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It’s a wrap for college with these top guys
2024 NBA Draft Thread
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by addict4sneakers,
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Bates gotta be next right?
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Bates' wouldn't be 19 until January 2023, so he's not eligible until the 2023 draft.
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I hope the NBA enrolls all of them in some kind of money management classes. I know they do it for the rookies.
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Mister Meaner
formerly super producer j
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I’ll be happy if the Knicks land Tre Mann.
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Duren looking like a grown *** man being born after Bron was drafted 
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NBA draft 2021: Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and the rest of the top five could be historically great
Over the past 20 years, only one draft class has produced four All-Stars in the top five picks. And while the 2021 draft isn't expected to be led by four future Hall of Famers, like 2003 with LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, there's a sense within NBA circles that the top of this year's crop could end up being as strong as any we've seen in the past two decades.
"That top five is potentially as stout as any of the other drafts [since 200![0]](/styles/default/xenforo/NTemojis/alien.gif "Alien 0]")
," one high-ranking NBA executive said. "There are years where the No. 1 pick would never be the No. 1 pick ever again. Some drafts lack that No. 1 pick. This one's legit. I'm a big fan. There's legit star power [in the top 5]."
It's no secret the draft is an inexact science. Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry, who've combined to win five of the past seven MVP awards, were all drafted outside the top five. There will surely be players projected outside the top five of this draft who turn into NBA stars. But less than two weeks away from the NBA draft lottery, which will determine the final pick order, teams are waiting anxiously in hopes of landing inside the coveted top five, and for good reason. Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Kuminga all represent game-changing prospects, each for a different reason.
What makes each one so intriguing? Is there a tier within that group? And who else could crack the top five of this draft?
Cade Cunningham: The Jumbo Shot Creator
Physical: Between 6-foot-7 and 6-8, 225 pounds, 7-foot-1 to 7-2 wingspan
Key Stat: Most efficient isolation scorer in the NCAA
Similarities To: Luka Doncic, Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum
What's His Superpower? Versatility
As Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton told us during the college season, "No matter who is on your roster, Cade fits."
Cunningham's versatility is a big reason he's the favorite to go No. 1 overall regardless of who ends up winning the lottery. At somewhere between 6-7 and 6-8 with long arms and a strong frame, Cunningham shifted all over the floor for Oklahoma State, bringing the ball up the court, finishing possessions out of isolation and pick-and-roll (over 47% of his offense), spacing the floor as a shooter, operating as a screener and even creating from the post. He's the only player projected in the top five who could legitimately play four positions.
Cunningham has found success in a variety of roles throughout his amateur career. At Montverde, he was the lead guard, table-setter and shot creator for Scottie Barnes, Moses Moody, and Day'Ron Sharpe on one of the greatest teams in high school basketball history. With the U19 USA team in Crete, he thrived as a playmaking wing alongside Green, Suggs and Tyrese Haliburton, averaging 12-5-6 in 24 minutes on his way to a gold medal. With the Texas Titans on the Nike EYBL Circuit, he shouldered the load, averaging 24-7-6 while shooting 64% from 2 and 35% from 3, ranking fourth in the league in scoring and first in total win shares for the 18 games in our database (17-1). At Oklahoma State he led a ho-hum Cowboys roster to the Big 12 title game -- knocking off Baylor in the process -- as the primary shot-creator while ranking among the team's top two in points, rebounds, assists and blocks.
Thanks to his ability to play on or off the ball (40% from 3), his floor is a Khris Middleton type, while on the high end, Cunningham has shades of Tatum and Luka Doncic, thanks to his stellar court vision. Simply put, Cunningham is capable in a wide range of roles, and thanks to his calm demeanor, late-game heroics and clutch gene, he still has quite a bit of upside to tap into.
"I feel like I affect the game in so many different ways," Cunningham said. "It's going to be hard to find somebody else that's versatile and can affect the game in this many ways. ... I know there are a lot of other big time players, but I think I'm the one."
