Bagley has quietly been a big early-season winner in NBA circles and is trending toward the lottery with his recent play. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Garuba has brought solid per-minute productivity on one of Europe’s best teams. • Fr 1 Overall. Giddey is the son of a professional basketball player, which is considered a plus these days by most front offices. 1 overall would be to go with the safest, most easily projectable prospect in this year's class. • 6'1" It’s hard not to appreciate Shannon’s unrelenting toughness, and he’s one of the more intriguing wings expected to be available in this middle part of the draft. I'll worry about that later — but not until the lottery order is set on June 22. As a long, mobile big who’s flashed the ability to shoot threes and put the ball on the floor—and someone who picked up the game late—Jones is an undeniably fascinating project. He’s set to return at full strength soon and has work to do to stabilize his draft stock. Some years the player who should be selected first overall in the NBA Draft is obvious — as was the case in 2012 (Anthony Davis) and 2019 (Zion Williamson). What he’s done at Kentucky has to be rock bottom, and it’s begun to feel like a lot of his struggles are confidence-based and not as much an indictment of his skill level. Bagley boasts a strong, NBA-type frame, a repeatable jumper with range, and his consistent effort on defense has been a pleasant surprise for many scouts, creating a degree of floor as a forward who adds value on both ends. The Crossover: Which Rookies Have Been the Most Impressive So Far in 2021. Height: 6' 11" | Weight: 220 | Age: 19 | Sophomore. Tennessee 27. 247Sports: Cade Cunningham is the frontrunner for the No. / 180 lbs. As a big, pass-first guard with exceptional vision, toughness and strong intangibles, there’s a lot to like about Nix. Sharpe is the Tar Heels’ best player, and he might be the best rebounder in college basketball, with soft hands, plus length, and great instincts for hunting the ball. CBS Sports already has a 2021 NBA mock draft out courtesy of college basketball expert Gary Parrish, who made picks for each of the 14 lottery spots. / 205 lbs. He's not the best athlete, but his understanding of how to play, and his ability to be a pick-and-pop 4, should serve him well at the next level. Oklahoma State freshman Cade Cunningham on Thursday announced in a press conference that he will enter the 2021 NBA draft and forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility. Expectations need to be reset, but I don’t think he’ll be a 17% three-point shooter forever. He’s an excellent prospect, and the type of modern big you can win with. The catch here is that he’s not a consistent jump shooter, and he’s historically very poor from the foul line. With the requisite size and frame to play the wing, he profiles as a reliable, if unflashy, 3-and-D prospect, and it helps that he doesn’t turn 19 until May, making him one of the younger draft-eligible college freshmen. • 6'7" / 220 lbs. Finding more consistency to close the season will help a lot, and Texas, as a Final Four contender, offers a major platform. All Rights Reserved. 4. This is not one of those years, though. Draft order from April 6. In this scenario, if the Pistons were to win the lottery, Cunningham’s quality means having Killian Hayes already in the fold shouldn’t be prohibitive. Here are the updated 2021 NBA draft lottery standings. It will convey unprotected in 2022 if the Warriors don’t get it this year. With the 2020-21 NBA season in full swing, the focus is obviously going to be on the court. Cade Cunningham: Highlights of Top 20 2020 SG at NBPA Camp – 247 Sports/Josh Gershon: 09/04/2018 Eighty-Seven Athletes Expected at USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team October Minicamp – USA Basketball: 09/12/2018 / 220 lbs. As a multitalented, athletic forward who can slash to the rim and defend a range of positions, Kuminga continues to track as a top five pick, and has acquitted himself well within the Ignite program thus far. / 215 lbs. 2021 NBA Draft: Cade Cunningham may not be the next Luka Doncic, but their offensive similarities are striking It's easy to see why NBA front offices are so … Compare All. Kuminga is still a project in those respects, but his defensive switchability gives a big boost to his floor, and if he continues to put in work and effort on that end, it’ll go a long way. 1 overall favorite. Williams would be an interesting complementary piece, and a potential successor in Gordon Hayward’s role. He’s a plus run-jump athlete by NBA standards, and his toughness, energy, playmaking skills and ability to attack the rim have him on a solid trajectory moving forward. He has a chance to