2021 NBA Draft Mock: Golden State Warriors select Alperen Sengun, PF/C, Besiktas (Turkey)
Sengun is one of the most challenging players to rank in this year’s draft class, with the potential to go as high as 7 with the Warriors’ first pick or fall as far as the late teens.
Golden State is thrilled to land the MVP of the highly competitive Turkish Super League. While there are concerns about his lack of size (listed at 6’9″) and athleticism, Sengun is among the most skilled prospects in this draft class.
Although his three-point shooting percentage (21%) leaves much to be desired, his shooting stroke looks good enough that, at minimum, he should be a legitimate stretch-big for years to come.
2021 NBA Draft Mock: Washington Wizards select Corey Kispert, SG/SF, Gonzaga
With two ball-dominant guards in Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal and with Davis Bertans falling out of favor, an off-ball shooter is near the top of the Wizards’ wish-list.
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Kispert is by far the best shooter in the draft, hitting a staggering 44% of his threes on 6.5 attempts per game as a senior for Gonzaga.
While he may not have as much upside as some of the other picks in this range, Kispert’s shooting stroke gives him arguably the highest floor in the draft outside of the top 4 picks.
2021 NBA Draft Mock: Oklahoma City Thunder select Isaiah Jackson, PF/C, Kentucky
With the departures of both Al Horford and Moses Brown, the Thunder’s most significant need is at the center position.
Jackson meets that need while also being one of the highest upside players remaining. He lacks a lot of polish but is an incredibly gifted athlete and arguably the best rim protector in this class, along with Evan Mobley.
With the Thunder’s rebuild set to take years, they can afford to swing for the fences, be patient with Jackson and develop him into an interior force.
2021 NBA Draft Mock: Memphis Grizzlies select James Bouknight, SG, UConn
With most mock drafts ranking Bouknight in the early teens, if he reaches pick 17, Memphis would be thrilled to grab him at such good value.
Bouknight is one of the best scorers in the draft, with a compelling combination of athleticism and offensive moves. However, there are some concerns with how his game will translate to the next level. His defensive effort at the collegiate level was poor, and his outside shooting regressed as a sophomore to 29%.
Despite these concerns, he’ll immediately provide some much-needed offensive punch off the bench for the Grizzlies and has the potential to become a bonafide NBA starter.
2021 NBA Draft Mock: Oklahoma City Thunder select Usman Garuba, PF/C, Real Madrid (Spain)
The talent-starved Thunder is on the clock again for the second time in three picks. While the Thunder could also look at a guard such as Jared Butler, I have them double-dipping and taking another front-court piece.
With great lateral quickness, toughness, and an advanced feel for the game, Garuba should be an outstanding defender at the NBA level immediately. He’s currently limited offensively, but he could become an all-star level player if he figures it out at that end of the court.
Several NBA pundits predict Garuba to fall to the Los Angeles Lakers. Here he goes four spots sooner.