Tag: Isaiah Jackson

Roundtable mock draft: Thunder make 2 trades, get Kuminga and Sengun

In a simulated draft, the Thunder ended up making two minor trades. See how the NBA Wires sites draft shaped up for OKC.

In the second annual NBA Wires simulated draft, The Thunder Wire assumed the role of general manager for Oklahoma City and put together a mock draft with editors from other sites.

The Thunder failed to trade up to the top of the draft and ended up taking Jonathan Kuminga at No. 6. Overall, Oklahoma City drafted based on potential instead of fit and, at times, even over best available.

In the mock draft, Oklahoma City made a pair of trades: The Thunder used pick No. 55 to move up one spot from 18 to 17 and secure Alperen Sengun, and then they traded down from No. 36 for Carsen Edwards, cash considerations and pick No. 45.

Here’s a rundown of each pick. Find full explanations for each and the results of the entire draft at The Rookie Wire.

Why Isaiah Jackson could have an inside track to the Hornets in the 2021 NBA draft

The Charlotte Hornets have a need for a big man this offseason and one particular prospect has a history with LaMelo Ball.

The Charlotte Hornets’ search for a big man to pair with LaMelo Ball will be perhaps the main focus of the franchise this summer when it comes to roster moves. With the ability to add through the draft, free agency or even a trade, the possibilities are effectively endless for Charlotte.

One of the more intriguing ways they could address the need, though, could be through one specific draft prospect. Kentucky’s Isaiah Jackson looks set to likely be a lottery selection and certainly a first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Jackson worked out with the Hornets on July 3, but a recent piece for 247Sports’ Cats Pause revealed he had another workout with Charlotte as well. While he may be one of a number of big man prospects the team could consider with the No. 11 pick, that he received a second workout seems telling to some degree.

On top of receiving a second workout, the Hornets could have even more intel on Jackson as well. Prior to Ball joining the NBL and Illawarra Hawks, he spent one season at SPIRE Institute, coached by his current manager Jermaine Jackson. Playing at center for that SPIRE side was none other than Jackson.

The two had a nice bond together on the court with Jackson being the vertical threat Ball found most often with his alley-oops. Their bond was a lasting one as they’ve remained in touch through social media in the years since whether it was wishing each other happy birthdays or Ball checking in on his teammates during games last season.

The Hornets aren’t in need of making roster moves simply to please Ball, unlike some franchises. Jackson, though, isn’t a player getting an extra look simply because he’s Ball’s former teammate.

Last season with Kentucky, Jackson averaged 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and an impressive 2.6 blocks per game. Against Kansas early in the season, Jackson finished with seven points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks. He tallied seven blocks against Alabama later in the year as well.

At 6-foot-10 with a wingspan of 7-foot-2.5 and an ability to jump out of the gym, there aren’t many shots Jackson can’t reach to block. His ability to run in the open court bodes well for a Hornets team that ranked 10th in the league in fastbreak points at 13.6 per game, a figure that only dropped late in the year after Ball’s injury.

Jackson represents a lot of things the Hornets need in a big man, but that applies to multiple teams ahead and behind Charlotte in the draft order. If he’s available with the No. 11 pick, he would give the Hornets a very interesting dilemma, but it’s hard to imagine many teams would have more information on Jackson than the Hornets.

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2021 NBA Draft Big Board 5.0: Final rankings of the Top 100 prospects

With just over a week left until the 2021 NBA draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, it’s officially the most wonderful time of the year! 

With just over a week left until the 2021 NBA draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, it’s officially the most wonderful time of the year!

That means that after a slew of surprising early entry withdrawals impacted the worlds of both college and international basketball, the next generation of NBA talent is getting closer to entering the league. As players finalize their place on big boards in front offices, I wanted to offer my opinion on how I think those rankings should look.

Note that our list is certainly going to look different from the lists at ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report and other publications. Player evaluation is an inexact science. Part of the process is being willing to admit when you were wrong about a player.

