2021 NBA DRAFT
Quick turnaround for NBA Drafts! It feels like we were just doing all of this a minute ago...
This years draft is a very interesting one. It is technically a very deep draft. There are a lot of prospects with potential to be very good NBA rotation players. What makes it interesting however is the amount of prospects that have "boom or bust" written all over them.
SUNDAY JULY 18TH UPDATE
I initially wrote out my draft thoughts based on memory from the college basketball season, some brief film study and highlight films. I have now really had the chance to watch some full length film on a lot of guys in this draft. Now that I see things more clearly, I am going to reorganize a lot of my thoughts and also the rankings...
This draft is really going to come down to draft philosophy and what "type" of player a team likes. Its a deep draft in that there are a lot of guys who have the potential to really figure things out and there are guys who are pretty good players right now but lack some physical tools.
To get my rankings right, I have realized that I first need to group all of the players into categories first. From there, we can gain a better sense of where everyone should fall in the rankings 1-31.
CURRENTLY GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYERS WITH NBA SIZE AND/OR ATHLETICISM
- Cade Cunningham
- Jalen Suggs
- Evan Mobley
- Scottie Barnes
- James Bougknight
- Chris Duarte
- Miles McBride
- Herb Jones
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
- Isiah Livers
CLEARLY WILL EVENTUALLY BE A GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYER AND HAS NBA SIZE AND/OR ATHLETICISM
- Jalen Green
HAS NBA SIZE AND/OR ATHLETICISM. WILL CLEARLY BE A GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYER IF ONE OR TWO WEAKNESSES DEVELOP
- Jonathon Kuminga
- Alpert Sengun
- Josh Giddey
- Franz Wagner
CURRENTLY GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYERS WITHOUT IDEAL NBA SIZE AND/OR ATHLETICISM
- Tre Mann
- Davion Mitchell
- Jason Preston
- Bones Hyland
- Sharif Cooper
HAS NBA SIZE AND/OR ATHLETICISM BUT NOT CURRENTLY GOOD AT BASKETBALL
- Moses Moody
- Zaire Williams
- Jalen Johnson
- Keon Johnson
- Jaden Springer
- Kai Jones
- Gregg Brown
TOTAL WILDCARDS
- Cam Thomas
- Josh Primo
- Josh Christopher
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Now, with that organized, I feel like the pure 1-31 rankings gain a little more context.
Its hard to say that Miles McBride flat out should be selected ahead of somebody like Jalen Johnson. An NBA team can always find solid role players in free agency, but stars are hard to come by. It is a solid strategy to go for upside in the draft at every chance you can get. If both McBride and Johnson fulfill their maximum potential, Johnson is obviously way more valuable.
If I am an NBA GM, I am simply trying to get 2-3 of the the guys in the first category. It will be interesting to see if NBA talent evaluators agree with me and "reach" relative to the consensus for theses guys. If they do, it would essentially validate my evaluations. An example would be Chris Duarte going in the lottery.
If it goes the other way, and those guys slide down to the back end of the first round or into the second, those are the guys I will be excited for as I think they will make for great value.
So without further my ado, my rankings...
POTENTIAL SUPERSTARS
#1 - CADE CUNNINGHAM
My favorite players to watch are guys that can shoot and ALSO pass. Cade can do those two things at an elite level while also giving me isolation scoring, defense, poise, charisma, oh and also high level ball-handling at six foot eight. The way he plays really reminds me of what Paul George looked like for the Clippers offensively this year. Fully capable of operating out of pick and rolls, getting guys involved while also creating his own shot.
Now, he certainly is not the caliber of athlete as Paul George is, which could perhaps limit his All-NBA potential, but I am really a big fan of Cade Cunningham. Lets just not overthink it. The guy can do a lot of things on the basketball court, has elite size and pretty clearly has all of the intangibles that lead to winning basketball.
#2 - JALEN GREEN
I am a big Jalen Green guy. He is a supreme athlete with solid size at 6'5. There just isn't really anything on the court that he wont be able to do. He clearly shows the potential of a franchise star. His film shows strong signs of shot creation, playmaking and exciting open floor acrobatics.
He has some serious swagger and it cant be emphasized enough how freaky, freaky athletic he is. Russell Westbrook, Ja Morant and Zack Lavine level athleticism.