Jalen Green: The Most Star Potential
Physical: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds with about a 6-foot-9 wingspan
Key Stats: 10th in the G League in scoring at just 19 years old (18.7 points in 32.4 minutes)
Similarities To: Zach LaVine, Bradley Beal, wiry Anthony Edwards
What's His Superpower? Effortless scoring ability
Green is far and away the most dynamic of the five prospects. Watching him work out in Los Angeles recently, he dunks on the way up and gets up and down the floor with incredible ease. He has turned himself into quite the shot-maker over the past year or so (36% from 3 in the G League bubble), creating space as well as any teenager I can remember. No prospect can score with the same level of ease as Green, who also showed progress as a ball handler, passer (3.1 assists per game), and on-ball defender in the bubble. Although he has a much different body type, Green could very well have an Anthony Edwards type of impact as a rookie. He'll have nights when he scores 30-plus points, become a SportsCenter top-10 mainstay and infuse a level of excitement into his new fan base, while likely battling some inefficiency and defensive growing pains in Year 1.
Green has no shortage of fans in NBA front offices, and there's an argument to be made that he has the most star potential in the draft. One NBA executive said Green has a chance to be a "10-time All-Star and 25-point-per-game scorer" once he settles into the NBA game. Green has a Zach Lavine type of effortless bounce with Bradley Beal-like shotmaking ability and scoring instincts, which is clearly an intriguing combination for a franchise in search of star power. Ask him who the best prospect in the draft is, and Green doesn't mince words.
"Me, I'm the best prospect in this draft, in my opinion," Green said. "I didn't go to college and I played against grown men. I just think as a 19-year-old doing that, I'm the best player in the draft for sure."
Evan Mobley: The Modern Big
Physical: 7 feet, 220 pounds, 7-foot-4 wingspan
Key Stats: Seventh in the NCAA in half-court scoring efficiency
Similarities To: Anthony Davis, Chris Bosh, Jaren Jackson Jr.
What's His Superpower? Perimeter Prowess
Mobley is the draft's best big man, but that doesn't mean he'll be anchored inside the paint. It's his ability to play on the perimeter on both ends of the floor at 7 feet tall -- along with his stellar feel for the game -- that separates him from the rest of this class as well as recent top big man prospects like James Wiseman and Deandre Ayton.
"10, 15 years ago it was mostly, if you're a big you stay inside the paint," Mobley told ESPN's Jonathan Givony at a USA Basketball Minicamp in October of 2018. "But nowadays in the NBA you see a lot of players stretching the floor a lot. [Kevin Durant], he's 7 feet but he has a good 3 ball. I'm trying to be like that, get my 3 ball up a little bit. Try to be like Giannis [Antetokounmpo] as well, driving to the basket, and kind of like Anthony Davis with the back to the basket and also stretch the floor."
Mobley regularly brought the ball up the floor and initiated offense for Rancho Christian High School. His feel for the game and positional handle are rare; USC even started using him as a pick-and-roll ball handler late in the season. He's an intelligent passer (2.8 assists per 40) with the shooting mechanics to eventually space the floor from 3 despite converting just 30% as a freshman, which will allow him to play both 4 and 5.
On the defensive end, his fluidity and foot speed help him to switch onto guards and wings with ease. He's also a nuanced pick-and-roll defender, has great touch on the interior and excellent shot-blocking instincts (3.4 blocks per 40). While I've compared him to a young Davis, there's also a lot of Bosh in his game with his body type, all-around game and skill level.
It's no secret in NBA circles that Mobley could very well end up as the best player to come out of this draft once his body fills out. He could use a more physical big alongside him early on given his rebounding struggles and slight build. Even if it's not in his nature to take over games as a scorer, he's going to impact winning wherever he goes, and his combination of floor and ceiling has scouts excited about his future in the NBA.
Jalen Suggs: The Two-Way Guard
Physical: 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, 6-foot-6 wingspan
Key Stats: First high-major player to average at 19 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2.5 steals per 40 minutes since Penny Hardaway in 1992
Similarities To: Jrue Holiday, Brandon Roy
What's His Superpower? Winning Impact
Suggs is a culture-changer who will instantly bring toughness and a winning mentality wherever he goes. While his open-court passing, aggressive rim attacks and ability to knock down shots late in games are what you see on the floor, it's what Suggs brings on a day-to-day basis that differentiates him from the rest of this group.
