Welcome to Glass Slipper! Jalen Williams legitimately looks scared; please enjoy the show.

- Jacob Rhee

**NOTICE: Glass Slipper will arrive on Tuesday and Friday next week.

I know it’s six weeks away. But last year’s crop of prospects was so awful that I can’t wait any longer to fully dive into this one. As always, I’m not telling you what I think these squads should do. This is simply me predicting what will actually happen on draft night. We’ll zone in on the top ten for now.

Pick No. 1 (Mavericks): Cooper Flagg, Duke F

Dallas’s front office arrogantly backstabs its jewel of a superstar, then gets rewarded with another one three months later because of some ping pong balls. It’s one of those moments that validates every person in your life who tells you that sports are stupid.

Nico Harrison has incessantly referenced this goal of building a defensive juggernaut, and the man actually spoke his dream into existence. Lineups with Flagg, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively on the court together are going to produce some fake-looking metrics on that end. If Kyrie Irving is himself after that ACL recovery, we have a legit contender on our hands.

Pick No. 2 (Spurs): Dylan Harper, Rutgers G

Longtime readers know my affinity for Harper. I’d be genuinely startled if he doesn’t make multiple All-Star teams.

The fit in San Antonio is pretty weird; I’m not convinced that three guys who believe they’re Victor Wembanyama’s long-term pick-and-roll partner can coexist. Perhaps a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade would straighten things out. No matter what jersey Harper wears on opening night, his fan base should be giddy with joy. The kid will be strolling to a 20-5-5 stat line by Year 3.

Pick No. 3 (Sixers): Ace Bailey, Rutgers F

This is Philadelphia’s chance to pry open its window of contention. The roster was missing a freakishly athletic forward, and he’s about to fall into Daryl Morey’s lap. Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, Paul George, Ace Bailey, and Joel Embiid? With Jayson Tatum on the shelf in Boston, the Sixers should have a closing group - if fully healthy - that can realistically punch a ticket to the Finals next season.

Bailey has a tendency to drift out of contests sometimes, but his natural scoring ability is really enticing. As long as he comes into the league hungry on both ends, the Sixers’ catastrophic campaign will have been worth it.

Pick No. 4 (Hornets): VJ Edgecombe, Baylor G

I literally talked about Edgecombe and Charlotte being a dream pairing back in February, and here we are. Franchise face LaMelo Ball isn’t exactly a fiery competitor; he needs a fearless backcourt mate who is going to take every defensive challenge, attack the rim with reckless abandon, and bring the juice to the facility on a daily basis.

VJ will win a dunk contest before his 22nd birthday. He’s Victor Oladipo reincarnated, with an even higher ceiling.

Pick No. 5 (Jazz): Kon Knueppel, Duke F

Poor Utah. In a class that I believe has four truly elite prospects, Danny Ainge gets stuck in the fifth slot. The draft has long been a house of horrors for the Jazz; here is a complete list of their first-round additions since that fantastic Donovan Mitchell selection in 2017.

• 2017: Tony Bradley (Indiana)

• 2018: Grayson Allen (Duke)

• 2020: Udoka Azubuike (Kansas)

• 2023: Taylor Hendricks (UCF)

• 2023: Keyonte George (Baylor)

• 2023: Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State)

• 2024: Cody Williams (Colorado)

• 2024: Isaiah Collier (USC)

I’m still holding out hope for my beloved Buckeye Brice, for the record. But if the goal is to find solid starters, that’s an 0-for-8 tally at the moment. Knueppel’s outside shooting makes him an extremely safe pick, which is exactly what the organization needs.

Pick No. 6 (Wizards): Tre Johnson, Texas G

A bucket-getter, through and through. Johnson is an absolute sniper from distance, and he possesses an unshakeable confidence.

Tre doesn’t show much interest in getting to the basket, which is definitely an issue. Washington still has miles of rebuilding to endure, so there’s plenty of time for him to develop on that front.

Pick No. 7 (Pelicans): Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma G

Man, there’s something about this kid. Even though he had his share of rough performances with the Sooners, there wasn’t a player in America that wanted it more. I would go to battle alongside Jeremiah any day of the week.

When the three-point percentage inevitably comes up, you’re looking at a franchise point guard. In a blink, the entire state of Louisiana will be in love with Fears.

Pick No. 8 (Nets): Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois G

I’m not a big Kasparas guy, quite honestly. My belief in him gradually faded throughout the year, when he politely refused to stop giving the ball to the other team. A total of 16 assists and 24 turnovers in his four collegiate postseason games? I don’t think he’s earned a spot in the lottery at all.

Executives are infatuated with tall point guards these days, so Jakucionis won’t be on the board for very long. I personally can’t envision him ever starting on a serious contender, though.

Pick No. 9 (Raptors): Khaman Maluach, Duke C

Maluach didn’t start playing basketball until a few months before the pandemic, and now he’s headed towards a $25 million NBA contract. That’s amazing.

Khaman is a special rim protector, and I think there’s some shooting touch waiting to be unlocked. If he’s still available, I can’t imagine Masai Ujiri going in any other direction.

Pick No. 10 (Rockets): Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph’s F

I’ve seen enough from Amen Thompson to feel comfortable handing him the keys to the organization. He’s that rare. Every selection from this point forward should be made in an attempt to make his life easier.

Fleming fits the bill. 53-39-74 shooting splits this past season, with an absurd 7-foot-5 wingspan. This dude was built for Houston’s culture, and he’ll make that bloodthirsty defense even more punishing.

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