I put a lot of value into his G-league experience. I just think that league is significantly better than the NCAA D1 and Green put up pretty good numbers as a 19 year old. I also like that he got a ton of reps doing the things that he will actually be asked to do in the NBA.
#3 - EVAN MOBLEY
My ranking of Green ahead of Mobley is not really a knock on Mobley, just more of a preference for the elite guard over a role playing big. Mobley is a 7 footer that moves really well, can pass, dribble, maybe shoot and definitely can defend pick and rolls and protect the rim. He is exactly what a modern 5 man should look like.
I wonder a little bit about his mental makeup. I don't have the kind of access that would give me a clearer picture, but based on the film, he doesn't really seem like like an alpha player. More of like a "go with the flow" type player similar to Jaren Jackson.
Clearly a lot to like with Mobley. I just like Green a little bit better.
Update: There is just a lot, lot, lot to like about Evan Mobley
POTENTIAL IMPACT PLAYERS
#4 - SCOTTIE BARNES
I saw Barnes for the first time in the NCAA tournament, and was like, "wow, this is definitely my sleeper in the NBA draft." Unfortunately for me, everybody seems to have felt the exact same way.
What stood out to me initially was his charisma and motor. He just looked like a really awesome teammate and played so hard! Which is rare, considering his elite size and athleticism.
When I started watching more of his film, I became even more impressed. He really does have a Mattis Thybulle type knack for defense. He competes and he is extremely disruptive on and off the ball.
Offensively, I was surprised to find a few very encouraging things. First, he really plays with his eyes up. He sees the floor and is a very willing passer. There are even signs of secondary play making ability as he was surprisingly adept as a pick and roll initiator, showing a fairly solid handle and encouraging instincts.
His shooting is obviously the question mark, but I am not too worried about that. His mechanics are fine, but his timing is way off. His shot isn't very connected to his feet and he releases the ball before he follows through. I think that can be fixed with reps.
UPDATE: I went and watched Florida vs Florida State from early in the year. Scottie Barnes talent is just so obvious. I barely made it to the first media timeout and was sold. I cant bump him ahead of the other 3 ahead of him, because they are simply more well rounded. But I am all in on Scottie Barnes.
#5- JALEN SUGGS
I am a little torn over Jalen Suggs. As a coach, I love him. He is tough, athletic, has great size for a guard and has winning intangibles.
As an evaluator, I am worried about pretty much everything. He has great open floor vision, but I dont feel like that has totally translated to the pick and roll yet. He has zero isolation game and his jump shot is all over the place. He is just very raw at the things that elite NBA players are asked to do night in and night out.
Typically smart, tough, athletic guys like this figure it out, and that's why I still have him ranked 6th overall. But I would not take him over the five guys that I listed ahead of him.
Update: Suggs kind of has young Kyle Lowry vibes as a bulldog competitor with a winning mentality. It sure would be interesting if he ends up in Toronto.
Update: I orignally had Kuminga ahead of Suggs and that was a mistake.
#6 - JONATHON KUMINGA
Another "lets not overthink this" type of guy. He is 6'8 220 pounds with signs of becoming a three level scorer. Lets not forget that he accepted a significant challenge by playing in the G-Leauge and also that he is extremely young. 18 years old if I am not mistaken. So of course there were times that he did not look amazing.
But he is CLEARLY! more advanced than the rest of the dudes in this draft. He will need a lot of development, but the tools are all there.
Update: I have been thinking about Kuminga, and I I think this note needs to be added. The right team will have to draft Kuminga to make it work. If a franchise drafts him to be a star, I am going to be really excited. If a team like OKC or the Magic can give him 4-5 years to really develop as a go-to guy, while really holding him accountable on defense, that would be really great.
On the other hand, if someone like the Raptors, or my Warriors take him, its just not likely to go very well, because the pressure to win, and those standards of execution will be much greater.
Kuminga will need a safe place to get reps in order to develop into the 6'8 athletic primary scorer that he can be.
Update: Ok, I have now watched a significant amount of Jonathon Kuminga. Long deep breath.... Here is the deal. He is either going to be Jeff Green 2.0 or Jayson Tatum. You really just got to hope that he can improve his efficiency each year until he is Jayson Tatum. Otherwise he is going to just be an inefficient and undisciplined role player. But isn't that what the draft all about? Its better to take the guy with a 25% chance of becoming Jayson Tatum over anybody with a 0% chance of becoming Jayson Tatum right? I cannot put Kuminga in front of a winner like Jalen Suggs.
