NBA Mock Draft 2.0; Pre-NCAA Tournament edition
It’s NCAA Tournament time! What better time than now to update the lottery mock draft. Let’s look through where things stand leading into the NCAA Tournament.
1. 6-10 F Jabari Smith
Freshman, Auburn
On3 Consensus: No. 7 in 2021
On3 NIL Valuation: $54,000
The jump shot is beautiful, with effortless range and repeatability (42.8% 3P). He attacks a closeout off one and two dribble pull-ups. The motor runs hot on defense, and he has the fluidity and length to move his feet and be switchable. He will need to continue getting stronger, and his 1.9 assists to 1.8 turnovers per game show he will need to sharpen his floor vision and tighten his handle.
2. 6-10 PF Paolo Banchero
Freshman, Duke
On3 Consensus: No. 2 in 2021
On3 NIL Valuation: $174,000
Banchero has a ready-made frame with an intriguing skill set. Throughout his time in high school and travel ball, he showed passing chops and initiation skills. At Duke, he has been more of a scorer, really flexing in the mid-post area and attacking in straight lines in the half-court. There are jump shot questions as well as his lateral movement on defense.
3. 7-1 C Chet Holmgren
Freshman, Gonzaga
On3 Consensus: No. 1 in 2021
On3 NIL Valuation: $276,000
Holmgren has very real translatable tools. The shot-blocking and the toughness are at the top of the list. There is some shot-making (41.2% 3P) and creation in there as well. Holmgren put up some monster performances through the latter half of the season, and it is good to see a first-year player blow through the freshman wall. The weight is the question mark and does he have the frame to add the necessary additions for the NBA.
4. 6-5 SG Shaedon Sharpe
Freshman, Kentucky
On3 Consensus: No. 4 in 2021
One NIL Valuation: $52,000
The biggest enigma of the draft as he enrolled at Kentucky early but has not played. Sharpe has said he will be returning to Kentucky next year, but he is draft-eligible, and there is a gaping hole that he could slide right in. Sharpe will need to continue tightening everything, but during Peach Jam, he showcased shot-making, deep range, and that patented 40-plus inch vertical. He has natural tools galore that he will need to continue sharpening.
5. 6-4 G Jaden Ivey
Sophomore, Purdue
On3 Consensus: No. 77 in 2020
On3 NIL Valuation: $59,000
Ivey is fast, highly explosive, and quick bursty. Even off makes, his athleticism gets him down the floor faster than most. He jumped from 25-percent as a freshman to 35-percent from three as a sophomore. NBA spacing will help his numbers as he would prefer to attack the basket, but the decision-making is a question. The jump shot still needs work, and the reads, 3.2 assists to 2.5 turnovers this season, need to be sharpened.
6. 6-11 C Jalen Duren
Freshman, Memphis
On3 Consensus: No. 8 in 2021
On3 NIL Valuation: $50,000
Duren is a physical specimen at 250-lbs. he has a reported 7-foot-5 wingspan. He is a high-level rebounder and an elite rim protector. Duren is averaging 13.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in conference play while shooting 60.7-percent from the field. He can be mechanical in the post with his reads, and he needs to play with a creator to get him the ball, but his physical tools and the way he has dominated games in the paint show a lot of promise.
7. 6-8 F Keegan Murray
Sophomore, Iowa
On3 Consensus: Unranked
On3 NIL Valuation: N/A
While many expected a lot of Murray coming into the season, I am not sure many saw him becoming one of college basketball’s most efficient and most productive scorers. Murray’s 23.6 points per game are coming off an array of off-ball cutting, jump shot-making, and fast-break creating. He has made 66 threes at a 40.5-percent clip. The questions are with who does he guard as he is a tweener on that side.
