Category: 2021 NBA Draft

Projected lottery pick Josh Giddey declares for NBA draft

Giddey, who became the youngest Australian in the NBL to record a triple-double, announced his intentions to enter the NBA draft.

Australian guard Josh Giddey on Tuesday announced his intentions to enter the 2021 NBA draft after a successful season with the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League.

The news was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Giddey, who was born in Melbourne, averaged 11.1 points, 7.4 assists and 7.1 rebounds in 23 games with the 36ers. He became the youngest Australian player in NBL history to record a triple-double after registering 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists on Sunday.

The 6-foot-8 product is widely projected to be a first-round pick, while some believe he can be a climb as high as a potential lottery selection on July 29. He has been highly touted for his ability as a passer while his size has drawn some comparisons to fellow Australian, Ben Simmons.

Giddey will likely need to bulk up some in order to handle the physicality of the NBA but his overall skill set and size figures to translate at the next level. For teams in search of backcourt help, Giddey will be an intriguing option for a front office.

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Moses Moody, Jalen Johnson among prospects to sign with Klutch Sports

Moody and Johnson headlined the group of prospects that were signed by the Klutch Sports Group on Thursday.

Arkansas guard Moses Moody and Duke forward Jalen Johnson headlined the group of prospects that were signed by the Klutch Sports Group on Thursday, the agency announced.

In addition to Moody and Johnson, Texas forward Kai Jones, Kentucky players BJ Boston and Terrence Clark, and Florida guard Scottie Lewis also signed with Rich Paul-led group to form a talented haul of draft prospects this year.

Moody, Johnson and Jones each enter the pre-draft process projected by most to be lottery selections, while Boston is thought to be a late first-round pick. Meanwhile, Clark is believed to be a late second-rounder and Lewis is currently outside of the top 60 by most mocks.

Of course, the pre-draft rankings will change from now until the NBA draft on July 29. Prospects will conduct interviews and workouts with teams in the coming weeks while scouting events like the combine and NBA G League Elite Camp will return to help players improve their draft stock.

Klutch Sports has emerged as perhaps the top agency in the NBA given its All-Star clientele, headlined by LeBron James, Anthony Davis and John Wall among others. In 2020, the agency signed Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Maxey.

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Projected top-five pick Jalen Suggs declares for NBA draft

Suggs was named a consensus Second Team All-American after averaging 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.9 steals in 30 games.

Gonzaga Bulldogs freshman Jalen Suggs announced Monday on ESPN’s “The Jump” that he will declare for the 2021 NBA draft and forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility.

Suggs was named a consensus Second Team All-American after averaging 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.9 steals in 30 games. He helped lead the Zags to the national title game after draining the game-winning shot over UCLA in the Final Four.

The 19-year-old is widely projected to be a top-five pick after a strong run with Gonzaga. He has been highly touted as a potential franchise-changing type of prospect given his skillset as a point guard and ability to lead his team.

Suggs projects to thrive at the next level with his athleticism and body control as a lead guard. He has the ability to create for himself and others while playing at both guard positions if needed. He is most commonly listed as the third-best prospect in the draft this year.

The NBA draft is set to take place on July 29.

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Source: SDSU’s Matt Mitchell has hired an agent, declared for 2021 NBA Draft

San Diego State wing Matt Mitchell has hired an agent and officially declared for the 2021 NBA draft, a source tells USA TODAY’s Rookie Wire.

San Diego State senior Matt Mitchell has hired an agent and officially declared for the 2021 NBA draft, USA TODAY SMG’s Rookie Wire has learned.

Mitchell, a lengthy 6-foot-6 senior with a plus wingspan, won the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year behind 15.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in 2020-21.

As a defender, he had the second-best steal percentage in the conference and he earned MWC First-Team All-Defense consideration. Mitchell was then honored as the MWC Tournament MVP and he helped his squad make an appearance in March Madness.

Mitchell, who could have returned to SDSU because the NCAA granted seniors an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19, will be represented by Keith Kreiter of Edge Sports.

While seniors were previously automatically eligible for the NBA draft, this rule change made it so that players like Mitchell would have to petition the league to become draft-eligible in 2021. But by hiring an agent, Mitchell will forego that opportunity to instead turn pro.

When it was all said and done, Mitchell was one of the five best scorers in San Diego State State history. He connected on more than 1.0 three-pointer per game during each of the four seasons that he played at the program.

Overall, he has played well as an offensive creator, especially when dribbling off the pick during ball screen actions. The wing averaged 1.03 points per possession on dribble jumpers as a senior, per Synergy, which ranked in the 88th percentile among all D-I players.

But there are other measurements that point to a reliable shooting form as well, including his success at the charity stripe. During his junior campaign in 2019-20, when San Diego State finished with an outstanding 30-2 record, his free-throw percentage trailed only Sam Merrill and Justinian Jessup for the best in the conference. Both players were chosen in the 2020 NBA draft.

John Hollinger, previously of ESPN and then the front office for the Memphis Grizzlies, included Mitchell as one of his most undervalued prospects (via The Athletic):

“Between his age and mid-major profile, Mitchell almost certainly goes in the second round. But once there, I think he has a much better chance to stick as a role-playing wing than several other players who are currently rated much higher … especially if he can keep improving his body.”

He was a projected second-rounder in the latest mock draft from The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie. Mitchell projects as a likely candidate for draft consideration when teams are on the clock come July 29, 2021.

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Projected top-five pick Evan Mobley declares for 2021 NBA draft

Mobley was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year after averaging 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and 2.4 assists in 33 games.

On Friday, USC forward Evan Mobley announced on Twitter that he will be declaring for the 2021 NBA draft after a strong freshman campaign with the Trojans.

