The National Basketball League’s 2021 draft is still a few months away but the mock draft hot stove is just getting heated up now that the college basketball season and March Madness are well behind us. Turning our attention ahead to the end of July, there is one particular former Florida Gators guard who is well worth keeping your eyes on.
Tre Mann made major leaps forward during his sophomore campaign at UF in 2020, taking advantage of a late growth spurt as well as the maturity that comes with time working within a system. Despite an up-and-down season for head coach Mike White‘s squad, the local boy from Gainesville found a way to make his mark without his teammate Keyontae Johnson on the floor for most of the season, as well as enduring through two separate COVID layoffs.
CBS Sports’ college and NBA writer Kyle Boone gave his latest assessment of the draft order in his mock published on Thursday, with Mann selected higher than any other projections so far from the mainstream sports media. Here is what he had to say about when and where the Gators alumnus might land.
Round 1 – Pick 13
PROJECTED TEAM: Golden State Warriors
PROSPECT RANK: 11th
POSITION RANK: 7thFlorida turned the keys over to Tre Mann to cook over the final stretch of the season. The result of that was gigantic for his draft stock, as he averaged 18.1 points per game over his last seven and added a 30-burger to his resume against Tennessee and its stacked backcourt in that stretch. He really grew over the course of the season as a shot-maker and is oozing with NBA talent as a creator from the guard spot, even if it’s not likely as a lead guard.
While Boone’s take is among the most optimistic for Mann, the talented young guard is just oozing with potential which could be too enticing for a needy franchise to pass up until the second round. Chances are, the former Gator will hear his name called among the first 30 picks — probably earlier than many expect.
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