Kai Jones – Page 6 – Syndication Server

2021 NBA Draft Big Board 2.0: Top prospects playing in March Madness

This includes some names to watch in the men’s tourney.

March Madness is set to begin, which means for college basketball fans, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. But it’s also one of the busiest times for scouts and executives around the NBA.

Last season, the men’s NCAA Tournament was canceled due to COVID-19, which makes the stakes even higher for those involved in this year’s event. It will be a fascinating few weeks of basketball, all unfolding in Indiana, and the games are sure to further illuminate who may be most worth targeting in the 2021 NBA Draft.

But in addition to the spotlight of college basketball fully underway, we have now also seen the entirety of the 2021 G League season. That included the inaugural campaign for the Ignite, a pathway to the NBA for top talents who sought an alternative to the NCAA. Their exciting playoff run taught us more about prospects including Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga.

So with those results in mind, and with the college basketball postseason on the horizon, we have ranked the Top 100 prospects most likely set to make the jump to the NBA next season.

Our methodology for the rankings includes conversations with folks around the league, learning the general consensus surrounding a player, as well as a deep dive into stats and game film.

To put everything in perspective, we have also included everyone’s previous ranks from our last update, published on Jan. 22. This helps show whether a player is trending up or trending down and also helps illuminate how much can change in just two months of action.

As the madness begins during the men’s NCAA Tournament, follow along to see how these players are performing, as many will make a case to move up or down once the nets are cut on Apr. 5, 2021.

2021 aggregate NBA mock draft 3.0: Checking in before March Madness

Which future NBA players will be playing during March Madness? Who have been the best players on the inaugural G League Ignite squad?

These are the kind of questions that many basketball fans are asking right now, especially if their favorite team is projected to have a lottery pick in the 2021 NBA draft.

Now that the NCAA tournament is on the horizon, and as the G League Ignite’s first year nears the end of the regular season, players have started separating themselves as potential top picks.

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

Since our last update back in December, these are the players who have improved the most: Kai Jones (Texas), Sharife Cooper (Auburn), Taevion Kinsey (Marshall), Moses Moody (Arkansas), Jalen Suggs (Gonzaga), Davion Mitchell (Baylor), Nah’shon Hyland (VCU) and Corey Kispert (Gonzaga).

Below are the full rankings based on the latest mock drafts from top analysts and experts.

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report

2021 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Latest updates before March Madness

This mock should provide an update, if the season ended today, on the talent that could be available when your favorite team is on the clock.

We’re rapidly approaching March Madness and top prospects like Jonathan Kuminga have started their long-awaited season, which means the 2021 NBA draft finally has some more clarity.

Even though it took a while for us to see the G League Ignite in action, the bubble season is underway in Florida, giving us a more confident assessment of the full class. Meanwhile, in the NCAA, enough of the regular season has eclipsed to extract meaning from a larger sample size of scouting.

Despite the unusual circumstances surrounding the collegiate season due to the ongoing pandemic, this class has multiple players that project as potential stars. Remember, though, this class is incredibly fluid.

This mock should provide an update, if the season ended today, on the talent that could be available when your favorite team is on the clock.

For more information on many of the second-rounders, as well as some sleepers that were not included in this mock draft, I expanded in my big board published late last month.

The main difference from the big board is that this mock factors intel, team fit, front office philosophy and roster construction. For example, there are more international players included here because I’m projecting teams with surplus picks will select draft-and-stash players rather than roster four or five rookies next season.

This draft order, which factors in trades and pick protections, was pulled from the latest Tankathon update following the games on Feb. 11.

All relevant statistics are from BartTorvik.com, KenPom.com, Sports-Reference, RealGM and Synergy Sports Tech. Data is accurate as of February 11, 2021.

After a fast start, sloppy play dooms Texas basketball against Oklahoma

Texas basketball was back on the floor on Tuesday as they hosted their conference rivals.

Texas looked like a top team against Oklahoma early on in the contest. The Longhorns jumped out to a 14-6 lead with under 13 minutes to go in the half. The Sooners couldn’t buy a shot early on, then the wheels came off for the short-handed Longhorns. Texas would score just 20 points over the next 12:35 of the first half.

