While the college basketball season has been strange, we have a more clear idea of which top prospects are expected in the 2021 NBA draft.
While the college basketball season has been strange, we have a more clear idea of which top prospects are expected in the 2021 NBA draft.
Unfortunately, putting together a big board at this point in the year is an incomplete task. The inaugural NBA G League Ignite team, a new developmental team that plays exhibitions and is meant to serve as an alternative to college for some players, has not yet begun their season.
That makes it impossible to track development for top prospects like Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Green as well as potential risers like Isaiah Todd and Daishen Nix.
While there are some honorable mentions included for some fringe prospects, several names (e.g. Duke’s DJ Steward, UNC’s Caleb Love, Texas Tech’s Terrence Shannon, Miami’s Earl Timberlake) were omitted on account of projected returns to the NCAA. As of right now, however, it is still a great challenge to predict who will be in this class.
The key to this draft is fluidity and being willing to accept that things will change quickly. Players will have slumps and some may be slow to adapt to the new normal. Rankings now are hardly reflective of where they will be as we get closer to March Madness.
Note that any conversations with NBA scouts mentioned in the article were held under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on behalf of their teams.
Now that the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball season is underway, we are getting a more clear picture of the top prospects in the upcoming class.
Now that the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball season is underway, we are getting a more clear picture of the top prospects in the upcoming class.
Former top recruits like Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs have made a great first impression and have confirmed why many already feel they are going to be solid future professionals in the NBA.
Of course, considering the unusual nature of the college basketball season, some players are struggling a bit more than others. The performance on the court will likely stray closer to the mean with a larger sample size as the year continues.
We highlighted the prospects who have been the biggest risers since we published our last edition of this exercise.
College basketball standouts who have most drastically improved their draft stock through the early parts of the season include Keon Johnson (Tennessee), James Bouknight (UCONN), Jared Butler (Baylor), Corey Kispert (Gonzaga), Day’Ron Sharpe (UNC), Aaron Henry (Michigan State), Ayo Dosunmu (Illinois), Marcus Bagley (Arizona State), Moussa Cisse (Memphis), Charles Bassey (Western Kentucky), Jason Preston (Ohio) and Luka Garza (Iowa).
Below are the rankings based on the latest mock drafts from top analysts and experts:
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report
Now that the 2020-21 NCAA Men’s Basketball season is in full swing, we examined what the 2021 NBA draft class is shaping up to look like.
Now that the 2020-21 NCAA Men’s Basketball season is in full swing, we examined what the 2021 NBA draft class is shaping up to look like.
Consider this an introduction to the top players in college, as well as those on the inaugural NBA G League Ignite team, a new developmental team that plays exhibitions and is meant to serve as an alternative to college for some players. We’ll also look at international prospects who are playing abroad.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, this is going to be an unusual season for all hopeful pros. The bizarre offseason made it hard to get in the swing of things and some may struggle early as they adjust accordingly. As they already have been, games will inevitably be postponed or outright canceled.
Even in a normal season, a mock draft this early is a bold move. With these circumstances in mind, our mock draft is obviously going to look very different from how the actual night will shake out next offseason.
But it does offer a general starting range to encapsulate where the top prospects may be selected if they draft were held now. It also gives some insight on the kinds of players who may be available when your favorite team is on the clock.
The draft order was determined by projected wins from ESPN’s Kevin Pelton, whose projected real plus-minus has “outperformed” the over-under figures from Las Vegas since 2015. Pick swaps and trades were pulled from the future draft picks section on RealGM.
Note that all conversations with NBA scouts mentioned in the article were held under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on behalf of their teams.
With the NBA trade deadline approaching, there may be some swaps of picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, which is considered to be a strong class.
With the NBA trade deadline approaching, there may be some swaps of picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, which is considered to be a strong class.
Now that the rosters for the McDonald’s All-American Game have been announced and the Hoophall Classic is complete, top prospects are emerging as future stars in the league.