Coaches and staff who have been around him say he's the most competitive player they've ever coached. Suggs was 19-0 with three gold medals during his USA Basketball career. He was the best player on one of the best teams college basketball has ever seen. In addition to his game-winning bank against UCLA, he was the only Gonzaga Bulldog who showed up against Baylor, scoring 22 points in 33 minutes. His handle, shooting and finishing finesse still need work, so it's natural to wonder what his season would have looked like if he was asked to create the majority of his team's offense like Cunningham at Oklahoma State. But Suggs is a winner in every sense of the word. He makes game-changing plays in big moments that suggests he has the potential to be far more than just an NBA starter in the right situation.
I've often compared him to Holiday because of his defensive physicality, toughness and ability to play on or off the ball. Suggs is further along than Holiday -- the 17th overall pick in 2009 -- was at the same stage, and far more electric with the ball in the open court. He and Holiday have physical similarities and are both highly appreciated for their defensive prowess and winning ways. Holiday is a former NBA All-Star, annual Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Teammate of the Year (2020) and Sportsmanship Award winner (2021) who is averaging 16-4-6 over the course of his career while defending the other team's best player -- not a bad outcome for Suggs.
Jonathan Kuminga: The Wild Card
Physical: 6-foot-8, 225 pounds, 7-foot-1 wingspan
Key Stats: 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per 40 minutes
Similarities To: Jaylen Brown, taller DeMar DeRozan
What's His Superpower? Two-Way Potential
Kuminga is the most physically ready of the top five, with ideal tools for a two-way wing in today's NBA. Of the aforementioned prospects, Kuminga is the only one an NBA coach could comfortably ask to slow elite wing scorers such as Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Tatum, even if his discipline and motor on that end are still evolving.
It wasn't long ago that NBA scouts were gushing about Kuminga as a potential No. 1 pick after he averaged 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block per game over his first three G League bubble contests (all wins). He was the best player on the floor in both pre-bubble scrimmages (24-5-3), and G League Ignite staffers with NBA experience regularly touted him as a potential top pick. However, some of Kuminga's shortcomings started to show as the bubble went on. He shot just 33% from 2 and 22% from 3 over his last five games and ultimately opted to shut it down after 13 games due to injury.
Given some of the ups and downs in Orlando, Florida, teams have seemed to feel more comfortable with names like Cunningham, Green, Mobley and Suggs over Kuminga. It has also been more difficult for teams to gather accurate intel and background information on Kuminga, who grew up in Congo and bounced around between different schools once arriving in the United States.
Still, having recently watched Kuminga work out for two days in Orlando, there's no questioning his ability. He's a better shooter than his 25% G League clip suggests. He looks every bit of 6-foot-8 with a tremendous frame, excellent length and sharp footwork. He's comfortable creating from all over the floor and scoring out of the midpost, even showing glimpses of court vision in the open floor. If a team can iron out Kuminga's jumper, stabilize his defensive motor and get him to play a more free-flowing, ball-moving style, it could end up with one of the best players to come out of this 2021 draft, just like he was billed less than five months ago. And with teams starving for wings who can defend a few positions and make an open shot, Kuminga has a relatively high floor.
"I just see myself as the best player in this draft," Kuminga told us when we were in Orlando. "But I'm not going to stay talking like I'm the best player. I've still got a lot of things to show, a lot of things to work on, a lot of things to prove. I'm just going to keep working and being the best version of myself. That's pretty much what I'm worried about."
How does this top-5 rank historically?
There have been only six drafts with three or more All-Stars selected in the top five since 2000. The 2018 class could make it seven; Doncic and Trae Young have already been All-Stars, and Ayton and Jackson have All-Star potential. The past two drafts each feature two clear All-Stars: Zion Williamson and Ja Morant in 2019, and Edwards and LaMelo Ball in 2020.