Oklahoma was able to take advantage of an aggressive Texas squad as they outscored the Longhorns by 17 with a 37-20 run. It included a 15-0 run to get back into the game. The Longhorns sent the Sooners to the line 17 times, where Oklahoma made 10 of those shots. Meanwhile, Texas went to the line just eight times and missed four. Texas trailed 43-34 at the half.

Halftime Statistics:

Matt Coleman- 11 points, 3 assists

Greg Brown- 7 points, 6 rebounds

Donovan Williams- 7 points, 1 steal

The Longhorns tried to make a run in the second half after falling down by double-digits early on. Texas had issues with Kamaka Hepa, Royce Hamm, and Matt Coleman having to sit with four fouls. They would get within six with under 11 minutes remaining in the game. The Sooners would build it back to nine, 61-52.

As the Longhorns tried to close in on Oklahoma, the three-point shots were flying by both teams. Texas would get within five after a Royce Hamm three after Andrew Jones drove the lane and kicked it out. Moments later, Hamm would foul out. That would test the bench with only seven scholarship players left available. Oklahoma led 68-63 with under seven minutes to go.

The Longhorns would get within one point in the closing minutes. They would be without Matt Coleman and Greg Brown as they fouled out of the game. Jones would hit two crucial free throws to get it to 80-79 with under six seconds left. However, it was too little too late as Texas would fall by that same score as a last-second heave would be caught by Oklahoma.

Final Statistics

Kai Jones- 15 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals

Greg Brown- 14 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal

Matt Coleman- 13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists

Andrew Jones- 13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists

2021 NBA Draft Big Board 1.0: Who are the top players to know?

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.

All relevant statistics are from BartTorvik.com, KenPom.com, Sports-Reference, RealGM and Synergy Sports Tech. Data is accurate as of January 22, 2021.

ESPN ranks Texas basketball in top five of latest Power Rankings

The Longhorns rebounded from a heartbreaking loss to Texas Tech with a 15-point win over Kansas State.

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Despite the loss to Texas Tech over the past week, prior to the 15-point victory over Kansas State, the Texas men’s basketball team is still one of the top five teams in the country.

Shaka Smart’s squad has started out 11-2 for the first time under the sixth-year head coach. The Longhorns began the season 10-3 last year.

ESPN recently released their college basketball power rankings and Texas narrowly remained in the top five.

No. 5- Texas Longhorns

Texas’ momentum — and winning streak — was suddenly stopped at home against Texas Tech on Wednesday, and the Longhorns just didn’t have the same aggressiveness and edge in the second half as they did in the first to build a double-digit lead. But they bounced back on Saturday with a 15-point home win over Kansas State, and that victory came without Greg Brown, Kai Jones and Brock Cunningham, who all did not travel. Without those three, Shaka Smart still easily went eight-deep and also gave Kamaka Hepa his first start since last February — and Hepa responded with 15 points and five 3-pointers. Hepa had played just nine minutes all season until Saturday night. It’s just another sign of the depth that Smart has in his program this season. – Jeff Borzello, ESPN*

*Story requires paid subscription

The Baylor Bears and Kansas Jayhawks were the only other Big 12 programs ranked in the top 15 of the power rankings. Baylor sits at No. 2 and Kansas at No. 8.

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The Longhorns will have to wait until Saturday to get back on the court when they travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to take on the TCU Horned Frogs. It remains to be seen if Kai Jones, Greg Brown, and Brock Cunningham will be available as they are currently in COVID-19 protocols.

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Bleacher Report mock draft: Thunder get Jalen Green, Kai Jones

In Bleacher Report’s mock draft, the OKC Thunder used their top-10 picks to select Jalen Green of the G League and Kai Jones of Texas.

It feels early for mock drafts, but with the assets the Oklahoma City Thunder have, it’s not too soon to start learning about the college talent.

Bleacher Report put together a mock draft in which the Thunder get a highly touted freshman and a sophomore center with some promise.