This list does not include any of the top international prospects who will likely be selected in 2020 like Killian Hayes and Theo Maledon. It also does not mention any of the top returning players in the nation as it will be unclear who will opt to play in the NBA and it is still tough to predict at this point.
Instead, it offers an introduction to the current high school seniors and the international
All statistics are updated through February 3, 2020 and are pulled from D1Circuit.com, MaxPreps and RealGM unless stated otherwise.
1. Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State (Committed)
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Guard, 6-foot-7, 18 years old, Montverde Academy (Florida)
Cade Cunningham is currently the anchor for Montverde Academy, which is being called the best high school team of all-time. They are currently ranked as the top school in the nation. The point forward is so good that an NBA scout recently told Yahoo’s Krysten Peek he would likely be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft if he were eligible. That indicates he might already be the best player who is not currently in the league. For proof: Cunningham averaged 18.0 points and 8.5 assists per 36 minutes at the U19 World Cup, trailing just one player for total assists (40) during the tournament. With his size and his playmaking ability, he is already showing flashes of becoming a future franchise cornerstone.
2. Jalen Green, Uncommitted
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Guard, 6-foot-5, 17 years old, Prolific Prep (California)
Jalen Green is an incredibly explosive athlete who has improved as a shooter over the past few years as well. The scorer has become a more consistent and reliable option on the floor, offering an attacking mentality that will continue to develop as his competition continues. One of his crowning achievements thus far: He took home tournament MVP during the U17 World Cup in 2018, leading the United States to the gold medal behind 15.7 points per game. He averaged 7.7 three-pointers per 40 minutes during this competition, showing he is a fearless shooter. His natural stroke from the free-throw line shows that his three-point percentage will likely increase within time, too.
3. Evan Mobley, USC (Committed)
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Big, 7-foot-0, 18 years old, Rancho Christian (California)
Evan Mobley was 2019’s Gatorade Player of the Year in California and came into the summer as the highest-rated player on RSCI, which compiles all of the rankings on recruiting sites like 247 Sports and Rivals. The versatile big brags a 7-foot-5 wingspan with a 40-inch vertical leap, a rare measurement combination. He has recently been listed as a small forward, however, which Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo says “points to the dissonance” between his current identity and the best eventual fit in the NBA for someone his size. Still, there is arguably more to like about Mobley’s potential than that of 2020 projected lottery big man James Wiseman.
4. Scottie Barnes, Florida State (Committed)
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Forward, 6-foot-8, 18 years old, Montverde Academy (Florida)
Scottie Barnes currently plays alongside Cunningham at Montverde Academy and has a lot to offer as he continues to develop. He is a stat-sheet stuffer capable of putting up impressive lines for points and rebounds as well as assists. Like Cunningham, he has a point-forward mentality which is elevated by the fact that he is also measured with an incredible 9-foot-1 standing reach. Barnes can be a plug-and-play option for almost any team on both offense and defense in the NCAA and eventually in the NBA. That was an especially attractive trait for him for Team USA in the U19 World Cup, where he was a strong facilitator from the elbow. He assisted on 16.8 percent of scores for his team when he was on the floor despite never acting as his offense’s primary playmaker.
5. Ziaire Williams, Uncommitted
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
Wing, 6-foot-8, 18 years old, Sierra Canyon (California)
Ziaire Williams is currently playing high school basketball at the high-profile Sierra Canyon. While he had to sit out the first few months of his senior year because of transfer rules, he has been a force to be reckoned with already. But that was no surprise for those who have followed the prospect. Williams led his AAU team (which also briefly included the aforementioned 2021 projected lottery pick Jalen Green) in points as well as rebounds and assists per game on the U17 circuit. The prospect has shown he is an above-average finisher near the rim, which will be important as he continues his growth. The Stepien’s Ross Homan also believes Williams can become the best shooter in this class. It will be fascinating to monitor his collegiate decision as he is the highest-rated recruit without an NCAA commitment yet.
Future Vol Jaden Springer discusses playing at Knoxville Catholic.