Mobley was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year after averaging 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and 2.4 assists in 33 games. He helped lead USC to the Elite Eight after finishing with the second-most wins (25) in program history.

The 7-foot product is widely considered to be a top-five pick in the draft given his skill set and size size. Mobley proved to be dominant in the paint last season and has the potential to be a strong defender at the next level given his length.

Given his size and skill set, Mobley is projected to be selected within the top three picks in the draft. His tools on both ends of the floor make him a prized possession this year as he has been touted as the top collegiate big man in quite some time.

The NBA draft is set to take place on July 29.

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Arkansas freshman Moses Moody will hire an agent and enter NBA draft

Moody was one of only three freshmen in the country to average at least 15 points and five rebounds per game.

On Friday, Arkansas guard Moses Moody announced on ESPN’s “The Jump” that he will sign with an agent and enter the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining collegiate eligibility.

Moody was named the SEC Freshman of the Year after averaging 16.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and one steal in 32 games with the Razorbacks. He was one of only three freshmen in the country to average at least 15 points and five rebounds.

The 6-foot-6 guard is widely expected to be a lottery pick in the NBA draft given his ability on both ends of the floor. After converting on 35.8% of his attempts from 3-point range, he projects to be a strong 3-and-D prospect at the next level.

Moody showed at Arkansas that he can be a strong shooter after excelling in catch-and-shoot opportunities and off the dribble. Given his skillset, and ability this year to participate in pre-draft workouts, Moody could even help improve his stock before the draft.

The NBA draft is set to take place on July 29.

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2021 NBA Mock Draft consensus 3.0: The complete first round after the NCAA Tournament

The college basketball season is over, and there’s been a ton of movement on NBA draft boards. See our consensus mock 3.0.

The college basketball season has come to an end with the Baylor Bears taking down the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the men’s championship final.

While Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham is still a lock to be the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, plenty of movement has taken place in the projected first round.

Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs boosted his already considerable stock with an impressive run to the final, and Baylor star Davion Mitchell is rocketing up the draft order.

To rank the top players available, we analyzed five 2021 NBA mock drafts and big boards from around the internet – the latest versions from ESPN, NBC Sports, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated and NBA Draft Room – and found each player’s average draft position.

Only 38 players appeared in the first round across the mock drafts we reviewed, down from 47 in the Consensus 1.0 and 44 in the 2.0. If a player was left out of one of the mock drafts, he was assigned a value of 31 for each absence to determine his draft average. To give an approximate draft range, we’re also listing each player’s best and worst draft position across the five mock drafts, and indicating whether a player’s stock has risen or fallen since our last mock.

The draft order was set using each team’s current record, via Tankathon.

Here is our consensus mock draft 3.0, with all 30 picks in the first round:

Report: Baylor star Davion Mitchell to declare for 2021 NBA draft

Mitchell was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 14.1 points, 5.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals 30 games.

Baylor guard Davion Mitchell will reportedly hire an agent and declare for the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining collegiate eligibility, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Mitchell, who led the Bears to the national championship on Monday, was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 14.1 points, 5.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals 30 games. He was also named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, the first in school history to win.

The 6-foot-2 guard entered the NCAA Tournament projected to be a first-round pick, but many believe he likely helped improve his stock following his run with Baylor. According to Jordan Schultz of ESPN, executives and scouts believe he will likely be a top-10 pick in the draft.

Mitchell shot 44.7% from 3-point range on 4.7 attempts per game and has emerged as a strong 3-and-D prospect given his elite defensive ability. His explosiveness and skills as a ballhandler will also offer plenty of intrigue to teams in the draft.

The NBA draft is set to take place on July 29.

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Auburn guard Sharife Cooper will declare for draft, sign with an agent

Cooper was one of just seven players to average at least 20 points and eight assists per game over the last 25 years.

Auburn freshman Sharife Cooper on Friday told Jonathan Givony of ESPN that he will sign with an agent and declare for the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining collegiate eligibility.

Cooper, who is projected to be a first-round pick, was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team after averaging 20.2 points, 8.1 assists, 4.3 rebounds and one steal in 12 games with the Tigers. He was one of just seven players to average at least 20 points and eight assists over the last 25 years.

The 6-foot-1 guard missed the first 12 games of the season for Auburn due to eligibility issues with the NCAA. He eventually debuted on Jan. 9 versus Alabama, recording 26 points, nine assists, four rebounds and three steals in his debut.

The 19-year-old projects to be a highly-coveted guard in the draft given his quickness and ability to find teammates on the court. Offensively, he has the skillset to create for himself while using his athleticism to get to the rim and draw contact.

His 8.6 free-throw attempts per game would have led the nation over a full season.

Cooper is currently projected by some mock drafts to go as high as seventh and as low as 25th. His sample size at Auburn was rather small, but he likely can help improve his stock through private workouts and the combine, which is set to run June 21-27.

The NBA draft is set to take place on July 29.

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NBA announces key dates for 2021 combine, lottery and draft

With the NCAA season winding down, the NBA on Monday announced the key dates for several draft events.

With the NCAA season winding down, the NBA on Monday announced the 2021 NBA draft will take place July 29 beginning at 8 p.m. EST on ABC and ESPN.

In addition to the draft, the NBA announced the combine will run June 21-27. The combine, which will feature 5-on-5 games and strength and agility testing, will be televised across the ESPN family of networks throughout the week.

Just after the combine begins, the draft lottery will take place on June 22 at 8:30 p.m. EST on ESPN. The location for each event will be announced as details are finalized by the league.

The dates for the draft-related events fall more in the typical window for each as the league trends toward returning to a normal yearly schedule. The hope is the season schedule can return to its pre-pandemic days.

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