GUYS THAT CAN PRETTY CLEARLY BE LEGIT NBA ROTATION GUYS
#7 - ALPEREN SENGUN
He cant really shoot at all, he is not athletic in the traditional sense, he kinda plays under the rim and I am not totally sure who in the NBA he can guard. But besides all of that, I really like Alperen Sengun! He is just a freaking good basketball player.
Two things that stand out are his footwork and his motor. They are both elite, elite, elite. I would need to watch a full game film to know for sure, but he appears to be pretty good about reading the floor and making nice passes.
He is some sort of bizarre combination of Domantas Sabonis, Montrez Harrell and Georges Niang with teeny tiny shades of Nikola Jokic.
I would draft him knowing that at the very least he would be a fan favorite bench player, and at the very best could become something special if he can develop a three point shot.
UPDATE: I have only seen a highlight film of his. So I really do not know what I am talking about. It was obviously one heck of a highlight film to have him ranked this highly.
UPDATE: I have now seen more than just a highlight film. Sengun is a savant at basketball. He is like a Turkish prodigy. If he had played at somewhere like Creighton last year, we would all be freaking out right now. Its hard to know exactly "how" he fits in the NBA, but I just dont really think it matters. You cant put this guy in a box. You just have to get this guy on your team and figure it out.
#8 - JAMES BOUKNIGHT
This was a really surprising evaluation for me. I did not see UCONN play the last two seasons and really did not know anything about him. When I started watching his film I was immediately impressed.
This is a very legitimate player. He is long, athletic, can attack the rim and score in a variety of ways. I am not really concerned about his shooting at all. He was kinda forced to take a lot of difficult shots at UCONN which affected his percentages. His shot mechanics look just fine to me.
I think he can be a solid defender as well. He appears to have long arms and a strong core. He moves his feet well and he should be able to add some size as he has a big frame.
I really like Bouknight. I would be very surprised if NBA evaluators did not feel the same way.
UPDATE: I watched Bouknights 40 point game against Creighton. What are we even doing here? This dude is really good.
#9 - JOSH GIDDEY
I mean I guess he kinda has some Joe Ingles vibes?? Ingles developed a three point shot later in his career, so perhaps that is the template for Giddey, who shares some of the passing and pick and roll chops that Ingles has.
But man am I having a tough time getting excited about Giddey. Does not look very tough or athletic and his jump shot is really whacky. This is another draft him and hope he develops into something player.
Update: Ok, I am excited about Giddey now. I learned more about his background and watched a lot more film on him. He is really skilled, can pass and could be a valuable bench playmaker early on with a chance for more as he develops. The shooting and athleticism are clear issues that need to be improved, but there are not a lot of 6'8 guys with the skill level of Giddey. In fact, its almost a joke how much more skilled he is than every single NCAA player in this draft. Which is why I had to move him to the top of this tier.
Update: Josh Giddey is skyrocketing up my board. I originally had him at 16th, before bumping him up to 11th. Now, here I am after a lot more reflection, moving him up to 9th. And I am even considering moving him ahead of Bouknight.
And my reasoning is this. Giddey can really play, he is really young and if he can somehow improve his shooting and/or athleticism, than you really have something here. Giddey, who just played well in the NBL at 18, could likely manage play-making duties on a 2nd unit in the NBA at 19. As he matures, there is legitimate Hedo Turkolou style, jumbo-play-maker ability, which is pretty exciting.
The athleticism piece is very concerning. As is the jump shot. But the potential is legit.
UPDATE: I did it. I moved Giddey ahead of Bouknight. He is simply a much more rare type of player than Bouknight. You just dont see a lot of guys who can do the things that Giddey can do at that size.
UPDATE: Moving Giddey ahead of Bouknight was silly. Giddey has serious shooting and athleticism question marks. Bouknight looks like he could play in a playoff game right now.
#10 - CHRIS DUARTE
I knew a little bit about Duarte when he signed with Oregon, but I didn't get to see him until the NCAA tournament. I immediately was like, "wait, why is this guy not a talked about NBA prospect." Duarte gets buckets. He defends. He is tough as nails and he is not afraid. He can be a ballscreen initiator in the NBA and he has adequate size at 6'5. He gives me Greivis Vasquez vibes which should be a complement.
What is there not to like? I don't really care that he is 23. The guy can really play.
