Hello everybody! As the NBA Playoffs continue, this can only mean that the draft is right around the corner. My second version of this year’s NBA mock draft is similar to the previous one. However, the order and some predictions have changed. I’m looking forward to this year’s draft as it has the makings of what could be a wild draft night!
Most experts, myself included, seem to agree on who will go in the top five in their mock drafts. However, they aren’t all aligned on who will fall exactly where. Something interesting about this year’s draft class is that there are a lot of teams who should be looking for a big man, but there doesn’t appear to be a ton of NBA-ready big men available.
I’m just as excited as any for this year’s draft though. This is the type of class where a team could find a long-term superstar from the second round or even an undrafted free agent. The 2021 draft class does seem oddly somewhat like the 2020 class. On the surface, it appeared top-heavy but once we dug in we found some untapped diamonds.
My mock draft will surely change again once the lottery takes place and we know for sure which team will draft where. However, using the predicted draft order from tankathon.com and 2021 team needs from freeagentforecast.com, this is my current NBA mock draft for the 2021 NBA Draft. Be sure to check back closer to the draft date as well! I will be updating this piece as new information becomes available to the public.
2021 NBA Mock Draft 2.0
| # | Team | Pick | Pos | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Rockets | Cade Cunningham | PG | Oklahoma State |
| The rebuilding process for Houson starts here with Cade Cunningham. His height and wingspan mixed with his ball-handling abilities make him a rarity. The Rockets need a sure-handed scorer, and they will find one here with Cunningham. | ||||
| 2 |  Pistons | Evan Mobley | C | USC |
| The Pistons need a dominant big man, and it makes sense for them to grab Evan Mobley here. At 7 feet tall, he has the height to become a rebound machine. Although he only weighs 215 pounds, Detroit can beef him up and mold him into the next Andre Drummond. | ||||
| 3 |  Magic | Jalen Suggs | PG/SG | Gonzaga |
| The Magic have a ton of holes, so I believe they go with Jalen Suggs as he will be the best player available. He is a lenghty guard who can play at the one or the two, and he is a strong defender. His offensive game could use a little work, but he will make Orlando happy either way. | ||||
| 4 |  Thunder | Jalen Green | SG | G League |
| I'm sure Oklahoma City will be happy with taking Jalen Green. He is an explosive player with a knack for putting the ball in the hole. He will be a great backcourt pairing alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and should see plenty of playing time with the Thunder. | ||||
| 5 |  Cavs | Jonathan Kuminga | SF/PF | G League |
| It seems pretty clear who the top five players are in this draft, so I'm sure Cleveland won't pull any shockers and will take Jonathan Kuminga here. He can play the three or the four, and he will be a nice addition to a young and hungry Cavs rotation. | ||||
| 6 |  Warriors | Scottie Barnes | SF | Florida State |
| So long as the Warriors don't trade this pick, I believe they go SF here. The best option available for them would be the versatile Scottie Barnes. At 6'9" and 227 pounds, he has the size of an NBA forward. He played a lot of point guard in college as well which should be a strong drawing point. | ||||
| 7 |  Raptors | Davion Mitchell | PG | Baylor |
| There's a decent chance that Kyle Lowry doesn't return to the Raptors, so I see them taking Davion Mitchell with this pick. He has decent size and great ball-handling skills which is a big plus. His defense is some of the best in the draft, and he will be a good pairing with Fred VanVleet. | ||||
| 8 | Magic | Jalen Johnson | SF/PF | Duke |
| This pick will be solely based around who the Magic take with their first pick, but if they go with Suggs then I believe they will add Jalen Johnson here. He is a physical forward with the athletic ability to guard anyone on the floor. He will be a great piece to a rebuilding Orlando squad. | ||||
| 9 |  Kings | Isaiah Jackson | PF/C | Kentucky |
| The Kings are set to lose a ton of big men to free agency this year, and drafting Isaiah Jackson would help aid these losses. He's quick with his feet, can guard anyone on the floor and he is aggresive in the paint. Sacramento needs a versatile big man that fits their style of play, and Jackson is a perfect fit for their scheme. | ||||
| 10 |  Pelicans | Moses Moody | SG | Arkansas |
| The Pelicans aren't a team who needs a ton, but they need consistent scorers to aid Zion Williamson. Moses Moody is one of the best offensive players available in the draft and New Orleans is a good fit for him. He is a solid shooter who is ready to come in and start at the two from day one. | ||||
| 11 |  Hornets | Josh Giddey | SG/SF | Austrailia |
| Charlotte taking Josh Giddey makes total sense here. He played in Austrailia in the same league that LaMelo Ball played for which means he should be ready to face professional athletes. He would add great depth behind Gordon Hayward who's had his share of injury problems over the years as well. | ||||
| 12 |  Spurs | Alperen Sengun | C | Turkey |
| The Spurs have been in need of a dominant big man since the departure of LaMarcus Aldridge. I believe Alperen Sengun would be a great fit for the team. He's been playing professionally in Turkey since 2018. Coach Pops should be happy to get a ready-to-go center who should make a difference immediately. | ||||
| 13 |  Pacers | Tre Mann | PG | Florida |
| Indiana will look to add some backcourt depth and a needed boost in offense here with Tre Mann. Although he is listed as a point guard, his 6'5" frame should allow him to see plenty of time at both the one and the two, and there's even a chance he comes in as a day one starter at shooting guard. | ||||
| 14 | Warriors | Filip Petrusev | C | Serbia |