But avoiding group-think and ending higher than consensus on a player is how an NBA team ends up selecting them in the draft. With that in mind, here is who I would target if I were running a front office.

Report: Lakers worked out Kentucky center Isaiah Jackson

The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly worked out Kentucky big man Isaiah Jackson.

The Los Angeles Lakers will have the No. 22 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, and the team has conducted several workouts with prospects projected to be available at that spot.

Los Angeles has done interviews and workouts with Trey Murphy III of Virginia and Jaden Springer of Tennessee.

Ayo Dosunmu of Illinois also worked out with the Lakers during the same session as Springer, which indicates Los Angeles’ interest in possibly using the pick on a capable guard. Dennis Schroder, Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker are free agents this summer, and it’s unlikely for financial reasons all three will return.

It appears L.A. also has done some scouting pertaining to centers that could be available at No. 22. According to Chris Fisher, who covers the Kentucky Wildcats on CBS Sports’ 247Sports Network, the Lakers worked out center Isaiah Jackson:

Jackson is projected to be a late first-round pick or an early second-rounder. The 6-foot-10 big is only 206 pounds, which isn’t optimal for centers at the NBA level.

But Jackson is an elite athlete at his position, which he has illustrated on the defensive end; he averaged 2.6 blocks a game this season, one of the premier rates in the nation.

He averaged 8.4 points and 6.6 rebounds in 20.7 minutes a game and showed the ability to be a quality rim-running center if he develops accordingly.

As for his potential fit on the Lakers, he’d likely be coming off the bench. With Andre Drummond’s future in L.A. unclear and Anthony Davis usually playing the four, Marc Gasol is the primary option at center.

Montrezl Harrell also has a player option he must make a decision on soon. If he opts in, he’ll have a role as a backup center.

Jackson also isn’t a floor-spacing big. His shot tendencies reside near the rim, which would clog the floor depending on the lineup because his playmaking skills need improvements as well.

Jackson may not look like the ideal target on paper, but it’s good for the Lakers to do their due diligence on as many prospects as possible with their lone draft pick.

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Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson invited to NBA draft green room

Duarte and Isaiah Jackson were among the latest prospects invited by the NBA to attend the draft from the green room.

Oregon guard Chris Duarte and Kentucky forward Isaiah Jackson were among the latest prospects invited by the NBA to attend the draft from the green room at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The NBA last week announced the draft would take place in person on July 29 after it was mostly held virtually last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The league was then expected to invite the top prospects to attend from the green room.

In addition to Duarte and Jackson, LSU guard Cameron Thomas was also invited to the green room. The trio joins 15 prospects that were invited last week to attend the draft, including Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs among others.

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While no player attended the draft in person last year, the league invited about 20 players in 2019 to the green room, including Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and R.J. Barrett. The league has invited 18 players so far with a couple of more expected to join the list.

With the draft less than two weeks away, teams are busy conducting interviews and workouts as most prospects continue to try to improve their stock. Prospects often work out with teams right up until the day before the draft before enjoying the festivities with family and friends.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Moody, Jackson, Johnson listed as top realistic draft prospects for Hornets

In a recent Bleacher Report article, Jonathan Wasserman listed Isaiah Jackson, Moses Moody and Keon Johnson as the three most realistic draft picks for the Hornets.

The NBA draft, like effectively every other professional sports league draft, is an unpredictable event. While analysts and experts spend weeks and months producing mock drafts, rarely do those projections play out in real life. One team making an unexpected pick or one player slipping throws everything into chaos.

In lieu of predicting one player per team via mock draft, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman gave a small list of the most realistic prospects for each team to draft, including Charlotte with the No. 11 pick.

The three names for the Hornets all fill various needs in wings Moses Moody from Arkansas and Keon Johnson from Tennessee and big man Isaiah Jackson of Kentucky. Moody would help fill the gap in 3-point shooting, Johnson would add another athlete to the rotation. Jackson would fill the team’s biggest need in a center.

