Two Miami Hurricanes in Bleacher Report 2018 NBA Mock Draft

The Miami Hurricanes have two players in the Bleacher Report’s NBA Mock Draft for 2018. Sophomore Bruce Brown is projected to go 11th to the Charlotte Hornets. Freshman Lonnie Walker one pick later to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Brown is coming off a stellar Freshman season. He carried the Miami Hurricanes in victories over Duke and North Carolina. He also played well against the Tar Heels in a Miami loss in the ACC Tournament.

Brown averaged 26.5 points per game. 5.5 rebounds, three assists and shot 70.8 percent from the field in the two games against North Carolina last season. Against Duke, Brown averaged 20 points, 4.5 rebounds, five assists and shot 60.7 percent from the floor.

Brown showed he’s a big game player. Miami Head Coach Jim Larranaga projects Brown as a point guard at the next level. Brown had a lot of the ball handling and playmaking chores last season when point guard Ja’Quan Newton was suspended for three games.

Larranaga might have Brown at the point more often this season with Newton playing off the ball. Newton came to Miami as a combo guard. He was given the keys to the offense last season without a true point guard on the roster.

Bleacher Report was impressed with Brown’s Freshman season and is high on his future.

"11. Charlotte Hornets: Bruce Brown (Miami, SG, Sophomore)Bruce Brown was solid across the board as a freshman and should be poised for a bigger sophomore role and breakout.At 6’5″, he looks the part of a pro 2-guard and offers scoring, playmaking and defensive potential.Brown was efficient, having shot 51.3 percent inside the arc. The next step is improving behind it, where he’s capable (33-of-95) but not yet proficient."

Walker is the highest ranked Freshman recruit in Miami Basketball history. His presence on the Miami Basketball roster has many high on the Hurricanes projections for the 2017-18 season.

He suffered a torn meniscus in his knee last month. Despite the injury, he is expected to be back in time for the season opener November 10 according to Larranaga.

Bleacher Report projects Walker to be playing in the NBA just over an hour from his hometown in Reading, Pennsylvania. The Hurricanes will play there this season against LaSalle.

"12. Philadelphia 76ers (via Lakers): Lonnie Walker (Miami, SG, Freshman)Lonnie Walker continues to recover from a torn meniscus, but it doesn’t sound like it will limit him once the season starts.He sports an NBA 2-guard body, plus plenty of athleticism and a good-looking jumper out to the arc.Walker, who scored 19 points at the Jordan Brand Classic, has all the tools and necessary skills. Consistency will be the key to his 2018 draft stock."

Walker is the gem in the 2017 Miami Hurricanes 11th ranked recruiting class. Walker is the 14th ranked player in the Class of 2017. Miami also brings in stretch four Sam Waardenburg from New Zealand, post player Deng Gak from Australia and point guard Chris Lykes from Washington D.C.

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Walker, Brown, Newton and Lykes will team with D.J. Vasiljevic to give Miami one of the best backcourts in the country. If Walker is healthy and lives up to his potential, Jim Larranaga could lead Miami to the Sweet 16 for the third time during his tenure with the Hurricanes.

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