Tag: Kai Jones

2021 aggregate NBA mock draft 7.0: Ranking the full class of prospects

The 2021 NBA draft is less than a week away and we finally have an idea of who is in — and who has withdrawn — from the class.

The 2021 NBA draft is less than a week away and we finally have an idea of who is in – and who has withdrawn – from the class.

In order to get a better sense of where all of the prospects stand as of right now, we compiled mock drafts from NBADraft.net, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report, Yahoo, The Athletic, The Ringer, Yahoo, NBA Big Board and USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s For The Win to see where the prospects rank at the moment.

Please note that these rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for consensus, not our own opinion.

Since our previous update last month, some of the players with the most positive momentum include Quentin Grimes, Joe Wieskamp, Vrenz Bleijenbergh, Aaron Wiggins, Justin Champagnie, Jericho Sims, Jason Preston, Josh Primo, Neemias Queta, Trey Murphy and Bones Hyland.

Among players who ranked on our previous update who have since withdrawn from the draft include Roko Prkacin (32), Marcus Bagley (39), Terrence Shannon (48), Ariel Hukporti (50), Max Abmas (53), Johnny Juzang (54), Jordan Hall (66), Carlos Alocen (69) and Ochai Agbaji (75).

The most notable omissions who remain in this class but not these rankings are Yves Pons, Scottie Lewis, Jay Huff, Marcus Zegarowski, Aamir Simms, Dalano Banton, Matt Mitchell, Jose Alvarado, Carlik Jones, Derrick Alston Jr., Romeo Weems, Balsa Koprivica, Chaundee Brown, Isaiah Miller, Jordan Schakel and D.J. Carton.

Note that for the offensive roles, we borrowed a fun idea from Todd Whitehead (formerly of Nylon Calculus) with help from our friends at Bball-Index.com to create a slightly tweaked formula from the version they use.

The goal of that is not to explain how well a player scores but rather offer context for the way that he was used on his most recent team. This should help you predict how he might be used at the next level.

Meanwhile, you can learn the latest updates on every single prospect who has been included in recent mock drafts by scrolling below.

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report

Kai Jones calls his defense essential to make immediate impact in NBA

Jones emerged as a strong defender, and he believes it is that ability that will enable him to see the floor often as a rookie.

Kai Jones emerged as a strong defender last season in college, and the former Texas Longhorns forward believes it is that ability that will enable him to see the floor often as a rookie.

Jones was named the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 8.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in 26 games on 38.2% shooting from 3-point range. He projects to fill a couple of needs at the next level, including on defense and by spacing the floor.

He believes those two skillsets will be valuable at the next level.

I think my defensive presence is going to be huge just by being able to switch ball screens and playing in drop coverages. I have a pretty good knack for playing defense and I think that is going to be essential to me getting on the floor and playing a lot of minutes as a rookie. On the offensive end, I can attack closeouts. I’m very fast. I can spread the floor. I think my athleticism and shot-making ability are going to have an immediate impact when I get in.

Jones is widely projected to be a mid-first-round pick next week given his ability on both ends of the floor. With more reps as a shooter, Jones could potentially even emerge as a strong 3-and-D player at the next level after leaving Texas as a career 34.5% shooter from beyond the arc.

With a bright future ahead, Jones wants to join a winning organization that will prioritize his development. With more improvement, Jones could emerge as one of the most productive players from this draft class.

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

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Hornets Mock Draft Roundup: Charlotte surrounds LaMelo Ball with athletes

The Hornets will likely look to surround LaMelo Ball with shooting and athleticism this draft as our latest mock draft roundup shows.

With the NBA Finals wrapping up on Tuesday, the next thing on the docket on the NBA calendar is the 2021 NBA Draft on July 29. As a result, a handful of mock drafts have come out in recent days with more and more possibilities.

For Charlotte, athleticism was the common theme for their draft picks. As the team looks to fully unlock LaMelo Ball offensively, pairing him with athletes and shooters looks to be the route they could take.

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie had Charlotte taking Moses Moody, a sharpshooting wing out of Alabama:

“I’ve gone Moody, whom teams are excited about. Why? Because he was a productive college player that fills a genuine 3-and-D need next to LaMelo Ball long-term. I’m a big fan of Moody’s shot making and think this would be about as perfect a fit as you’ll find.”

