With the NBA Finals officially wrapped up and the NBA draft just around the corner, plenty of major outlets have begun to release their final boards and prospect rankings. While everyone has different things that they value and by no means does anybody in the media have the same insight that people in the league have, it still is a good sign to see guys ranked by those with credibility.
In former Wisconsin standout Nick Boyd’s case, he has recently begun to pick up some steam, getting draft buzz at just the right time to carry momentum into the event. In The New York Times' most recent board by Sam Vecenie, Boyd slotted in at No. 53, placing him well within the draftable sphere.
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Nick Boyd continues to face an uphill battle for the NBA Draft
The 25-year-old guard was forced to make up for a lot of lost ground in this predraft cycle, as it is incredibly rare for a player his age with his physical limitations to see serious buzz as an NBA prospect. The road was particularly treacherous for Boyd due to the fact that he only had one year of truly high-level production, as for every other season in his college tenure, he was relegated to secondary and tertiary roles.
On top of that, Boyd didn't exactly show all the ideal things that NBA teams look for in smaller guards, as his lack of nuance as a driver, limited playmaking ability and wavering defensive effort were definitely issues that needed addressing. However, Boyd battled through it all and has built himself a solid draft résumé.
For one, he's been a winner at every level dating all the way back to his sophomore year of college, where he started on an FAU team that made it all the way to the Final Four. Boyd followed that season up with three more NCAA Tournament appearances, giving him quite the winning résumé over his collegiate career.
Boyd then proved he could hold his own in a room full of his peers, playing two very solid NBA Combine scrimmage games where he showed the more nuanced portions of his game that were previously dormant. All in all, Boyd has proven himself to be a legitimate NBA prospect and has now been rewarded with serious draft consideration.
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