The NBA mock draft 2018 edition has been continuously updated over the months leading up towards June. In a few weeks from now, fans will officially see where top players like Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, and Luka Doncic will be drafted to. As of right now, it appears that the top pick is pretty safe bet, but as far as Doncic's prospects, that's a different story. Here's a look at the projected top five of the NBA Draft 2018, as of right now.

1. Deandre Ayton - Suns

The Phoenix Suns had the luck of the ping pong balls bouncing in their favor.

That meant the team that features sharpshooter Devin Booker and a host of other young talents expected to really propel this team, has a chance at the biggest star in the draft. With that pick, it's looking like they'll have a similar story to last year's No. 2 selection, as the L.A. Lakers brought UCLA's Lonzo Ball to help guide the franchise.

The majority of sports websites that have posted mock drafts believe that Arizona's Deandre Ayton is the No. 1 pick without question. SB Nation has continued to suggest that it should be Luka Doncic based on the level of talent he can bring to the table, but Phoenix isn't going to pass on a solid big man to help on their frontline, especially after seeing the type of contribution Joel Embiid has brought to Philly.

2. Marvin Bagley III - Kings

Another year, another Duke prospect, but there are plenty of scouts out there who believe Marvin Bagley is the real deal. Bagley finished his freshman season with averages of 21 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. At 6-foot-11 he could provide the Sacramento Kings with the new star power forward they've been looking for since trading away longtime star DeMarcus Cousins.

Most teams won't complain about having a talent like Bagley on their frontline with the potential for double-double games on the regular.

While ESPN and Bleacher Report both believe that Bagley is the best fit at No.

2 for Sacramento, SB Nation reports that they feel Ayton would go second. Both Sports Illustrated and Tankathon have Doncic sitting in that second slot at the moment. However, Sacramento is a team that ranked third-to-last in rebounding with only the Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks below them so it seems to make sense they'd go with Bagley at this spot.

3. Jaren Jackson Jr. - Hawks

Once the first two picks have been settled, it's expected that the Atlanta Hawks will take Jaren Jackson Jr. for the No. 3 pick. The Hawks are a proud franchise that has struggled ever since parting ways with All-Star players like Al Horford and Paul Milsap. However, they added Wake Forest's John Collins who showed promise in the frontcourt this past season, and now they'll look to a player who was said to have an impressive showing at the NBA Draft Combine.

With Jaren Jackson Jr., the Hawks would add a great complement for Collins in the frontcourt. Atlanta is yet another team that ranks in the bottom third of the league in rebounding so it's a glaring need to address. With Jackson, they'd get a 6-foot-11 power forward from Michigan State who has a 7-foot-4 wingspan and a 9-foot-1 standing reach. NBADraft.net says Jackson "fits the mold for the ideal big man" in the league today. Much like several other guys in the league today he also is the son of a former NBA star, hence the "Jr." in his name.

4. Luka Doncic - Grizzlies

This is where things could get interesting, as Luka Doncic had been heralded by many mock drafts through the past months as the No. 1, or at least, No. 2 pick. However, ESPN reported last month that if the Phoenix Suns grab Ayton at No. 1 as they are expected to, that the two teams after the Suns will also select big men, as mentioned above. That leaves Doncic out of the top three picks, and potentially he will fall into the laps of either Memphis or Dallas.

Memphis is another team that was once amongst playoff contenders but has dropped out of their spot due to a change of power in the Western Conference.

So many other teams are now contending for the top eight, that Memphis didn't have much of a fighting chance, especially with injury concerns. Adding a talent like Doncic could give this franchise just the boost it needs.

5. Mohamed Bamba - Mavs

Mohamed Bamba is expected to be the next true center drafted after DeAndre Ayton. Bamba will come into the league at the same size as Ayton, but much lighter. The 7-foot Texas standout will need to bulk up, but if he goes to Dallas, he could provide the team with just the frontcourt player they've been looking for. Bamba has been described as "extremely tough to stop" once he's close to the rim and also "plays with fire," which probably is enough for Mark Cuban to make the pick.

Keep in mind there are also those rumors out there involving Cuban and the Mavericks wanting to add Julius Randle. Randle is a Dallas native and could end up being up for grabs depending on what the Lakers decide to do with their roster situation to clear up the room. Still, there's no question that Dallas is a team that is rebuilding based upon their point guard Dennis Smith Jr. and the fact that future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki is getting closer to retirement. That makes it tough for Cuban and the franchise to pass on the next-best big man available, Mohamed Bamba.

Other potential selections

Those five players are commonly listed among many websites and experts' NBA mock draft picks. However, with the NBA Draft 2018 still weeks away, it provides time for these players to rise and fall in terms of what teams or scouts think or what they want for their franchise. In terms of other players within the top 10 who have a chance to move up, keep an eye on Missouri's Michael Porter, Duke's Wendall Carter, and Oklahoma's Trae Young. Two of those players have the size teams want, while Trae Young has shown his abilities to score and run the point position. Right now, NBADraft.net believes Young could be the next player on the Cleveland Cavaliers, but it's unknown if he'll be dishing out assists to superstar LeBron James when he gets there.
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