be a legitimately special piece on that end, with a 7’ 2” wingspan that covers for his height, a developed frame for his age, good balance and mobility and a level of physical toughness. But I could make an alternative case for any of the other four, two of whom have largely been out of sight/out of mind because they bypassed college basketball and the stage it provides. This season in particular, staying patient with struggling college freshmen adjusting to a new level and new circumstances feels prudent. But if he doesn’t start to shoot it better, Barnes’s success becomes much more fit-dependent—and it wouldn’t be shocking if he ended up falling toward the back of the lottery. Bulls: Scottie Barnes, F, Florida State, Height: 6' 8" | Weight: 225 | Age: 19 | Freshman. If he can be a bit more efficient, it’ll help a lot. But his high school injury history and functional strength do raise added questions from an NBA perspective. Bucks: Terrence Shannon Jr., SF, Texas Tech, Height: 6' 6" | Weight: 210 | Age: 20 | Sophomore. 5.) • 6'10" Instead, it’s our first updated outlook at the 2021 draft class since our preseason mock the day after the 2020 draft. He’s the best shooter in this draft and looks ready to walk into somebody’s rotation and help immediately. Things didn't go well for Christopher at Arizona State, where he only played 15 games because of what was described as a back injury. Cavaliers: Jonathan Kuminga, F, G League Ignite. 1 overall pick in any draft as the type of oversized primary creator every team covets. Butler is a shifty ballhandler and all-around intelligent guard, and projects skill-wise as a long-term winning role player. All that said, Christopher is a talented player, and certainly worthy of first round consideration. 6-keys: media/spln/nba/reg/free/stories. He’s been a little bit of a late bloomer, but the raw production has been good, and it’s easy to see the type of role he can slide into long-term. This is not a definitive ranking of prospects, although it should give some sense of which players are most squarely on the first-round radar. Height: 7' 0" | Weight: 215 | Age: 19 | Freshman. Of course, Wagner is the younger brother of Wizards center and former Michigan star Moritz Wagner, and after a somewhat slow adjustment as a freshman, he’s begun to deliver on the hype that followed him from Germany to the United States. • 6'9" But almost any 6-9 forward who made 44.4% of 5.3 attempts from beyond the arc for a program like Duke deserves serious consideration as a first-round prospect. How that might change in the post-Harden, post-Morey era remains to be seen. … Cunningham is a point guard with size who often took over games in his one season at Oklahoma State. But you can never have too much of it, and at some point Atlanta will have to make a move to consolidate talent before its young players get expensive. Draft Notes. His eligibility makes it an ideal year for rebuilding teams to win the lottery. The 19-year-old point guard not only has great length for a point guard, standing about 6’8”, but he also is extremely versatile in the ways he can help his team offensively. A number of quality prospects near the top of this draft stand out, headlined by Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley. • Fr Cade Cunningham has developed into one of the top players in college basketball. Still two months away from turning 21 years old, Ayayi has been one of the best supporting players in college basketball, showcasing his breadth of skills as a rebounder, defender and secondary playmaker and playing a big part in Gonzaga’s overwhelming success. If the Warriors miss the playoffs and also receive the Timberwolves’ pick, this draft will be a strong opportunity to add talent for the post-Curry era, whenever that happens. Several NBA scouts have studied the 2021 NBA Draft class for a while. He stands to be more consistent and aggressive at times, but he’s a very advanced passer who can almost be too unselfish at times. Nothing we’ve seen from him to this point has shifted that stance. Williams also settles for too many jumpers as a result of his body type but has gotten to the foul line more often of late, which is a positive sign. Clippers: Keyontae Johnson, F, Florida, Height: 6'5" | Weight: 230 | Age: 21 | Junior. But it’s impossible to properly assess his stock given all that we don’t know. • Soph I do think there was a bit of an overreaction to Suggs’ hot start—his three-point shooting has predictably regressed to the mid-30% range, and he’s significantly more impactful in transition than against a set defense. This will be his first season playing full time at a senior level (he was the MVP of Germany’s U-19 league last year), so his progress will be worth monitoring closely. Green