We know for sure Ainge likes guys with pedigree. 4 out of our last 6 first-round picks were top-7 in RSCI. Hendricks and Sensabaugh being the two outliers.
He also drafted Smart, Brown, Tatum, and Langford all in the lottery who were all top-10 in RSCI as well. He selected Young at 16th overall in the same draft as Smart in 2014 who was top-10 in RSCI too.
If we go back even further he drafted Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo with back-to-back first-round picks in 2012. Sullinger (2nd in RCSI) and Melo (14th in RCSI).
This obviously isn’t the only data point because there are a few outliers but that’s enough to me that it is definitely a data point he heavily considers.
The top-5 RSCI this year you make ask?
Flagg
Ace
Harper
VJ
Tre
McNeeley, Powell, Newell, Queen, Knueppel, Bryant were all also in the top-20.