Ayton has yet to show me that he can anchor a defense. Right now he's like a center version of Wiggins - all the physical tools in the world and on paper he SHOULD be a great defender and yet he's barely mediocre. That's a huge concern to me. If a dominant big man is to still be a centerpiece to a team being a defensive force in the middle seems like a requirement.
I also don't see the Embiid comparisons. Embiid was raw but still flashed Olajuwon level potential in the post and has always been a plus defender. KAT is closer to Ayton but I'd take Towns' defense of the two. Both guys also have a tendency to float on the perimeter a bit too much for my liking.
That said, I like Ayton more than Bagley. Bagley is non-stop effort but he's even worse defensively and I don't think his game is well suited for today's NBA unless he can gain weight/strength to play center.
Bamba is intriguing. I don't think he has the potential on offense that others seem to see but I think he can easily be a deluxe version of Clint Capela if he can stay focused/motivated. That caveat is why I don't compare him to Gobert. The Stifle Tower always seemed to want to improve and always played hard. Bamba often looks like he needs an opposing big to (metaphorically) punch him in the mouth before he gets competitive.
Porter (if healthy) seems like a great fit as a guy who stretches the floor and can be a primary scorer - two things the Kings currently lack. I have concerns about his handle, his ability to have counter moves (beyond pulling up and shooting over his man), who he guards on defense and obviously his health, but if his medical records check out then he ticks a number of boxes for the Kings. I'm also not sure why I saw someone labeling him as a project. He's no more a project than any of these other freshman penciled in as top picks. Even Doncic, who has had more success as a pro than any other young international player I can think of is still not a sure thing given the increased competition and athleticism of the NBA. We've seen what Jayson Tatum has done and while they are different players, I liked Porter more as a future NBA SF than I did Tatum.
Doncic looks like a rich man's version of Bogie. Can he play as well against NBA caliber defenders? I don't know. And honestly I haven't watched much other than highlight packages and one game so I'm not the best person to say. But as a basketball fan he's a lot of fun to watch.
So is Trae Young. Oklahoma has really been struggling and I think part of it is that since that Oklahoma St loss where Young jacked up a ton of shots on his way to 48 points, he's really been trying to balance being a scorer with getting his teammates involved, and he still hasn't figured that line out totally. He's also faced defenses focused on getting the ball out of his hands and hasn't figured out how to adjust and make them pay for that approach. Also a ton of fun to watch and one of the first guys to legitimately earn "potential next Steph" hype, but at the same time I think people need to realize how much Steph developed his game and his body AFTER getting to the NBA. Curry also played three college seasons. Drafting a skinny, not-that-athletic, freshman PG with that kind of scoring/shooting mentality is somewhat uncharted waters.
Jaren Jackson is the kid I've really started to like a lot but I don't think I'd take him #1. If anything I think he's risen in my eyes partly because he deserves it with his combination of defense and stretch four potential but partly because I've started critiquing the other top guys more and more rigorously.
If I had to pick #1? I think maybe Ayton and hope that he can develop into an interior defender or possibly Porter if there are no medical red flags. Lots of talented guys up top but no clear #1 guy with all of them having significant questions and/or warts.