 feet), but he will need to work on his weight and strength before he decides to make his move to NBA. A season at Duke, one of college basketball’s best basketball programs, should help him put on some serious muscle.

Athleticism:

For a 6’11” big man, Marvin Bagley can move. He is an explosive force going to the basket, lightening quick running up and down the court and a dominant shot blocker on the defensive end. Bagley also has extremely impressive body control. For his size, one of the most important parts of development is learning to control a large frame. He is already there. Good body control leads to better post moves, better defensive positioning and better all-around basketball.

Skill:

If you are looking for a rough NBA comparison, think of him as a Joel Embiid-type player. On offense, Bagley has a smooth 3-point stroke, a great handle and a developing post game. He already has a nice floater (a shot that is rapidly becoming a necessity among NBA big men) and a decent hook shot. On defense, MB3 is very adept at using his length to reject shots and using his speed to get easy steals. Bagley also has quick feet which allows him to defend multiple positions, even extending out to beyond the perimeter.

Wrap-up:

For all of the excitement surrounding the Suns’ entrance in to their 50th anniversary season, as well a their new uniforms, there is still a more than likely possibility that Phoenix will be selecting at the top of the draft next summer. If this is the case, then they will once again find themselves searching for superstar talent to pair up with Devin Booker.

If they land the number one pick, are the Phoenix Suns in the market for an exceptionally talented, versatile, offensively advanced big man? You bet they are, and if available in the 2018 draft when they pick, Marvin Bagley III is probably their guy. The Suns’ front office should be salivating over the opportunity to pick up Bagley next summer, and you should be too.

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