#11 - FRANZ WAGNER
I really don't like Franz Wagner. He is really only ranked this highly because theoretically he could develop into a 6'9 wing that can shoot, pass dribble and defend.
The only problem with that however is that at Michigan he couldn't shoot, pass or dribble and got exposed defending good players in the NCAA tournament.
His footwork is really clunky and awkward and he just has zero gameplan around the rim, constantly shooting weird running hook shots. On the perimeter, he dosent want to shoot, and it almost always looks awkward when he does.
I suppose he could develop into a Mike Dunleavy Jr. type player at some point??? But as of right now, he is a poor mans Mike Dunleavy Jr. at best, and that is not where you want to be.
Update: Wagner is a little bit better defender than I realized. He competes and gets physical. I still think he got exposed a bit in the NCAA tournament, but I am bumping him up because of defensive prowess that I had underestimated.
Update: I now realize that I have to bump Wagner ahead of Kispert. He simply has way more upside.
#12 - TREY MURPHY III
I had no idea who Trey Murphy was until he started showing up on draft boards. I now see why, as I love him. He is very clearly a three and defense NBA player. He is athletic, he can defend and he really can shoot. He CAN NOT dribble to save his life. I am in on Trey Murphy.
#13 - CAM THOMAS
Huge bias alert. Obviously as an LSU graduate I am irrational about all LSU athletes. Cam Thomas certainly fits that bill. The first time I ever saw him play was against Michigan and I immediately thought he was Jordan Clarkson 2.0. He is a bucket getter.
Unfortunately, Thomas played more teams last year than just the one against Michigan. When I started watching more of his film, I realized that this guy plays basketball like a 6th grader who drank 14 pre-game mountain dews and will be grounded if he dosen't score 20 points. He has NO idea what he is doing and I am honestly shocked that the LSU coaches let him do 80% of the stuff he did last year. He can really get buckets though.
I probably agree with my friend Colby's take. This is JR Smith all over again. It will probably take a handful of years and a few different teams before Thomas figures it out. Did I mention that he can really get buckets.
Update: I had Cam Thomas too low. You just gotta draft him and hope for the best. The dude can absolutely light it up.
#14 - COREY KISPERT
There are two sides of the story for Corey Kispert. On the offensive side, everything is there. He can really shoot. He can pass and cut. Even though he is not very athletic he can score in a variety of ways off of the dribble. He uses his left hand and he makes smart decisions.
Unfortunately, there is the defensive side of the ball. I will credit him for not being a bozo. He knows how to position himself, he plays hard and he is tough. But gosh golly does he look like a guy that would get singled out in a playoff series. He just cannot move his feet at all. And because of this, he plays way off of his man, giving up way to much airspace. There is a reason that both Baylor and UCLA went right at him. He just cannot guard in space 1v1. There is a chance he could guard bigger players as he did against Evan Mobley.
I would still take him in the lottery and hope that my strength and conditioning team could strengthen his feet, ankles and hips, but his destiny looks more like Luke Kennard than Joe Harris to me. Side note: Luke Kennard is making a lot of money right now, so there is that.
THE TAKE A SMART "GAMBLE" ON THESE GUYS, GUYS
#15 - ZAIRE WILLIAMS
Imagine being the Stanford coaching staff. You work your tail off to land a 5 star recruit and than watch said recruit play losing basketball for one full season in college before leaving for the NBA.
I mean yea, I suppose I can see the potential. There are signs of life in the ball handling and shooting department. But wow, Williams is not even close to being a winning basketball player as of right now. This prospect has a long, long ways to go.
Update: I re-watched Stanford vs Alabama. Williams can shoot a lot better than I originally realized. So I see the appeal in getting a long athletic body that can really shoot. He has talent. What is crazy to me though is this....
Would you really rather have Zaire Williams over Alabama's Herb Jones? (They were going head to head in the game that I just watched.) Herb Jones cant shoot a lick. So there is that. But still, am I really that crazy if I would rather have the other 6'8 dude, you know the one with a brain and a heart, who is going to defend, rebound, make plays and show up in big moments?
Update: After watching more film, I am actually starting to like Zaire Williams. He can really shoot and plays hard on defense. Perhaps he just lost his confidence towards the end of the year at Stanford. I also did not quite realize he was 6'10. There is a lot of upside to like here. He is a little soft unfortunately. Correction, he is really soft right now and he dosent pass or attack the rim.