Still, it's hard to find a draft with up to four All-Stars selected in the top five. With executives regularly saying this crop has multiple No. 1-caliber picks, this year has that type of firepower at the top.
Maybe even more impressive is the combination of floor and ceiling for each of the projected top-five picks. In recent drafts, for every Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram, there has been a Dragan Bender or Kris Dunn. For every Karl-Anthony Towns, there has been a Jahlil Okafor or Mario Hezonja. For every Joel Embiid, there's a Dante Exum. This 2021 class doesn't appear to have that volatility at the top.
How do teams see the pecking order?
Some teams see a tier within the top five, with Cunningham, Green and Mobley as All-Star-caliber players with Suggs and Kuminga as clear-cut starters with the potential to become All-Stars in the future. Some prefer Suggs to both Green and Mobley. Overall, most see a core four of sorts, with a level of comfort surrounding Cunningham, Green, Mobley and Suggs, given their productivity and efficiency.
As far as the rankings within that, it's relatively fluid depending on who you talk to. Cunningham is still the name you hear most at the top, and he's who I would personally select No. 1 regardless of fit. But you do occasionally hear some support for Green at the top given his dynamic style and scoring ability. As I said with LaMelo Ball and Edwards last year, it's almost a matter of what you're looking for. The top five offers virtually every different type of potential franchise building block.
Altogether, this 2021 top five is well-balanced and versatile, giving executives a plethora of options. How many games would a team made up of all five of them win in a year after a few seasons of NBA experience? I'd guess quite a few.
Could anyone else crack the top five?
Not every team considers the top five as set in stone.
"I still think somebody else is going to come out of the pile and push their way up," one NBA exec said.
Who are the candidates to crack the top five, and why are they in the conversation?
Scottie Barnes
Having recently watched Barnes work out in Santa Barbara, California, he has an outstanding 6-foot-9 frame, a 7-foot-3 wingspan, a 9-foot-1 standing reach and impressive all-around metrics according to sports science company P3. While Suggs is rightfully praised for his intangibles, Barnes is right there with him, and could have a Haliburton-type of impact on a franchise from a personality and competitiveness standpoint. Whether he's going through a workout or watching pickup on the sideline, his spirit is contagious, which has been the case since we first evaluated him as a 15-year-old.
lthough he'll never be wired to score the ball, Barnes does just about everything else, often earning supersized Draymond Green and Simmons comparisons, something he embraces. He can bring the ball up and facilitate like a point guard and defend almost all five positions, and he's making strides as a standstill 3-point shooter. All of that combined with his fit in today's NBA could lead some teams to prefer him to Kuminga, and potentially others currently slated ahead of him.
"I feel like I can do it all," Barnes said during a film session. "I'm a winner. I feel like that's the best thing about me, I'm a winner. I'm very unselfish on the floor. I help teams win. That's why they should bet on me. I feel like I'm one of the best prospects in this draft and with me on your team you just instantly get a lot better from that."
Davion Mitchell
Mitchell is one of the most accomplished prospects in the draft and arguably more NBA ready than anyone else in this class. Already an elite defender, a dynamic driver, a nuanced playmaker, a versatile shotmaker and a national champion, it's easy to slot Mitchell in as an immediate starter with more upside than your typical 23-year-old.
Keon Johnson
While not nearly as NBA-ready as some of the aforementioned prospects, few players in this draft can rival Johnson's physical skills. He also plays with an excellent motor, is an underrated passer, and those who have spent time around him rave about his level of focus, intensity and hunger coming out of Shelbyville, Tennessee, a town of just over 20,000.
Over the past 20 years, only one draft class has produced four All-Stars in the top five picks. And while the 2021 draft isn't expected to be led by four future Hall of Famers, like 2003 with LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, there's a sense within NBA circles that the top of this year's crop could end up being as strong as any we've seen in the past two decades.