8. 6-5 SG Johnny Davis
Sophomore, Wisconsin
On3 Consensus: No. 202 in 2020
On3 NIL Valuation: N/A
What a season Davis has had. He has shown shot-making prowess, especially in the mid-range. His ability to create space and the confidence to rise up and knock down tough shots has been on full display all season. Davis has shown he is a good team defender and understands concepts to make plays on that end, but his overall explosion and measurables will come into question. Also, the second time through teams, Davis struggled at times leading to creation questions. He shot just shy of 32-percent from three this season. So while the counting numbers are good, and the eye-test is impressive, there are some questions.
9. 6-6 SF AJ Griffin
Freshman, Duke
On3 Consensus: No. 23 in 2021
On3 NIL Valuation: $48,000
Griffin’s frame looks to be chiseled from granite. He has excellent positional size, lengthy arms, and broad shoulders. His shot-making has been on full display, with his 46.7-percent shooting from three on 4.0 attempts per game. Griffin will only be 18 on draft night, and he is the son of long-time NBA player and current NBA coach Adrian Griffin. While he showed top-of-the-line athleticism in high school, he has looked a step slow at times at Duke. Also, there are questions about his handle and creation.
10. 6-6 SF Benn Mathurin
Sophomore, Arizona
On3 Consensus: Unranked
On3 NIL Valuation: N/A
The physical tools and the shot-making certainly pop for Mathurin. In theory, Mathurin would be a perfect three and D type player. We just need to see more consistent effort on the defensive end; he has the athleticism and length. He is a career 38.9-percent three-point shooter off 4.8 attempts per game at Arizona. Mathurin gets out in transition and the open floor, but his handle in the half-court is average, at best, and there is not a ton of creation in his game.
11. 6-8 F Kendall Brown
Freshman, Baylor
On3 Consensus: No. 21 in 20221
On3 NIL Valuation: $19,900
Intangibles; Kendall Brown is filled with intangibles, both physically and mentally. Brown may be the most functionally explosive player in college basketball. With his size, competitiveness, and strong frame, he profiles well as a potential plus-defender at the next level. Offensively, Brown lacks any sort of jump shot, and the handle is questionable past two dribbles. However, he is an excellent passer and a productive off-ball cutter. The upside is there, intangibles are there, but how much will teams look past the jump shot and handle.
12. 6-6 SG Dyson Daniels
G-League Ignite
On3 Consensus: unranked
On3 NIL Valuation: N/A
Daniels may be the top perimeter defender in this draft class. He uses his length well, but he also has great anticipation and competitive nature. The Australian native’s jump shot will be a huge question mark and drive some teams away. But, Daniels sees the floor at a high level and is an excellent passer in both the half and full court. You would like to see him become more alpha-aggressive with the ball, but he is still young. He is a good rebounder for a guard, and his handle can get a bit high at times, but he has gotten to his spots with Ignite.
13. 6-5 SF Ochai Agbaji
Senior, Kansas
On3 Consensus: unranked
On3 NIL Valuation: N/A
The elder statesman of the lottery is a high floor, low ceiling type of pick because the learning curve will not be steep. He should jump right into a rotation and hoover there for his career. He is a physical wing defender with good athletic tools. Offensively he is shooting 40.5-percent from three and 19.7 points. The three and D moniker would fit here.
14. 6-3 CG TyTy Washington
Freshman, Kentucky
On3 Consensus: No. 16 in 2021
On3 NIL Valuation: $58,000
Washington simply seems to elevate the play of those around him. He is a tough-minded guard who can do a bit of everything on the floor, but it is his toughness that seems to bleed through to those around him. Take the intangibles away, and Washington is a classic good across the board, great at nothing prospect. He is a good shooter (34.7% 3P). Washington is a good passer (4.0 apg), but he consistently lacks the burst to get past his man. He will need to play beside another ball-handling guard who can create, but you can run some actions through Washington. He also showed some injury concerns this season. His lack of athleticism showed as he played teams for a second time. He has a unique skill-set, but Tyrece Haliburton had some of the same questions.
Next 5: Patrick Baldwin, Jr., Marjon Beauchamp, Walker Kessler, Jeremy Sochan, Mark Williams