For Sports Illustrated, Jeremy Woo projected the Hornets to grab some size in big man Kai Jones:

“They do have an obvious need for a young big, and Jones could be available to them here as an attractive option. Jones’ potential to knock down jumpers, finish lobs and protect the paint—coupled with unusual athletic gifts and skill flashes—make him one of the higher-upside options on the board in this part of the lottery. He never an especially consistent producer at Texas, and will still be very much a project for whoever drafts him. This is likely the very high end of Jones’ range, which runs into the teens, but he’s a pretty seamless hypothetical fit in Charlotte, where he’d likely benefit from playing as a lob target for LaMelo Ball.”

CBS Sports’ Colin Ward-Henninger also had the Hornets taking an athletic player at a different position in wing Keon Johnson:

“Charlotte needs athletes flanking LaMelo Ball on the break, and you won’t find a better one in this draft than Keon Johnson, who set the NBA Draft Combine record with a 48-inch vertical leap. He’s a bit rough around the edges, but there’s enough potential there to see Johnson eventually becoming a reliable offensive player in the halfcourt. Johnson said that his shooting consistency has improved since his college season ended, and that will be the key to his ceiling in the NBA.”

Lastly, NBC Sports’ Adam Herman also slated Charlotte to take Johnson with the No. 11 pick:

“An insanely springy athlete with Matisse Thybulle-like defensive potential for disruption, Johnson feels like a natural fit to slide in next to LaMelo Ball and sprint down the floor catching lobs for the half-decade. His shooting needs work, but it’s harder to teach explosive athleticism than it is a repetitive three-point shot.”

However the Hornets go about doing it, the clear focus is to build around LaMelo Ball with this selection.

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.

Thunder draft: 5 players that could fall out of lottery, to No. 16

A player with lottery talent could be available at No. 16 for the Thunder. Here are some players they should be looking at in the mid-first round.

With the NBA draft less than two weeks away, the Oklahoma City Thunder are continuing to evaluate their big board and prospects around the world as they take their next step.

Barring trades, the Thunder will enter the draft with six picks: Nos. 6, 16, 18, 34, 36 and 55.

There are a handful of players who are near-certainties to be lottery selections, but with the subjectivity that naturally comes along with prospects and front offices, there is always lottery talent that slips down.

Holding the 16th pick, the Thunder could find such player. Here are five lottery talent names who could still be available when Oklahoma City has its mid-first-round picks.

The list is in alphabetical order. Stats are from Basketball-Reference.

Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green among prospects invited to draft green room

Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green are among the 15 prospects invited to attend the NBA draft from the green room.

Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green are among the 15 prospects invited to attend the NBA draft from the green room at the Barclays Center on July 29 in Brooklyn, New York.

The NBA on Thursday announced that the draft would take place in person 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.

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 so far invited 15 players this year, with five more expected to join the list next week.

The 15 players invited this year, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Of course, the 15 players invited so far are widely expected to be the first drafted in some order. Prospects like Alperen Sengun, Sharife Cooper, Ziaire Williams, Cameron Thomas and Usman Garuba are among the next group of players to be invited to the green room.

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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Warriors hosting several first-round prospects for pre-draft workouts

Projected lottery picks Moses Moody and Davion Mitchell are among the prospects visiting the Warriors this week.

With the NBA draft two weeks away, the Golden State Warriors are beginning to ramp up preparations with several projected first-round prospects visiting the team this week.

Of course, the Warriors currently have the seventh and 14th selections in the NBA draft. While they are rumored to look to trade one or both of those picks, the team is doing its due diligence on those players projected to be in their range on draft night.

To this point, the Warriors have only hosted players projected to be second-round picks or those not expected to be selected. Warriors guard Stephen Curry recently said none of the top prospects had been into the Bay yet, but that is beginning to change.

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On Wednesday, Florida guard Tre Mann and LSU forward Cameron Thomas were among the prospects to work out with the Warriors. Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland from VCU and Houston guard Quentin Grimes were also part of that workout, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Following that workout, the Warriors will be bringing in projected lottery picks Moses Moody (Arkansas), Davion Mitchell (Baylor), Jalen Johnson (Duke) and Kai Jones (Texas) on Thursday, according to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Of the group visiting on Thursday, Moody and Mitchell have been heavily linked to the Warriors. They each project to be able to step in and play immediately and both would bring needed skillsets to the roster, such as shooting and defense.