"That top five is potentially as stout as any of the other drafts [since 200
," one high-ranking NBA executive said. "There are years where the No. 1 pick would never be the No. 1 pick ever again. Some drafts lack that No. 1 pick. This one's legit. I'm a big fan. There's legit star power [in the top 5]."It's no secret the draft is an inexact science. Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry, who've combined to win five of the past seven MVP awards, were all drafted outside the top five. There will surely be players projected outside the top five of this draft who turn into NBA stars. But less than two weeks away from the NBA draft lottery, which will determine the final pick order, teams are waiting anxiously in hopes of landing inside the coveted top five, and for good reason. Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Kuminga all represent game-changing prospects, each for a different reason.
What makes each one so intriguing? Is there a tier within that group? And who else could crack the top five of this draft?
Cade Cunningham: The Jumbo Shot Creator
Physical: Between 6-foot-7 and 6-8, 225 pounds, 7-foot-1 to 7-2 wingspan
Key Stat: Most efficient isolation scorer in the NCAA
Similarities To: Luka Doncic, Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum
What's His Superpower? Versatility
As Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton told us during the college season, "No matter who is on your roster, Cade fits."
Cunningham's versatility is a big reason he's the favorite to go No. 1 overall regardless of who ends up winning the lottery. At somewhere between 6-7 and 6-8 with long arms and a strong frame, Cunningham shifted all over the floor for Oklahoma State, bringing the ball up the court, finishing possessions out of isolation and pick-and-roll (over 47% of his offense), spacing the floor as a shooter, operating as a screener and even creating from the post. He's the only player projected in the top five who could legitimately play four positions.
Cunningham has found success in a variety of roles throughout his amateur career. At Montverde, he was the lead guard, table-setter and shot creator for Scottie Barnes, Moses Moody, and Day'Ron Sharpe on one of the greatest teams in high school basketball history. With the U19 USA team in Crete, he thrived as a playmaking wing alongside Green, Suggs and Tyrese Haliburton, averaging 12-5-6 in 24 minutes on his way to a gold medal. With the Texas Titans on the Nike EYBL Circuit, he shouldered the load, averaging 24-7-6 while shooting 64% from 2 and 35% from 3, ranking fourth in the league in scoring and first in total win shares for the 18 games in our database (17-1). At Oklahoma State he led a ho-hum Cowboys roster to the Big 12 title game -- knocking off Baylor in the process -- as the primary shot-creator while ranking among the team's top two in points, rebounds, assists and blocks.
Thanks to his ability to play on or off the ball (40% from 3), his floor is a Khris Middleton type, while on the high end, Cunningham has shades of Tatum and Luka Doncic, thanks to his stellar court vision. Simply put, Cunningham is capable in a wide range of roles, and thanks to his calm demeanor, late-game heroics and clutch gene, he still has quite a bit of upside to tap into.
"I feel like I affect the game in so many different ways," Cunningham said. "It's going to be hard to find somebody else that's versatile and can affect the game in this many ways. ... I know there are a lot of other big time players, but I think I'm the one."
Jalen Green: The Most Star Potential
Physical: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds with about a 6-foot-9 wingspan
Key Stats: 10th in the G League in scoring at just 19 years old (18.7 points in 32.4 minutes)
Similarities To: Zach LaVine, Bradley Beal, wiry Anthony Edwards
What's His Superpower? Effortless scoring ability
Green is far and away the most dynamic of the five prospects. Watching him work out in Los Angeles recently, he dunks on the way up and gets up and down the floor with incredible ease. He has turned himself into quite the shot-maker over the past year or so (36% from 3 in the G League bubble), creating space as well as any teenager I can remember. No prospect can score with the same level of ease as Green, who also showed progress as a ball handler, passer (3.1 assists per game), and on-ball defender in the bubble. Although he has a much different body type, Green could very well have an Anthony Edwards type of impact as a rookie. He'll have nights when he scores 30-plus points, become a SportsCenter top-10 mainstay and infuse a level of excitement into his new fan base, while likely battling some inefficiency and defensive growing pains in Year 1.