#16 - JOSH PRIMO
I watched a lot of Alabama basketball this year. I was SHOCKED to see Primo's name in the NBA draft. I had him mentally inked in for a huge sophomore season at Alabama. I really liked his shooting and slashing potential as a freshman.
Again, I can not believe he entered the draft. He is a year away from being a year away from being an NBA rotation player.
I really like his long-term potential however and I would rather have him developing on my G-League team than the rest of the guys in this category.
#17 - USMAN GARUBA
I am going to holdout on a Garuba take until I get to watch him play for the Spanish Olympic team. The fact that he was in the rotation for Real Madrid and also made the Spanish Olympic team is the reason I have him ranked 15th. That has to mean something. But I have not seen him play yet.
#18 - TRE MANN
Similar to Bouknight, I never really saw Tre Mann play at Florida and didnt know anything about him until I started watching his film. Again, what is there not to like here? He has size, he can shoot, he can create his own shot and he shows legitimate signs of playing out of the pick and roll.
I don't feel as good about him as Bouknight or Duarte, but I think there is about a 65% chance he is a very good NBA rotation guard and I like those odds in the back end of the lottery.
Update: I watched another Tre Mann game. He is definitely not a sure thing. There is a lot, lot, lot to like, but I stand by my 65-75% odds of making an NBA rotation impact. On the positives, he just has a really well rounded offensive game. Catch and shoot, off the dribble, in between game, can pass a bit. On the negative side, he is not really an overwhelming athlete. Really at all. I need that projected growth spurt to be a thing. Because this skill set at 6'6 is really something. But at 6'3, not so much.
Update again: I am not so sure that I would rather have Tre Mann over Miles McBride
Update: I got a little too excited about Tre Mann and will be moving him down a tidbit. I still like him.
#19 - MOSES MOODY
I don't really see it with Moody either. Yes he has long arms. Yes I see that he could be a pretty good defender. BUT, I ultimately think the three and defense label is a commentary on his low ceiling not his bursting potential.
For example, when you think of Mikail Bridges at Villanova, you think about a guy who was able to do a lot of different things in College. He is technically a three and defense NBA player, but he can do a lot more when given the opportunity.
Moody on the other hand can kinda defend and kinda shoot. And that is about it. I would much rather a guy with some actual upside.
#21 - HERB JONES
Just draft him. You will not regret it. He is tough, he can guard, he rebounds, he attacks the rim, and he can pass. Just draft him. Don't ask me about the jump shooting
#22 - JASON PRESTON
I heard on a podcast that Jason Preston has a 6'9 wingspan. This inspired me to watch Jason Preston film. I am all in. He simply does the things that good NBA players can do. I am all in on Jason Preston as a very solid NBA point guard.
#20 - JARED BUTLER
I had forgotten about Jared Butler, so I am adding him here. I cant possibly but Miles McBride ahead of Butler. The Baylor guard can almost certainly help a playoff team right now.
He can create a shot and defend as we all saw in the tournament. Would I rather have him, at 6'2, or take a swing at one of the big wings? I would rather take a swing on the wings I have listed ahead of him, but not on the ones below.
I really hope that he ends up on an LA team, because I think that he could help them and that would be cool.
#21 - DAVION MITCHELL
I am not a big Davion Mitchell guy, but I had him ranked way to low for a while there. He has a chance to make an impact, but I do not see him as a starter. I will be rooting for him however.
#22 - MILES MCBRIDE
I am adding McBride here because I had totally forgotten about him. I just saw his name on a draft board and was like wait, the West Virginia shooting guard?? Holy crap! I loved that guy. He is tough as nails and can hit tough shots. Big Miles McBride fan.
Update to the update: I am not totally sure that I would draft any of the "project" wings over McBride. It would depend upon what type of team I had. If I had a losing team, yes, I would try to hit it big on someone like Kai Jones or Keon Johnson. But, if I am a playoff team, holy shnickies would I really want Miles McBride. He is just so tough! He can hit shots, and if I remember correctly, he could make some plays off of the bounce.
Update to the updates update: I am moving Miles McBride way up more board. I just really like him.
Update: I have watched film on McBride now. My memory failed me a bit. I got a little too excited. He is good, but not amazing. He is not very big or athletic and he really struggles to finish around the rim. I still would want him, but not over other guys with some more upside.