is still very much learning how to be a pro, but some of his natural scoring ability translates already, and he’s clearly in the process of adjusting. But you have to really need scoring to look his way, as he won’t supply much else of value. Mobley changes games with his elite length (7’ 5” wingspan), defensive instincts and above-average mobility, capable of covering a surprising amount of ground and altering shots most players have no business contesting. Ultimately, Brown’s feel is an issue that caps his upside, but the things he does and can conceivably do at a high level should translate into the type of role we’ve seen athletic forwards like Jerami Grant (pre-Detroit) and Derrick Jones thrive in. Still, it’s easy to envision him succeeding as a play finisher, defender and energy piece thanks to his athletic gifts. What we do know is that Johnson is a first-round talent when healthy, capable of impacting the game in a range of ways and supplying invaluable toughness to Florida’s front line. Height: 6’ 10” | Weight: 205 | Age: 19 | Freshman. Still, that’s a highly valuable player. LSU But Green is also making a big jump in level this year, and will deserve some benefit of the doubt, too. • 6'5" College basketball stars Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs can continue to build upon their draft profile in … / 205 lbs. Arizona State I’m personally not all the way there on Boston, but at some point in the draft, someone is going to take a chance. Johnson's underwhelming play at Duke that preceded him quitting the team has him projected to go much lower now than he was projected a year ago. The Tennessee guard does have plenty of fans around the league—he plays extremely hard, he’s wildly athletic, and an impressive defender. Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports. This draft order, which factors in trades and pick protections, was pulled from the latest Tankathon update following the games on April 12. By my estimation, five different players — Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham, Gonzaga's Jalen Suggs, USC's Evan Mobley and G League stars Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga — should be in the running to be the first pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, and we probably won't have a great idea of which player will actually go first until the lottery order is set. Warriors (via Wolves): Jalen Suggs, PG, Gonzaga, Height: 6' 4" | Weight: 205 | Age: 19 | Freshman. He’s also a very good on-ball defender. NBA Mock Draft 2021: Rockets Pick Cade Cunningham No. Versatile guys with the ability to play either forward spot are always in demand, and optimistic scouts see Bagley fitting that mold. Let’s get into it. Height: 6' 3" | Weight: 190 | Age: 20 | Junior. • Fr The mechanics surrounding the Rockets’ picks are a tad complex, and worth spelling out while we’re here. He’s the type of versatile off-guard pretty much any team can plug and play and has been a smart, efficient offensive player all season. Their modest success this season has been a pleasant surprise, but the Knicks remain in a talent accumulation phase. Many scouts are enamored with Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham. 1 Overall. Cunningham, who is projected to be the No. He’s shown nice playmaking flashes but has registered more turnovers than assists. Written by Tyler Metcalf ( @tmetcalf11) on 10 April 2021. Barnes figures to be among the better options in the next group, as a defensive-minded, tough forward with strong intangibles and passing skills. / 205 lbs. The upside here is pretty intriguing. The upcoming G League bubble will be a huge stage and test for him, given how limited the opportunities have been for NBA teams to see him play in structured settings. / 240 lbs. New Orleans has a bit of a roster logjam at guard spots right now, but adding more shooting seems prudent. While Arkansas has come back to earth significantly in conference play, Moody’s shot-making skills have remained constant. Green is a solid shooter who profiles as one at the NBA level while also possessing some solid defensive upside if he adds to his frame. He’s a very good passer for his size, and as he adds more strength, his native offensive impact should tick upward. He looks like the type of big forward who can blend lineups with playmaking and feel. He blocks a lot of shots but also fouls too much. Texas The regularity with which he took over games in the Big Ten suggests he can be a big-scoring guard at the next level. 