Green has no shortage of fans in NBA front offices, and there's an argument to be made that he has the most star potential in the draft. One NBA executive said Green has a chance to be a "10-time All-Star and 25-point-per-game scorer" once he settles into the NBA game. Green has a Zach Lavine type of effortless bounce with Bradley Beal-like shotmaking ability and scoring instincts, which is clearly an intriguing combination for a franchise in search of star power. Ask him who the best prospect in the draft is, and Green doesn't mince words.
"Me, I'm the best prospect in this draft, in my opinion," Green said. "I didn't go to college and I played against grown men. I just think as a 19-year-old doing that, I'm the best player in the draft for sure."
Evan Mobley: The Modern Big
Physical: 7 feet, 220 pounds, 7-foot-4 wingspan
Key Stats: Seventh in the NCAA in half-court scoring efficiency
Similarities To: Anthony Davis, Chris Bosh, Jaren Jackson Jr.
What's His Superpower? Perimeter Prowess
Mobley is the draft's best big man, but that doesn't mean he'll be anchored inside the paint. It's his ability to play on the perimeter on both ends of the floor at 7 feet tall -- along with his stellar feel for the game -- that separates him from the rest of this class as well as recent top big man prospects like James Wiseman and Deandre Ayton.
"10, 15 years ago it was mostly, if you're a big you stay inside the paint," Mobley told ESPN's Jonathan Givony at a USA Basketball Minicamp in October of 2018. "But nowadays in the NBA you see a lot of players stretching the floor a lot. [Kevin Durant], he's 7 feet but he has a good 3 ball. I'm trying to be like that, get my 3 ball up a little bit. Try to be like Giannis [Antetokounmpo] as well, driving to the basket, and kind of like Anthony Davis with the back to the basket and also stretch the floor."
Mobley regularly brought the ball up the floor and initiated offense for Rancho Christian High School. His feel for the game and positional handle are rare; USC even started using him as a pick-and-roll ball handler late in the season. He's an intelligent passer (2.8 assists per 40) with the shooting mechanics to eventually space the floor from 3 despite converting just 30% as a freshman, which will allow him to play both 4 and 5.
On the defensive end, his fluidity and foot speed help him to switch onto guards and wings with ease. He's also a nuanced pick-and-roll defender, has great touch on the interior and excellent shot-blocking instincts (3.4 blocks per 40). While I've compared him to a young Davis, there's also a lot of Bosh in his game with his body type, all-around game and skill level.
It's no secret in NBA circles that Mobley could very well end up as the best player to come out of this draft once his body fills out. He could use a more physical big alongside him early on given his rebounding struggles and slight build. Even if it's not in his nature to take over games as a scorer, he's going to impact winning wherever he goes, and his combination of floor and ceiling has scouts excited about his future in the NBA.
Jalen Suggs: The Two-Way Guard
Physical: 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, 6-foot-6 wingspan
Key Stats: First high-major player to average at 19 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2.5 steals per 40 minutes since Penny Hardaway in 1992
Similarities To: Jrue Holiday, Brandon Roy
What's His Superpower? Winning Impact
Suggs is a culture-changer who will instantly bring toughness and a winning mentality wherever he goes. While his open-court passing, aggressive rim attacks and ability to knock down shots late in games are what you see on the floor, it's what Suggs brings on a day-to-day basis that differentiates him from the rest of this group.
Coaches and staff who have been around him say he's the most competitive player they've ever coached. Suggs was 19-0 with three gold medals during his USA Basketball career. He was the best player on one of the best teams college basketball has ever seen. In addition to his game-winning bank against UCLA, he was the only Gonzaga Bulldog who showed up against Baylor, scoring 22 points in 33 minutes. His handle, shooting and finishing finesse still need work, so it's natural to wonder what his season would have looked like if he was asked to create the majority of his team's offense like Cunningham at Oklahoma State. But Suggs is a winner in every sense of the word. He makes game-changing plays in big moments that suggests he has the potential to be far more than just an NBA starter in the right situation.
