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Published Jun 22, 2017
NBA Draft Preview: What will draft night be like for Isaac, Bacon, others?
Ryan S. Clark  •  TheOsceola
Lead Beat Writer
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@ryan_s_clark
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Soon enough, all the mock drafts and mock drafts about mock drafts will cease once the NBA Draft starts tonight in Brooklyn, N.Y.

For every NBA franchise and their fanbase, the draft represents either short- or long-term change. For Florida State fans, this year's edition could prove to be something of a memorable night.

It appears almost certain that the Seminoles will have two players selected in forward Jonathan Isaac and swingman Dwayne Bacon. Others like center Michael Ojo and point guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes are expected to sign free-agent deals.

Here's a glance at FSU's draft history and also what to expect when the draft commences:

FSU Basketball in the NBA Draft

Number of First-Round Picks: FSU has had 11 first-round picks in school history.

Highest First-Round Pick: Dave Cowens, drafted fourth by the Boston Celtics in 1970.

Most First-Round Picks In One Draft: In 1993, the Seminoles had two players selected in the first round. Doug Edwards was drafted 15th by the Atlanta Hawks while Sam Cassell would go 24th to the Houston Rockets.

Most Recent First-Round Pick: Malik Beasley, drafted 19th by the Denver Nuggets in 2016.

Most Players Selected In One Draft: FSU had three players selected in 1981 when the draft was 10 rounds. Since the draft moved to its current two-round format in 1989, the Seminoles have had two years -- 1993 and 2010 -- where it had two players selected in the same draft.

Worth noting: Isaac will become the third straight FSU underclassman to go in the first round joining Beasley and Chris Singleton, who went 18th to the Washington Wizards in 2011.

FSU Prospect No. 1: Jonathan Isaac, SF/PF

Height and Weight: 6-foot-10 and 210 pounds

2016-17 Stats: 12.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 50.8 FG%, 34.8 3PT%

The Skinny: The general consensus has Issac going sixth to the Orlando Magic, while a new mock draft posted this morning on NBA.com had him going seventh to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Should Isaac go sixth, he'll be the second-highest draft pick in school history and the second straight player to go in the first round.

The consensus is that Isaac has a chance to be a difference maker in his first season. A number of experts consider him to be the best wing player in this draft. He has several aspects which make him intriguing. His slender build has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant and Paul George among others. Isaac has proven he can be reliable on the defensive end, while his offensive approach is also smooth. The lone concern is how quickly he can add muscle to his wiry frame.

FSU Prospect No. 2: Dwayne Bacon, SG/SF

Height and Weight: 6-7 and 220 pounds

2016-17 Stats: 17.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 45.2 FG%, 33.3 3PT%

The Skinny: Several mock drafts have Bacon going in the second round. From there, is where the opinions differ. Sports Illustrated has Bacon going 48th to the Milwaukee Bucks and notes he's worth a "dart throw" given his size and scoring ability. NBA.com has Bacon going 55th to the Utah Jazz and states he'll need to further develop his perimeter game going forward.

CBS Sports has the most praise for Bacon. They have him going 46th to the Philadelphia 76ers. They feel if Bacon can become a better defender, he could be the second-round steal of the draft.

FSU Prospect No. 3: Xavier Rathan-Mayes, PG

Height and Weight: 6-4 and 208 pounds

2016-17 Stats: 10.6 points, 4.8 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 45.3 FG%, 32.3 3PT%

The Skinny: Although Rathan-Mayes had a number of NBA workouts, it would be a surprise to see him get drafted Thursday. He worked out with the Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers and his hometown Toronto Raptors to name a few.

Rathan-Mayes showed he could be a pesky on-the-ball defender last season at FSU, which is one of the reasons why he could get a summer league invite or perhaps make a team's preseason roster.

FSU Prospect No. 4: Michael Ojo, C

Height and Weight: 7-1 and 304 pounds

2016-17 Stats: 4.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.9 blocks

The Skinny: Ojo showed major growth in his final college season yet is expected to either sign as an undrafted free agent or spend next season playing overseas.

The massive center had a workout with the Detroit Pistons in late May. Ojo's most recent workout came with the Sixers on Tuesday. If there's a team in need of a center with size, who is strong defensively but still a major project on offense, Ojo would be a strong candidate.

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