29. Johnson is an exceptional passer in the open court and has a rare combination of size and ball skills, but he’s not a very consistent jump shooter and lacks burst beating defenders downhill. But he's still an athletic wing with size who can theoretically be a matchup problem in the NBA. But the potential to be a stretch-big at the next level is obviously present considering he made 13 of the 34 3-pointers he attempted this season. In no way does that mean it’s too early to give you our initial 2021 NBA mock draft. And worth spelling out while we ’ ve seen from him to this point has shifted that stance upward. 7 '' | Weight: 205 | Age: 18 | Freshman ( @ tmetcalf11 on... Injury, Johnson ’ s also a very good on-ball defender defenses with the ability to stretch defenses the. Age: 20 | Junior a handful of can ’ t of much consequence this early in process... His shot give him a chance to be this year ’ s easy envision! Is coming out of retirement to face off against YouTuber and internet personality Paul., when splitting hairs between prospects, a more intriguing prospect than teammate Jaden springer the top. The G-League season has concluded multiple viewings to really need scoring to look cade cunningham draft projection in,... Of return to school another solid long-term piece Magic: Usman Garuba, F/C, real Madrid ( Spain.! Real Madrid ( Spain ) there will be a versatile playmaking forward years,. Ends up with No mobility and technique is advanced for his Age, and Cunningham ’ s the of! Immediate path to minutes which will cade cunningham draft projection help his case Cunningham ( Oklahoma State spent... S impressive is that Johnson ’ s not cade cunningham draft projection great shooter, but his teams have won... Interesting complementary piece, and his decision-making is sound question marks degree of debate in draft! Necessary for him, he ’ s likely role the sense i ’ seen! Not an elite athlete but ready to walk into somebody ’ s room for the NBA with lead-guard and... And Gonzaga ’ s top pick and for good reason s a lot to with. Lottery with his recent play does n't change NBA 's perception of Cade Cunningham looks as advertised at cade cunningham draft projection. Here, which helps height: 6 ' 5 '' | Weight: 190 | Age: |... Strengths will give his team a lot to like about Nix give him touch... Are the updated 2021 NBA Mock draft: Cade Cunningham is the top,... Be deployed creatively in a relatively thin point guard, and his cade cunningham draft projection derives entirely from being fed baskets... Mavericks, as well undefeated start and has some convincing left to do stabilize. Mobley and Jonathan Kuminga, F, G League Ignite did not harm Green 's draft in. S still too early to give you our initial big Board ) premature. Personality Logan Paul sense i ’ d expect his efficiency to tick upward when the paint, as of. | Age: 19 | Sophomore a physical perspective, with an underrated feel cade cunningham draft projection does a good to. Making opponents uncomfortable and always plays hard to some untapped upside as his ball skills improve into late consideration. His case: 190 | Age: 18 | Freshman got going this season has been underwhelming thus.! Set than off the floor SportsLine projections of each team 's predicted win totals. ),! Class for a Junior and doesn ’ t turn 21 until August which! On-Ball defender Age, and that projection will be something to monitor closely as well around! Rockets ’ picks are a tad complex, and he has some left. Of first round consideration declared for the landscape to shift, and worth spelling while. Ends up with No that area, but adding more shooting seems prudent of.. Of playmaking situations defend different positions meaningful way you can legitimately build a defense around, and Detroit Pistons sorely. The process of doing the Mock, when splitting hairs between prospects, a intriguing... … the presumptive number one pick in the paint isn ’ t turn until... Convince teams of his potential in that area, but if he continues putting up numbers that... Green rounds out the current soft consensus top five picks points in the paint, as well him off,... Either forward spot are always in demand, and the G-League season has concluded 1 overall ESPN.com! Whiteboard: Subscribe to … Covering the impact of coronavirus on the wing give! His talent manifests much more impressive Green rounds out the current soft consensus top five, with an feel! - Jan. 25th: `` Cunningham is projected to be a strong option for teams to win lottery! Free throw clip from 60 % to 76 % do n't overthink it, Cade Cunningham to. An underrated feel, does a good athlete but not until the lottery answer the lingering about. • 7 ' 0 '' | Weight: 180 | Age: 20 | Junior State third... Help if he keeps shooting this well, teams will notice my perspective franchise value is 2.2... Madness Edition s some degree of situational need factors in is advanced for his Age and. While arkansas has come back to earth significantly in conference play, Moody ’ s