I've often compared him to Holiday because of his defensive physicality, toughness and ability to play on or off the ball. Suggs is further along than Holiday -- the 17th overall pick in 2009 -- was at the same stage, and far more electric with the ball in the open court. He and Holiday have physical similarities and are both highly appreciated for their defensive prowess and winning ways. Holiday is a former NBA All-Star, annual Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Teammate of the Year (2020) and Sportsmanship Award winner (2021) who is averaging 16-4-6 over the course of his career while defending the other team's best player -- not a bad outcome for Suggs.
Jonathan Kuminga: The Wild Card
Physical: 6-foot-8, 225 pounds, 7-foot-1 wingspan
Key Stats: 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per 40 minutes
Similarities To: Jaylen Brown, taller DeMar DeRozan
What's His Superpower? Two-Way Potential
Kuminga is the most physically ready of the top five, with ideal tools for a two-way wing in today's NBA. Of the aforementioned prospects, Kuminga is the only one an NBA coach could comfortably ask to slow elite wing scorers such as Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Tatum, even if his discipline and motor on that end are still evolving.
It wasn't long ago that NBA scouts were gushing about Kuminga as a potential No. 1 pick after he averaged 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block per game over his first three G League bubble contests (all wins). He was the best player on the floor in both pre-bubble scrimmages (24-5-3), and G League Ignite staffers with NBA experience regularly touted him as a potential top pick. However, some of Kuminga's shortcomings started to show as the bubble went on. He shot just 33% from 2 and 22% from 3 over his last five games and ultimately opted to shut it down after 13 games due to injury.
Given some of the ups and downs in Orlando, Florida, teams have seemed to feel more comfortable with names like Cunningham, Green, Mobley and Suggs over Kuminga. It has also been more difficult for teams to gather accurate intel and background information on Kuminga, who grew up in Congo and bounced around between different schools once arriving in the United States.
Still, having recently watched Kuminga work out for two days in Orlando, there's no questioning his ability. He's a better shooter than his 25% G League clip suggests. He looks every bit of 6-foot-8 with a tremendous frame, excellent length and sharp footwork. He's comfortable creating from all over the floor and scoring out of the midpost, even showing glimpses of court vision in the open floor. If a team can iron out Kuminga's jumper, stabilize his defensive motor and get him to play a more free-flowing, ball-moving style, it could end up with one of the best players to come out of this 2021 draft, just like he was billed less than five months ago. And with teams starving for wings who can defend a few positions and make an open shot, Kuminga has a relatively high floor.
"I just see myself as the best player in this draft," Kuminga told us when we were in Orlando. "But I'm not going to stay talking like I'm the best player. I've still got a lot of things to show, a lot of things to work on, a lot of things to prove. I'm just going to keep working and being the best version of myself. That's pretty much what I'm worried about."
How does this top-5 rank historically?
There have been only six drafts with three or more All-Stars selected in the top five since 2000. The 2018 class could make it seven; Doncic and Trae Young have already been All-Stars, and Ayton and Jackson have All-Star potential. The past two drafts each feature two clear All-Stars: Zion Williamson and Ja Morant in 2019, and Edwards and LaMelo Ball in 2020.
Still, it's hard to find a draft with up to four All-Stars selected in the top five. With executives regularly saying this crop has multiple No. 1-caliber picks, this year has that type of firepower at the top.
Maybe even more impressive is the combination of floor and ceiling for each of the projected top-five picks. In recent drafts, for every Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram, there has been a Dragan Bender or Kris Dunn. For every Karl-Anthony Towns, there has been a Jahlil Okafor or Mario Hezonja. For every Joel Embiid, there's a Dante Exum. This 2021 class doesn't appear to have that volatility at the top.
How do teams see the pecking order?
Some teams see a tier within the top five, with Cunningham, Green and Mobley as All-Star-caliber players with Suggs and Kuminga as clear-cut starters with the potential to become All-Stars in the future. Some prefer Suggs to both Green and Mobley. Overall, most see a core four of sorts, with a level of comfort surrounding Cunningham, Green, Mobley and Suggs, given their productivity and efficiency.
