Which Ignite Prospect Will Provide the Most Draft Value?

Despite a tough season from Ignite, plenty of talent resides on its roster. Which player will provide the highest level of play versus his projected draft slot?

Let’s check out the options:

Ron Holland

The top prospect on the Ignite, Ronald Holland, despite what many want to say about Matas Buzelis, has the best chance of being a high-end NBA player due to a confluence of factors.

The first and most important aspect of Holland's game is his athleticism and rebounding, followed by, in no particular order: (a) his ability to attack the basket off the dribble and off the cut, (b) the close-out ability on the defensive end due to his ground-coverage athleticism, and (c) the burgeoning skill to be a secondary ball handler and distributor. 

Though a highly skilled passing point forward he is not, Ronald Holland is improving in the passing game, and has developed a much more functional handle in terms of accessing these passes.

Considered arguably the top player in the entire 2024 NBA Draft class, it will be hard to say necessarily that Holland will provide the most value relative to his draft spot. 

Projected: Top Five Pick

Matas Buzelis

The other major star of the Ignite is versatile point forward Matas Buzelis, a 6-foot-10 ball handler that can perform a myriad of offensive tasks and who is beginning to stand out on the defensive end of things as well. 

Compared some to Franz Wagner and other talented jumbo guard/wing combos that have European swagger to their games, Buzelis isn't simply a guy that possesses a majorly multifaceted offensive skillset, but a guy whose talent on the other end is starting to pop. 

Against the Iowa Wolves on Jan. 31st, Buzelis recorded four blocks, but added even more to the defensive side than just rejections. 

At a crucial part in the game, Buzelis closed out on an Iowa shooter and forced an airball, resulting in possession for the Ignite. He also created tough looks in the paint, using his length to contest near the basket. 

Buzelis has been up-and-down in certain boards, but will, like Holland, probably be taken very high, so it may be tough to significantly over-perform his selection spot. 

Projected: Top 10 Pick

Izan Almansa

A really underrated post player, Izan Almansa was dominant in Ignite's first win of the season as well, playing against legitimate NBA talent in former Ignite star himself Leonard Miller. 

Though Miller is not a powerful, defense-first center, he is still a 6-foot-11 forward with a ton of skill, and yet an 18-year-old Almansa had 20 points on 8-for-11 from the field and eight rebounds, consistently getting to his spot on the block, posting up, and using a drop-step to get himself in position to score. 

Almansa demonstrated defensive ability as well with a massive block towards the end of the game where he rotated over on the help defense and rejected a driving guard's attempt. 

While he may not be the best player on Ignite this season, he may be the player that creates the best value for his team from where he's selected. If he is taken around the 15-to-20 spots, he could easily outplay his selection spot. 

Projected: Top 15 Pick

Tyler Smith

Forward Tyler Smith, while possibly the fourth player on this team drafted, also has a chance to fly up draft boards and be taken earlier than most think.

Standing at 6-foot-11 and being able to shoot the three-ball the way that Smith can on legitimate volume makes him an extremely attractive prospect.

With his size, he's naturally able to get his hands on some rebounds, though lacks the motor of a Holland. Against the Iowa Wolves, he hit a major shot to tie the game towards the end, one of the primary factors in forcing overtime

Because the Ignite players aren't judged on team success (at all), it makes sense that when they do win, it's important to see who contributed when it mattered, and Smith did. Though he was just 6-for-12 from the field, he was 3-for-6 from deep and recorded 15 points. 

Smith is the wild card here, because his draft stock remains a bit of a mystery. He's a first-rounder, no doubt, but also a candidate to be a bit of a surprising top-10 pick. 

Due to this, it's difficult to extrapolate whether Smith will overplay or underplay his value. 

Projected: First Round

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