Everyone has a favorite prodigy on N.B.A. draft night, an evaluative insight to share in 140 characters or more.
On Thursday night, many praised the boldness of the Philadelphia 76ers for trading up to take Markelle Fultz, who played at Washington, with the first pick over all. Others insisted that Lonzo Ball, who played at U.C.L.A. and went second, to the Los Angeles Lakers, would emerge as the class of 2017’s best player, the next Jason Kidd.
There even were claims that the Knicks had landed their own sleeper in point guard Frank Ntilikina, an 18-year-old Frenchman.