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Los Angeles Lakers: Top Pac-12 players available in 2018 NBA Draft

By Shereen Rayan

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 17: Rob Pelinka, Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers and Joe Lacob of the Golden State Warriors attend the NBA Draft Combine Day 1 at the Quest Multisport Center on May 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 17: Rob Pelinka, Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers and Joe Lacob of the Golden State Warriors attend the NBA Draft Combine Day 1 at the Quest Multisport Center on May 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 10: Arizona guard Rawle Alkins (1) dunks on USC guard Elijah Stewart (30) during the championship game of the mens Pac-12 Tournament between the USC Trojans and the Arizona Wildcats on March 10, 2018, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 10: Arizona guard Rawle Alkins (1) dunks on USC guard Elijah Stewart (30) during the championship game of the mens Pac-12 Tournament between the USC Trojans and the Arizona Wildcats on March 10, 2018, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

 Arizona (4 players – three on list)

  • Rawle Alkins, G, sophomore, Arizona (Agent)
  • Deandre Ayton,  F/C, freshman, Arizona (Agent, Top 3 pick)
  • Allonzo Trier, G, junior, Arizona (Agent, worked out for Lakers pre-combine)
  • Dusan Ristic, C, Senior, Arizona (Agent, worked out three times for the Kings)
Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers /

Los Angeles Lakers

Just to warn you, I have been writing about some of these players for years, so I am partial to getting a Wildcat on the Lakers squad. Heck, 80% of the Lakers coaches are Wildcats. You can count out getting Deandre Ayton, he is projected first pick to the Arizona Suns. Ayton is an Arizona’s son so to speak, originally from the Bahamas. The Lakers could trade up for him as Magic Johnson took in a few of his games this season at the Pac-12 Tournament in Vegas where Ayton was one of the dominant players leading the Wildcats to the Championship Trophy.

Another key player for the Wildcats last season was my favorite, Rawle Alkins. Alkins posterized USC senior Elijah Stewart with a dunk heard around the globe. King Rawle, his nickname, tweeted out the replay and the Tweet garnered 20,000+ likes and almost 10,000 retweets. He got attention from UCLA’s Kris Wilkes, the actor-rapper Rotimi and more. The dunk earned No. 4 in the ESPN SCTOP 10 plays of the day. He proved he can get the crowd going, he is a fan favorite, and he is great at running his own social media (@kingrawle on IG, @iam_RawleAlkins on Twitter).

Alkins is a glue guy, who prides himself on being positionless and versatile. The Brooklyn native is known for his toughness and turning games around with his all-around game. Bill Walton feels Rawle is the key to the Wildcats turning around the team, he has mentioned it many times as well as all the Arizona broadcasters. The day Alkins returned to the Wildcat lineup, Coach Sean Miller wiped his brow, he had the game-changer back on the court. Miller relied on Alkins for much of last season.

Alkins was out with a foot injury and the team struggled, but when he came back, and he recovered quickly, the team started winning and ended up with a home record of 21-4 winning the regular season and Pac-12 tournament (back-to-back). Alkins repeated his great NBA Combine performance standing out again this year scoring 17 points and blocking five shots.

Allonzo Trier has the hops and shooting ability to put points on the board. He also can drive to the basket and draw fouls and made 86.5% of his free-throws. Miller relied on Zo (yes there will be another Zo in the NBA) throughout his three years in Tucson and has nothing but glowing things to say about his Wildcat. He is an ice-in-his-veins type of player who doesn’t lose his composure in tight situations. Zo has already worked out for the Lakers prior to the Combine so there is a chance.

Dusan Ristic played well in his second game at the Portsmouth Invitational. He is a 7-foot Serbian who can throw down a three. He showed towards the end of his senior year that he can be a true leader on the team and coach on the court. If he brings his beast mode, he can be a sleeper in the draft or free agency. This is not lost on the Sacramento Kings who have worked him out three times so far. The Kings also worked out Alkins. Dus, as fans call him, showed he can be a force to recon with. Ristic will try out with the Lakers this coming Tuesday along with Lonzo Ball’s brother LiAngelo.

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