With the No. 5 pick, originally belonging to the Houston Rockets, the Thunder took guard Jalen Green.

Green, on the G League Ignite, developed into one of the top high school prospects with his athleticism, shooting and 6-foot-5 height at the guard position.

“He’ll approach the 20-point mark game after game thanks to his improved ball-handling for creation and tough shot-making out to the arc,” Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman wrote.

As a senior at Prolific Prep, Green averaged 31.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. the team went 31-3 and won the Grind Session World Championship.

“Questions about inefficiency, playmaking and defense could cause Green to fall behind (Cade) Cunningham, (Evan) Mobley, (Jonathan) Kuminga and (Jalen) Suggs, but he won’t drop much further. His scoring upside is as high as anyone’s in the draft.”

After taking a guard at No. 5, the Thunder went with a big at No. 10 in this mock draft.

They took Kai Jones, a sophomore center out of Texas.

Jones has been coming off the bench and averaging 8.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in about 21 minutes per game, but there’s intrigue based on his skill set. He is shooting 62.3% from the floor and 43.8% from 3 this season.

“A prospect doesn’t always need to have stuffed the stat sheet in college if teams buy his trajectory. And in Kai Jones’ case, the flashes of special athleticism and three-pointers for a 6’11” big could point to an enticing stretch-5, explosive finisher and defensive playmaker.

“The improvement he made since last year only helps convince teams he’s capable of getting better.”

The Thunder have shown they’re not afraid of drafting raw players, including Darius Bazley and Aleksej Pokusevski.

Jones would fit into that mold as a versatile player whose height doesn’t define him as a man in the post.

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5 college basketball players who are skyrocketing on NBA draft boards

Top college basketball prospects have an even tougher task standing out in front of NBA scouts than they usually do.

After one of the strangest offseasons in the history of college basketball, top prospects have an even tougher task standing out in front of NBA scouts than they usually do.

Considering that games are getting canceled or postponed left and right, as well as all of the other unusual circumstances surrounding this season, many teams are having trouble finding a rhythm. The challenges of playing through this season are greater than usual, making solid performances in a season like this one even more impressive.

Below are some of the standout players who were not ranked particularly highly on mock drafts and big boards before the season but are now firmly on the radars for front offices around the NBA.

Three reasons Texas was able to pull off the comeback on Saturday

The Texas Longhorns needed a 7-0 run as time wound down in the second half to pull off the victory.

It was a wild afternoon on the court for the Texas Longhorns and West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown. Continue reading “Three reasons Texas was able to pull off the comeback on Saturday”

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First half analysis as Texas Longhorns trail 40-36

The Texas Longhorns started out hot but West Virginia’s perimeter shooting helped them take the lead into the break, 40-36.

The game started out fast for the Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team as they hit six of their first seven shots from the floor. Many of those coming right at the rim to lead the West Virginia Mountaineers 13-8 early on. It was even right off the bat with all five starters getting involved in the first four-plus minutes in the first half.

The Longhorns turned the ball over on several occasions that gave the Mountaineers opportunities to go on a 7-0 run. The defense began pressing the Horns forcing them to hit some shots from the perimeter, Andrew Jones and Greg Brown trying to get the lead again after falling behind. A deep three from Jones gave them a 19-18 lead with 11:33 to go.

Taz Sherman was a pest for the Horns defense coming off of the bench for West Virginia. He quickly made his mark with perimeter shooting. After back and forth of trading perimeter shots, the lead grew to four with under eight minutes to go in the half.

Texas’ interior defense continued to struggle with covering Derek Culver in the paint. He was big on the boards and difficult to guard. In transition, West Virginia was able to take advantage with Sherman hitting 3/4 three-point attempts.

Andrew Jones was 3/5 from behind the arc in the first half of the game to lead all Longhorns scorers as the half came to a close. In the second half of this matchup, the Horns need help from their bench. Kai Jones was the only bench player to contribute with six points. Defensively, they need to limit Taz Sherman’s effectiveness from deep.

Halftime Stats:

Player	Points	Rebounds	Assists
A. Jones	11	2	0
C. Ramey	9	3	5
K. Jones	6	4	0

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