Interestingly, Jackson would also provide the storyline of having played a season with LaMelo Ball in the past at SPIRE Institute. In that season, Jackson averaged 14.9 points and 10.4 rebounds. Last season, he made his name as a rim-protecting, lob-catching big, shooting 54% from the field and averaging 5.0 blocks per 40 minutes.

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2021 NBA Mock Draft 6.0: Predicting all 60 picks after the combine

While most of the basketball world is focused on the NBA Finals, scouts and draftniks are in the midst of a very busy time of year as well.

While most of the basketball world is focused on the NBA Finals, scouts and draftniks are in the midst of a very busy time of year as well.

The most crucial dates leading up to the draft are the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the early entry application deadline, the lottery, the combine and the early entry withdrawal deadline. All have since come and gone, which means that we’re somehow already in the home stretch before the big night in Brooklyn on July 29.

Prospects are still frantically traveling around the country, visiting with teams for both individual and group workouts in front of key decision-makers. Still, others are currently playing for their national team on the FIBA circuit.

But as far as the public is concerned, the only new information that will be released between now and the draft will be filtered through whatever is reported by journalists. As such, until intel starts rolling in, this mock draft offers the most informed projections yet.

While these predictions are based on my conversations with NBA scouts and executives around the league, as well as my own scouting and information-gathering, they’re subject to change dramatically over the course of the next few weeks.

Did he stay or did he go? Tracking the biggest NBA draft decisions

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

While the official date from the league is not actually until July 19, the NCAA has mandated the deadline of July 7 for players who wish to play college basketball next season.

Prospects who declared as early entry candidates but were just “testing the waters” often opt to return to the collegiate ranks so as to improve their draft stock for the subsequent year instead. But there are several reasons why a player might be even more willing to return to college for another campaign than usual.

For example, seniors have the option to use another year of eligibility because of the massive impact of COVID-19. Others may be interested in playing another year of college in front of fans after last season was met with many restrictions.

Meanwhile, all NCAA athletes also now have the ability to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL) for the first time. This offers an avenue to collect some money while still in college without needing to fully commit to turning pro.

Here are the latest updates about who is still testing the waters, who will be turning pro and who will be returning to the NCAA.

Did he stay or did he go? Tracking the biggest NBA draft decisions

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

While the official date from the league is not actually until July 19, the NCAA has mandated the deadline of July 7 for players who wish to play college basketball next season.

Prospects who declared as early entry candidates but were just “testing the waters” often opt to return to the collegiate ranks so as to improve their draft stock for the subsequent year instead. But there are several reasons why a player might be even more willing to return to college for another campaign than usual.

For example, seniors have the option to use another year of eligibility because of the massive impact of COVID-19. Others may be interested in playing another year of college in front of fans after last season was met with many restrictions.

Meanwhile, all NCAA athletes also now have the ability to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL) for the first time. This offers an avenue to collect some money while still in college without needing to fully commit to turning pro.

Here are the latest updates about who is still testing the waters, who will be turning pro and who will be returning to the NCAA.

Did he stay or did he go? Tracking the biggest NBA draft decisions

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

All prospects who declared early entry for the 2021 NBA draft without foregoing their collegiate eligibility had until July 7 to withdraw.

While the official date from the league is not actually until July 19, the NCAA has mandated the deadline of July 7 for players who wish to play college basketball next season.

Prospects who declared as early entry candidates but were just “testing the waters” often opt to return to the collegiate ranks so as to improve their draft stock for the subsequent year instead. But there are several reasons why a player might be even more willing to return to college for another campaign than usual.

For example, seniors have the option to use another year of eligibility because of the massive impact of COVID-19. Others may be interested in playing another year of college in front of fans after last season was met with many restrictions.

Meanwhile, all NCAA athletes also now have the ability to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL) for the first time. This offers an avenue to collect some money while still in college without needing to fully commit to turning pro.

Here are the latest updates about who is still testing the waters, who will be turning pro and who will be returning to the NCAA.