#23 - JEREMIAH ROBINSON - EARL
I love Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. It would seem like a major reach to make him one of the first picks outside of the lottery, but I would do it. He has size, a versatile skill set and plays his ass off. We all have seen the impact that numerous Villanova players have made in the NBA in recent years. He will 100% know how to defend and rebound in the NBA, unlike most of the bozos I will be ranking after him.
What you see is kind of what you are going to get. But that is plenty good enough for me. I dont like the idea of taking him behind any of these next guys...
GUYS ON DRAFT BOARDS THAT I WOULDNT DRAFT
#24 - KEON JOHNSON
NOT. A . FAN. Yes the vertical jump is remarkable, but his feel for the game is just horrific. He really has no plan for how he is going to do anything. Just kinda runs around doing all sorts of crazy things. His jump shot looks super stiff to me. He can not shoot off the dribble or on the move. I am not totally sold on him as a stationary shooter either. Really does not see the floor at all.
Update: I have heard people say that he has a great work ethic. So the idea would be that you have this freak athlete who is really willing to work on his game and will always compete defensivley. I get that. I really do. But its just very rare for somebody to develop "a feel for the game." You kind of, to a degree, have it or you don't.
So I suppose there is a chance that he can develop into a Zach Lavine type player in the long run? But to me, that is just a major, major stretch. I just dont really see it with Johnson.
#25 - KAI JONES
Just a hot mess. No feel for the game. Just no idea what to do or where to go. BUT, he is really big, athletic and has a halfway decent jump shot, so honestly who knows.
#26 - JALEN JOHNSON
Oh my. This guy is the hottest of hot messes. I mean just a total mess. No wonder Coach K is ready to retire. If people are high on him, it has to be from some sort of AAU film that I am not privy too. Because the Duke film is just a train wreck disaster. Yes, he put up some stats, but its only because he took terrible shots, played selfishly and Duke let him do whatever he wanted without taking him out of the game.
#27 - NA'SHON HYLAND
Note: I never saw VCU play last year. I saw this name on a lot of boards, so I watched highlight films and added him here. I still have not seen game film.
I know he is in my "wouldnt draft category" but I would draft him for sure. I am getting major Gilbert Arenas vibes. I would want Hyland just for the dice roll chance that he could be something like Gilbert Arenas.
Again, this whole draft is about the big wings with potential vs the smaller guys who can actually play. Would you rather draft a 6'8 guy with about a 40% chance of turning into Mikael Bridges, Jae Crowder or Cam Johnson? Or would you rather draft a 6'4 guy with about a 75% chance of being a solid player in your rotation. It is a tough call.
#28 - DAVION MITCHELL
Update: I moved Mitchell up in this rankings the day before the draft. I got a little carried away there. Keeping my notes simply for future mockery...
I am sorry! I am just not a Davion Mitchell guy. It feels almost blasphemous to say about a tough as nails, shit-kicking underdog like Mitchell. But I just don't see any way around it.
Here is my assessment of Mitchell. He is a very good isolation scorer and a devastating on the ball defender. He is average, maybe slightly above, as a pick and roll initiator and really just not very good as an off the ball offensive player.
My concern is that I don't see an NBA team letting him play to his strengths, which means he is going to have to play through some glaring weaknesses.
For example, he is good in the pick and roll, but is he really like, top 2-3 on an NBA team good at pick and roll? Because if he is not the primary or secondary initiator, he is going to have to play off of the ball, and this is not a strength for him.
He is much more comfortable using slow dribble moves to size up his defender than he is attacking closeouts and making quick decisions. Also, he is much more confident shooting off the dribble than he is off of the catch.
I just cant imagine an NBA team letting him disrupt their teams spacing before breaking off into isolations as a 6'0 guard.
Than on the defensive end, yes, he is a absolute pest in the mold of Patrick Beverley. But are NBA teams really dying to find someone to chase point guards off of screens? The premium need for every defensive team is an athletic and long wing stopper. Guys that can stop Lebron James, Kawahi Leonard, Devin Booker and Kris Middleton in the playoffs. That just isn't Davion Mitchell.
In fact, Mitchell probably hurts your defense, because you likely wouldn't be able to switch ball screens with him out there.
Its hard to be down on a guy who just showed us he could lead a team to an NCAA title, particularly with the grit, toughness and play-making that he showed in the process, but i just do not feel like there is a fit for him in the NBA.
Update: I might end up terribly regretting this take. But I got to stick to my guns!