| I believe the Warriors will look to add some depth to their frontcourt if they keep both of their first round picks here. Filip Petrusev is a versatile big man who played two years at Gonzaga before playing in Serbia last season. He could play the four or the five, and would add some much needed depth for Golden State. | ||||
| 15 |  Wizards | Corey Kispert | SF | Gonzaga |
| Washington will be licking their chops at a chance to grab Corey Kispert here. He is a big-sized wing who is one of the best shooters in this draft. He will be a dangerous third option in an offensive attack behind Westbrook and Beal for a Wizards team who needs just a little more help. | ||||
| 16 |  Celtics | Kai Jones | PF/C | Texas |
| It's no secret that the Celtics need a big man in this draft, and I believe that Kai Jones is a great fit for them. He has the ability to play the four or the five, and his passing ability is rare for a big man. His lateral quickness and hops should be enough to grab the attention of Boston. | ||||
| 17 |  Grizzlies | Keon Johnson | SG | Tennessee |
| I believe that Keon Johnson will slide down the draft board and fall into the hands of Memphis here. He is a nifty athlete who excells on both ends of the floor. His biggest selling point is his hard-nosed defense though which plays right into the philosophy of the Grizzlies. | ||||
| 18 | Thunder | Luka Garza | C | Iowa |
| Many draft boards have Luka Garza going second round, but I don't believe that will be the case. There's quite a few teams who are looking for a big man, and his dynamic scoring ability will surely grab a look. The Thunder could use a dynamic scoring big man, and Garza fits that bill. | ||||
| 19 |  Knicks | Sharife Cooper | PG | Auburn |
| The Knicks need a point guard, and they need one pretty badly. Although he is a little undersized, Sharife Cooper will make a great fit for the team. He is explosive on offense and he averaged 20.2 PPG, 8.1 APG and 4.3 RPG last season at Auburn. He will be a great weapon alongside Randle and Barrett. | ||||
| 20 |  Hawks | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | PF | Villanova |
| This is the missing piece that Atlanta needs. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl has some of the best basketball IQ in the draft, and this makes up for his less-than-ideal athleticism. He will make a great pairing down low for the Hawks alongside Clint Capela and he could be in the running to take John Collins's starting job. | ||||
| 21 | Knicks | Charles Bassey | C | Western Kentucky |
| Since New York has addressed their issue at the guard position with their last pick, this is a great time to add a dominant center. Charles Bassey has been overlooked in this draft class, but I believe he will fall to the Knicks here. He's a great scorer who can rebound against anyone in the country, and he'll be a deadly pairing with Julius Randle. | ||||
| 22 |  Lakers | Cameron Thomas | SG | LSU |
| The Lakers have a lot of players to resign this offseason, but they can use their first round pick to grab a solid scoring guard. Cameron Thomas isn't the most solid defender, but his offensive ability is some of the best in the class. He would be a great fit for the Lakers who run the philosophy of more scoring and less defense. | ||||
| 23 | Rockets | Jay Huff | PF/C | Virginia |
| With their third pick of the first round, I believe Houston will address the issues that they have at the center position. Jay Huff stands 7'1" and he's a well-rounded player. He averaged 13 PPG and 7.1 RPG, and he will be a great pairing down low aside Christian Wood. | ||||
| 24 | Rockets | Ayo Dosunmu | PG/SG | Illinois |
| The Rockets will be loving what they're getting with Ayo Dosunmu here. He'll provide depth in their backcourt, and he should be ready to start from day one. Dosunmu is a scoring threat who can handle the ball well and defend anyone on the court. He could be the face of Houston's offense for many years to come. | ||||
| 25 |  Clippers | Daishen Nix | PG | G League |
| The first round of the playoffs have exposed a glaring hole for the Clippers. They need a scoring guard, and they need one pretty badly. Daishen Nix is a pick that makes sense here. He is a solid point guard who should be ready to start immediately after a season in the G League. | ||||
| 26 |  Nuggets | James Bouknight | SG | UCONN |
| Although Denver has depth at the two, they've been lacking a consistent scorer who can man the starting shooting guard position every night. James Bouknight is one of the best offensive players available in this draft when he can get going. He could be the missing piece to a talented puzzle for the Nuggets. | ||||
| 27 |  Nets | Usman Garuba | C | Spain |
| Brooklyn is a pretty solid team all-around, so they can afford to take a shot here with Usman Garuba. His EuroLeague numbers haven't been impressive. However, there's a ton of potential here. His size would allow him to play the four or the five, and the Nets could mold him into a solid rotation player. | ||||
| 28 |  76ers | Greg Brown | PF | Texas |
| The 76ers are another team who doesn't have many holes. However, they could stand to take a chance at a solid four here with Greg Brown. Joel Embiid needs some help down low, and Brown's ability to score and rebound could help take some pressure off Embiid in the paint. | ||||
| 29 |  Suns | Ziaire Williams | SG/SF | Stanford |
| Although he's a little lanky, Ziaire Williams is a great fit for Phoenix. He's a good shot-maker who has great court vision and can score pretty efficiently as well. The most underrated quality of Williams is that he isn't selfish offensively, which is what makes him such a good fit for the Suns. | ||||
| 30 |  Jazz | Marcus Bagley | SF | Arizona State |
| I believe there's a few ways the Jazz could go here, but Marcus Bagley would make sense. They need another solid forward in their rotation, and he could be just that. His size and athleticism allows him to play the three or as a stretch four. He can shoot the ball lights out and would make a great addition to a solid rotation. | ||||
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