San Francisco Chronicle

At No. 28, some who could help Warriors

- By Connor Letourneau

Few facts illustrate the Warriors’ reign atop the NBA better than this: Whoever Golden State takes with the No. 28 pick in Thursday’s draft will be the franchise’s highest selection since it snagged Harrison Barnes seventh overall in 2012.

With multiple promising young big men under contract, the Warriors appear interested in taking a wing player capable of immediatel­y sliding into the rotation. There will be plenty of options in a draft pool that, outside of the top 10 or so prospects, is loaded with skilled shooting guards and small forwards.

Here is a look at eight wings whom Golden State could consider selecting at No. 28:

⏩ Donte DiVincenzo, shooting guard, Villanova For a player projected to go in the latter half of the first round, DiVincenzo has few weaknesses. He has NBA size and a willingnes­s to sacrifice numbers in the name of winning. On a loaded Villanova squad, DiVincenzo shot 48.1 percent from the field, including 40.1 percent from three-point range. With his teammates struggling to find the range in the national championsh­ip game against Michigan, he needed only 15 shots to pour in 31 points off the bench. The catch: DiVincenzo will probably be off the board by No. 28.

⏩ Melvin Frazier, small forward, Tulane Though his offense remains a

work in progress, Frazier is a skilled enough defender to find an immediate role in an NBA rotation. With a 7-foot wingspan and quick feet, he can cover a lot of ground, get into passing lanes and guard four positions. Frazier, who played at Tulane under former NBA head coach Mike Dunleavy Sr., has a knack for getting to the rim. But to carve out a long NBA career, he’ll probably need to improve his shooting: Frazier attempted only 19 jump shots inside the arc last season.

⏩ Gary Trent Jr., shooting guard, Duke

It’s easy to see why mock drafts have Trent going to Golden State at No. 28. With the Warriors expected to say farewell to Nick Young this summer, Trent could provide scoring punch off the bench. He shot 40.2 percent from threepoint range as a freshman last season. To be more than a specialist, Trent will need to improve his lateral quickness and give more consistent effort defensivel­y.

⏩ Jacob Evans III, small forward, Cincinnati

Evans is the type of player the Warriors covet: a do-everything wing who can defend multiple positions, hit the open threepoint­er, organize an offense and block shots. As a junior last season, he led a Bearcats team devoid of top-end talent to a school-record 31 wins and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Evans doesn’t appear to have the upside of other prospects, but he could fill a role off the bench as a rookie.

⏩ Josh Okogie, shooting guard, Georgia Tech

Okogie isn’t especially polished, but he is the kind of athletic, high-ceiling pick who can make general managers look smart. He has the length — though listed at just 6-foot-4, Okogie has a 7-foot wingspan — that Golden State prizes. The Warriors’ depth could allow him to come along slowly. Though an aggressive scorer, Okogie needs to work on being productive off the ball.

⏩ Khyri Thomas, shooting guard, Creighton

Thomas is a late-blooming shooting guard who is just a so-so athlete by NBA standards, but he is a steady playmaker who seldom makes mistakes and plays with a high motor. Thompson’s efficiency — as a junior last season, he shot 53.8 percent from the field, including 41.1 percent from three-point range — helps make him a low-risk option late in the first round.

⏩ Grayson Allen, shooting guard, Duke

Allen is one of the draft’s most polarizing prospects, but there is a lot for the Warriors to like. He spent four seasons playing for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke. He is an underrated athlete who posted a 40.5-inch vertical leap at the NBA combine. He is an elite competitor who prioritize­s winning over statistics. He is a solid shooter adept at moving off the ball. The knock on Allen, one of the oldest players in the draft, is that he is overly emotional and needs to play more discipline­d. However, Golden State has shown that it won’t rein in a player’s bravado as long as that tenacity helps set an aggressive tone. Just look at Draymond Green.

⏩ Chandler Hutchison, small forward, Boise State

At 6-foot-7 and 197 pounds with a well-rounded skill set, Hutchison is a natural fit for the modern NBA game. He is an impressive playmaker who often initiated the offense in college. With a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Hutchison should be able to guard multiple positions in the NBA. Though his upside may be limited, he is an intelligen­t off-ball cutter who could thrive as a role player in the Warriors’ movement-heavy system.

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