Update: This assessment could end up haunting me. If Mitchell develops his pick and roll game even just a little bit, and can really sustain a +40% shooting percentage, than I am really going to look like a moron down the road.
Update: No way in hell that I would actually draft Miles Mcbride, Bones Hyland or some dude from Lithuania over a shit-kicker like Mitchell. I am not going to shift around my rankings, because it would get too crazy, but here we are. I have officially lost my mind in regards to Davion Mitchell.
#29 - SHARIFE COOPER
I watched an Auburn replay the other day. I have to give Sharife credit, he can really really pass. Like, really pass. I would say he sees the floor close to a Lamelo Ball type level. That is how impressive he is.
But outside of that, I just cant really see how he carves out more than a back end of the rotation role in the NBA. To say he is small is an understatement. He is teeny tiny. I imagine some could compare him to Trae Young, but I would not buy that. Cooper simply does not have anything close to what Trae Young has from a scoring perspective. Or at least from the film that I saw.
He is a back end first rounder though because he is young, perhaps he could figure some things out, and man he can really pass.
#30 - JADEN SPRINGER
A first round draft pick??? Wow.
I mean technically, there are some Malcolm Brogdon, big guard vibes, but I am not really buying. Talk about unpolished. I was not impressed. There must be something on the defensive side that I did not pick up on watching limited amounts of film on Springer. (one game vs Alabama and glimpses of Tennessee in NCAA tournament.)
Update: I watched a full length Tennessee game. For starters, holy cow did that team guard people. They were really suffocating and Springer was a part of that. Outside of some remarkable team defense though, I really just dont see it with Springer. I know that he is young, so maybe there is something I am missing. But I just dont see it with Springer.
#31 - AYO DOSUMUNU
Meh. I understand the wingspan. I understand the hustle. I watched a ton of Illinois. He is like a supersized Elfrid Payton. So obviously that has value, as Payton is still getting a contract. But, I just wouldnt want him. Why do I need a big defender who cant really do much else. I just dont really need this type of player.
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SLEEPERS
Isiah Livers - Michigan. Projected late 2nd rounder? Crazy. Get me Isiah Livers. I am not a doctor and do not know anything about his medicals, but if I am a GM, I am saying that I have got to get Isiah Livers in the 2nd round.
Marcus Garrett - Kansas. He is going to outplay a lot of first round draft picks in my opinion. He is kind of like my Immanuel Quickly assessment from last year. First of all, he is a shit kicking wing stopper with a strong 6'5 frame. Second of all, he can do some things on offense. Efficient? No, not really. But lets say he develops an adequate jump shot. Than you could have a little something.
Joel Ayayi - Gonzaga. He should be able to help the back end of a rotation
I LIKE THE IDEA OF...
Joe Wieskamp - Iowa. I like the idea of a knock down shooter with a 6'10 wingspan and a 42" vertical, but I would need to watch the film to see if he can move laterally...
Aaron Henry - Michigan St. I like the idea of an elite, physical wing stopper, who was a 5 star recruit and can do a little bit an offense, but I would need to watch the film to see if he can actually do anything on offense...
RaQuan Gray - Florida St. I like the idea of somebody that made me ask multiple times if Zion Williamson had a younger brother that played for Florida State...
TJ Thor - Auburn. I like the idea of a 6'10 power forward, small ball center, with freakazoid athleticism and at least a little bit of shooting touch, but I would need to watch more film...
Luka Garza - Iowa. I have seen almost all of his film, and I like the idea of him as Enes Kanter 2.0 with a a jump shot...
Quentin Grimes - Houston. I like the idea of a big tough guard who will defend and hit shots, but I would need to watch the film to make sure he is not Jacob Evans 2.0...
David Johnson - Louisville. I like the idea of a 6'5 guard with a strong passing feel, but I would need to watch the film to make sure that he can do anything else...
Josh Christopher - Arizona State. I am not totally understanding how, takes crazy shots all of the time, but sometimes makes them is translating into "real NBA potential."
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And that is about it! Is this actually a good draft??? I suppose its hard to tell. Like I mentioned at the top, a lot of guys with NBA size and athleticism, who simply haven't developed their skill sets and feel for the game yet.
I am sure that a few of them will hit. But it is anybody's guess as to who that might be.
Personally, I would lean towards the guys that have proven they can execute the skills required to thrive in the NBA, however, any of these long, low-skill athletes could certainly prove me wrong in the future.