Golden State projects to be one of the more interesting teams to watch on draft night. With the organization looking to add veteran help, they seem poised to make at least one trade and shake up the draft.

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

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Report: Davion Mitchell, Moses Moody, Kai Jones, Jalen Johnson scheduled for pre-draft workouts with Warriors

Potential first-round draft picks Davion Mitchell, Moses Moody, Kai Jones, Jalen Johnson are reportedly scheduled to work out for the Warriors at Chase Center.

After reportedly bringing in players like G League Ignite forward Isaiah Todd and LSU guard Cameron Thomas in for workouts, the Golden State Warriors will see another wave of potential first-round picks at Chase Center before the draft.

According to Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle, Baylor’s Davion Mitchell, Arkansas’ Moses Moody, Texas’ Kai Jones and Duke’s Jalen Johnson are scheduled to work out in the Bay Area on Thursday. All four players are widely considered lottery or first-round picks.

Via @Con_Chron on Twitter:

Both Mitchell and Moody have previously been mentioned as potential candidates for picks when the Warriors are on the clock at No. 7. In the latest mock draft from Cody Taylor of USA TODAY’s Rookie Wire, Moody comes off the board at No. 7 to the Warriors.

Via Rookie Wire:

Moody is busy showcasing his shooting ability during the pre-draft process, something that should intrigue the Warriors. The SEC Freshman of the Year converted on 35.8% of his 5.8 attempts from 3-point range last season and registered a 7-foot wingspan at the combine. He projects to be a strong 3-and-D prospect at the next level and could be able to step in and help Golden State immediately. They have been rumored into wanting to move this pick so it will be worth monitoring to see if they are on the clock at this point of the draft.

On his way to winning SEC Freshman of the Year at Arkansas, Moody averaged 16.8 points on 42.7% shooting from the floor with 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and a steal in 33.8 minutes per contest.

Via @swishcultures_ on Twitter:

In a previous mock, Mitchell has been linked to the Warriors at No. 7. In Taylor’s post-lottery mock draft, Mitchell landed with Golden State.

Via Rookie Wire:

Mitchell, who led the Bears to the national championship, 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 also became the first player in program history to be named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Mitchell projects to be one of the most NBA-ready players with his defensive ability and shot-making after converting on 44.7% from 3-point range on 4.7 attempts per game. The Warriors are certainly in win-now mode and his explosiveness and skills as a ballhandler will be a welcomed addition, on top of his potential to be the best defender in this draft.

The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year helped lead the Baylor Bears to the 2021 National Championship, averaging 4 points on 51.1% shooting from the field and 44.7% shooting from beyond the arc on 4.7 3-point attempts per game. The 6-foot-1 guard tacked on 5.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals per contest.

Via @Raptornian on Twitter:

Jones and Johnson round out the rest of the group slated to work out at Chase Center on Thursday.

Jones, a 6-foot-11 center out of Texas, averaged 8.8 points on 58% shooting from the field with 4.8 rebounds in 22.8 minutes per game during his sophomore season in Austin. Jones was named the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year in 2021.

Before deciding to forgo the rest of his freshman season at Duke, Johnson averaged 11.2 points on 53.3% shooting from the floor in 13 games. During his short run with Mike Krzyzewski at Cameron Indoor, Johnson recorded double-figures in scoring six contests, including a powerful double-double performance in his debut with Duke. Johnson registered 19 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the field with 19 boards and five assists against Coppin State.

As draft season hits crunch time, Steve Kerr, Bob Myers and the rest of the Golden State Warriors are doing their final round of pre-draft homework before hitting the clock on July 29.

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

USA Today’s most recent NBA Mock Draft looks promising for former Longhorns

Longhorns are all over the NBA draft board.

The NBA draft process has been a whirlwind for each of the four Texas players from the men’s hoops team.

They each have had different levels of success, and besides Kai Jones who has consistently been in the lottery, the other three prospects in Greg Brown III, Jericho Sims, and Matt Coleman II have been sliding up and down draft boards all summer.

While the pre-draft process has helped Coleman, who worked out with the Los Angeles Lakers this past week, and Sims who was the star of the combine, it has decimated Greg Brown’s stock.

In USA Today’s most recent mock draft, three Texas players had their name called, which has yet to happen in other mocks around basketball.

Let’s take a look where the three Longhorns went in this mock draft.

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.