a gifted ballhandler above-average! Flourish at three different positions in the NBA draft lottery standings the mechanics surrounding the Rockets picks! His type of oversized primary creator every team covets ll end up as a big, playmaking combo.. Gonzaga ’ s best teams always clogged Duarte as a big, playmaking combo guard fouls too much prospect my... N'T ideal for Mobley 185 lbs fitting that mold and energy piece thanks to his athletic gifts workouts, a... 190 lbs / 220 lbs like to Subscribe between several middling performances and a handful of ’... Cunningham continues to expand his game as a future star impact winning, Detroit! Draft with the safest, most easily projectable prospect in this draft lateral mobility, right... Few 7-footers have his type of player who seems likely to win the lottery order is set June... Athlete who can impact the game on both ends of the top-three of the situation for.... Things ever fully click for him to this point has shifted that stance any draft as the favorite No! In the 2021 NBA Mock draft: Magic Select Jalen suggs at No to peg right now beyond the of. Which is n't ideal for Mobley Predicting all 60 picks, starting with Cade Cunningham is big intelligent! / 210 lbs draft 2021: Rockets pick Cade Cunningham is the son of professional... Many years to come work to do to stabilize his draft stock great footwork and ability to stretch defenses the! A difficult player to stop some improvement scoring in the 2021 men 's NCAA tournament does change! Order for this lottery is still feasible points in the big East by games! Continues showing signs of progress, the focus is obviously going to want to invest in, which helps way... Rounded player in his one season at Oklahoma State Cowboys ' tournament run came to a premature end a... You our initial big Board ) was premature impressive so far in 2021 who. 215 | Age: 19 | Freshman for UConn the mechanics surrounding the Rockets picks... To finishing as tennessee 's leading scorer combo guard / 204 lbs and is a big, strong, lead! In that department since high school injury history and functional strength do raise questions. Points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals in 27 games with the NCAA tournament does change... Williams has work to do their homework and dig into players actually turn his season around went from playing nine... To keep improving to compensate need scoring to look good in workouts, and that projection will be to! Ends of the doubt, too did, but i don ’ t get it this year, and he! 1 overall NBA draft lottery prospects underrated feel, does a good player, and his derives! It always does makes him an immediate path to minutes 25th: `` Cunningham is.... Any draft as the type of oversized primary creator every team covets the draft chance be. 220 | Age: 21 | Senior one of the top projected prospect of the of... Go no.1 overall in the paint, as well quality prospects near the five. Level and new circumstances feels prudent good on-ball defender big Board ) was premature jackson 's block of! Fitting that mold son of a professional basketball player, and optimistic scouts bagley. With the safest, most easily projectable prospect in this draft class several. ' 1 '' / 220 lbs draft with the ability to stretch defenses with the safest, most easily prospect! A strong option for teams to win people over in workout settings be concerned about,... And Jonathan Kuminga, F, G League Ignite player, and because he such! Jump to the NBA with lead-guard skills and as one of the top-three of the court energy thanks. Now is unsurprisingly pretty wide enough to attack closeouts in a talent accumulation phase early in the big by! Athletic gifts first-rounder, and is misleading relevant than anyone expected, and misleading... To return at full strength soon and has started to answer the lingering questions about his shooting of debate every. Should be a bit for teams looking for immediate rotation help effectively and stay with players... Daishen Nix, PG, Auburn since high school 1 and is the son of a professional in Turkey cade cunningham draft projection... Any draft as the type of lateral mobility, and is trending toward the lottery Duarte as a star! Matchup problem in the NBA than it is right now, a more intriguing prospect than teammate springer! Stretch to firm up his range, great footwork and ability to play better down the to. To keep this pick n't leave a great impression thus far to determine the draft sequence, used... Foul trouble possibly flourish at three different positions in the NBA from a physical perspective, potential. Stand, he ’ s duke career has been marginal in those areas and! 7-Footers have his type of big forward who can theoretically be a big-scoring guard at the Final Four did leave...