KNOXVILLE — When IMG Academy basketball player Jaden Springer was introduced before the Ascenders’ game at Knoxville Catholic High School Saturday afternoon, the Irish faithful showered him with a chorus of “Rocky Top.”
After that, the Irish fans rooted hard for the University of Tennessee signee as their team fought valiantly.
KCHS would prove to be a formidable foe, but the Ascenders would leave Knoxville with a 68-53 victory before a spirited capacity crowd.
Catholic is one of the Volunteer State’s top basketball teams and Springer, a North Carolina product playing high school basketball in Florida, had his hands full on the defensive end of the floor as he had to guard Irish sophomore B.J. Edwards, one of Tennessee’s top prospects.
Springer, who will play in the McDonald’s All-American Game in May, scored 13 points in Knoxville. Edwards finished with 17 for Catholic, which has two more uncommitted Division I prospects in senior forward Akeem Odusipe and sophomore center Handje Tamba.
The Irish fans might have cheered the future Vol before the game, but once things got underway, Springer was booed on the final play before halftime when he was fouled on a 3-point attempt. He made all three free throws to give the Ascenders (14-4) a 35-23 lead at halftime.
Springer said he was thrilled to play in East Tennessee and said that he was friends with some of the players for Catholic (15-4).
“We play a lot of our games in front of big crowds,” said Springer. “But it was great when they sang Rocky Top.
“I know a lot of the Catholic guys because we all play AAU together. They have a great team and those guys are great players. The whole atmosphere and the whole experience were just great.”
Springer also noted that he didn’t feel any extra pressure while playing in Knoxville.
“There wasn’t a lot of pressure,” he said. “There never is when you have great teammates like I have.”
University of Tennessee basketball signee Jaden Springer is set to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game.
The contest will take place May 1 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas and will be televised by ESPN.
Springer is a 6-foot-4, 195-pound shooting guard from Charlotte, N.C. and is attending IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
UT press release:
Tennessee basketball signee Jaden Springer was among 24 elite high school seniors selected Thursday to compete in the 2020 McDonald’s All-American Game.
Springer becomes the ninth Tennessee signee to earn McDonald’s All-American acclaim. This is the first time since 1997 and 1998 that the Vol signees have earned this honor in back-to-back years, as current UT freshman Josiah-Jordan James was a McDonald’s All-American last year.
The Toyota Center in Houston hosts the 43rd McDonald’s All-American Game on May 1 on ESPN.
Springer is a 6-4 guard from Charlotte, North Carolina, who is attending IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He is rated as a top-20 prospect nationally.
Last year, Springer played a key role in leading IMG Academy to the 2019 Geico High School National Championship while averaging 18.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
Just last week, Springer—along with fellow UT signee Keon Johnson—was named to the 25-man 2020 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Boys High School Midseason Team, qualifying each of them as finalists for the Naismith High School Boys Player of the Year Award.
Head coach Rick Barnes has now signed 17 McDonald’s All-Americans.
Tennessee’s previous McDonald’s All-American signees were Doug Roth (1985), Allan Houston (1989), Charles Hathaway (1996), Tony Harris (1997), Vincent Yarbrough (1998), Scotty Hopson (2008), Tobias Harris (2010) and James (2019).
The start of college basketball’s fall signing period began yesterday with a big splash for both the Tennessee Volunteers’ men’s and women’s team. The men signed an elite trio while the the ladies picked up a dynamic duo. On top of that, the women’s volleyball team rallied to defeat the Razorbacks on the road to keep the winning week for Vols athletics going.
The ball got rolling when four-star recruit Corey Walker signed his letter, and he was followed up by five-star prospects Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer who also gave their official signatures. Head coach Rick Barnes had this to say about his newest crop of players.
“The combined talent and potential of Keon, Corey and Jaden is really exciting. All three of them fit the culture of this program and come from incredible families who have provided wonderful support and guidance to get them to this point. It’s our responsibility now to help each of them take the next steps in their individual development—not only athletically but also as men.”
The three freshly-anointed Volunteers are expected to enroll at the university in the summer of 2020. Next season promises to be an exciting one on Rocky Top.