As far as the rankings within that, it's relatively fluid depending on who you talk to. Cunningham is still the name you hear most at the top, and he's who I would personally select No. 1 regardless of fit. But you do occasionally hear some support for Green at the top given his dynamic style and scoring ability. As I said with LaMelo Ball and Edwards last year, it's almost a matter of what you're looking for. The top five offers virtually every different type of potential franchise building block.
Altogether, this 2021 top five is well-balanced and versatile, giving executives a plethora of options. How many games would a team made up of all five of them win in a year after a few seasons of NBA experience? I'd guess quite a few.
Could anyone else crack the top five?
Not every team considers the top five as set in stone.
"I still think somebody else is going to come out of the pile and push their way up," one NBA exec said.
Who are the candidates to crack the top five, and why are they in the conversation?
Scottie Barnes
Having recently watched Barnes work out in Santa Barbara, California, he has an outstanding 6-foot-9 frame, a 7-foot-3 wingspan, a 9-foot-1 standing reach and impressive all-around metrics according to sports science company P3. While Suggs is rightfully praised for his intangibles, Barnes is right there with him, and could have a Haliburton-type of impact on a franchise from a personality and competitiveness standpoint. Whether he's going through a workout or watching pickup on the sideline, his spirit is contagious, which has been the case since we first evaluated him as a 15-year-old.
lthough he'll never be wired to score the ball, Barnes does just about everything else, often earning supersized Draymond Green and Simmons comparisons, something he embraces. He can bring the ball up and facilitate like a point guard and defend almost all five positions, and he's making strides as a standstill 3-point shooter. All of that combined with his fit in today's NBA could lead some teams to prefer him to Kuminga, and potentially others currently slated ahead of him.
"I feel like I can do it all," Barnes said during a film session. "I'm a winner. I feel like that's the best thing about me, I'm a winner. I'm very unselfish on the floor. I help teams win. That's why they should bet on me. I feel like I'm one of the best prospects in this draft and with me on your team you just instantly get a lot better from that."
Davion Mitchell
Mitchell is one of the most accomplished prospects in the draft and arguably more NBA ready than anyone else in this class. Already an elite defender, a dynamic driver, a nuanced playmaker, a versatile shotmaker and a national champion, it's easy to slot Mitchell in as an immediate starter with more upside than your typical 23-year-old.
Keon Johnson
While not nearly as NBA-ready as some of the aforementioned prospects, few players in this draft can rival Johnson's physical skills. He also plays with an excellent motor, is an underrated passer, and those who have spent time around him rave about his level of focus, intensity and hunger coming out of Shelbyville, Tennessee, a town of just over 20,000.
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Duren reminds me a lot of prime Amare when he played with the Suns.
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Can someone explain the variance with Jalen Johnson on these mocks? Is it basically just some writers don't like how he left Duke?
Seems like a top 10 talent to me. Are people really clamoring to draft someone like Davion Mitchell, who is about to turn 23 and had one good season of shooting under his belt, over a 19 year old 6'10" athlete with playmaking potential?
Seeing him in the 20s in some mocks just seems absolutely ridiculous to me.
Seems like a top 10 talent to me. Are people really clamoring to draft someone like Davion Mitchell, who is about to turn 23 and had one good season of shooting under his belt, over a 19 year old 6'10" athlete with playmaking potential?
Seeing him in the 20s in some mocks just seems absolutely ridiculous to me.
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He’s gonna shoot up draft boards once the combine and workouts start. No way he’s not a lottery pick. Too much potential there.
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HOU$TON
formerly convertibleburt
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HOU$TON
formerly convertibleburt
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Really think Stevens is gonna take a hard look at Sharife depending on who is still on the board by the time their pick rolls around.
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If you're a betting man, you'll take near 50/50 odds on something, right?
Watch Cade end up in Cleveland.
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Draft lottery is Tuesday, creeped up on the schedule fast.
dacomeup
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Someone is going to get a solid rotation guy with Miles McBride if his shooting carries over
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Celtics just traded that 16th pick
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Well scratch that
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