As the NCAA Tournament field is set and the eyes of NBA fans begin to turn to the college game, it’s time to take a look at the latest version of the mock draft and see which prospects to keep an eye on for your team.
The order of the draft is after the conclusion of play after March 18 with the order taken from Tankathon.
1. New York Knicks – Zion Williamson, Big, Duke
After his outstanding ACC Tournament, Williamson has moved from definitive top prospect to a rarified air as one of the most elite prospects of all-time. Whoever lands the top pick will have their franchise changed forever.
2. Phoenix Suns – Ja Morant, Guard, Murray State
No player has launched up draft boards this year more than Morant this year and because of that, he’ll be a savior for the Suns as they badly need a lead guard.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers – RJ Barrett, Wing, Duke
Barrett hasn’t lived up to the hype of his No. 1 prospect ranking but that is largely due to the fact he’s playing next to Williamson. Barrett will be a great complement to Collin Sexton.
4. Chicago Bulls – Cam Reddish, Wing, Duke
While Reddish is being graded on the same curve as Barrett, his shooting has been genuinely disappointing. In a different role, though, Reddish could still be a great player. In Chicago, he could have that role.
5. Atlanta Hawks – De’Andre Hunter, Wing, Virginia
Out of the teams in the top five, Atlanta is the only franchise not openly tanking. If there was karmic justice, they would land the top pick. There’s not but they still land a potentially elite 3-and-D wing in Hunter.
6. Memphis Grizzlies – Jarrett Culver, Guard, Texas Tech
Perhaps no team is less set for the future than the Grizzlies. Aside from Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis has no prospects of note moving forward. They’ll almost certainly take the best player available, which is Culver in this case.
7. Atlanta Hawks (via Dallas) – Brandon Clarke, Big, Gonzaga
Brandon Clarke has largely flown under the radar in college basketball because he’s (1) not Zion Williamson and (2) on Gonzaga. But he’ll likely fly up draft boards once he gets into workouts and Atlanta makes out with two tremendous picks.
8. Washington Wizards – Jaxson Hayes, Big, Texas
Hayes suffered a scare with a knee injury that will likely keep him out of the remainder of Texas’ games but won’t be anything serious. If healthy, he’s likely the second-best non-Zion big man in the draft.
9. New Orleans Pelicans – Romeo Langford, Guard, Indiana
Langford struggled through a rocky freshman season. His jumper needs work from long range. But he’s a great playmaker with defensive potential and could be a building block for the future in New Orleans.
10. Los Angeles Lakers – Darius Garland, Guard, Vanderbilt
The Lakers likely won’t keep this pick with the team needing more of an immediate contributor. If they do keep it, Garland is the best fit and also helps the Lakers find another ballhandler and shooting. Garland has his flaws but he also gives the Lakers insurance for Lonzo Ball, whose injury history is becoming worrisome.
11. Charlotte Hornets – Rui Hachimura, Big, Gonzaga
The Hornets may enter a forced rebuild this summer with Kemba Walker a threat to leave. Adding Hachimura to a young core that includes Malik Monk and Miles Bridges would be intriguing even if the franchise has a bleak outlook given its salary sheet.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves – Keldon Johnson, Wing, Kentucky
Like the Lakers, the Timberwolves could use some more win-now prospects and Keldon Johnson can step in and be an immediate contributor as a 3-and-D wing.
13. Orlando Magic – Coby White, Guard, UNC
While the Magic traded for Markelle Fultz, their point guard position still is a huge question mark. White has burst onto the scene in the second half the season and has led one of the top teams in the country. He’d be the missing piece for the Magic’s young core.
14. Boston Celtics (via Sacramento) – Jontay Porter, Big, Missouri
At a certain point, Boston just won’t be able to keep drafting players with all the picks they have. They could lose Al Horford this summer and Porter could be insurance should they lose him.
15. Miami Heat – Kevin Porter Jr., Wing, USC
Porter can certainly score in bunches and is clearly talented. Inconsistency plagued him but the culture in Miami could be the key to unlocking his full potential.
16. Brooklyn Nets – Nassir Little, Wing, UNC
The Nets have a history of going for high upside prospects. Nassir Little was once a top-five prospect but has struggled coming off the bench for Carolina. If he finds his way again, though, he could be another home run for Brooklyn.
17. Detroit Pistons – Sekou Doumbouya, Big, International
Doumbouya could be a draft and stash player. If he does come over, he is an intriguing prospect that is a high risk, high reward prospect as a young big man with range.
18. Boston Celtics (via LAC) – Tre Jones, Guard, Duke
Again, the Celtics literally can’t keep making picks. One of these picks will be traded. If not, Tre Jones could be a replacement for either Terry Rozier or Kyrie Irving with one of them almost guaranteed to be gone next year.
19. Utah Jazz – Bol Bol, Big, Oregon
Utah is a rare team in a position where it can take a risk on a player akin to Denver last season with Michael Porter Jr. Bol has injury concerns like Porter Jr. did but if he pans out, he’s a huge plus for Utah.
20. Oklahoma City Thunder – Bruno Fernando, Big, Maryland
With Nerlens Noel and Markieff Morris both potentially leaving this off-season and Patrick Patterson never panning out as expected, Fernando could come in and be a quality modern big man to back up Steven Adams.
21. San Antonio Spurs – Tyler Herro, Guard, Kentucky
Herro is the type of player that lands with the Spurs and, in three years, everyone wonders how the Spurs landed him this late in the draft.
22. Boston Celtics – Goga Bitadze, Big, International
Purely a draft-and-stash pick as Bitadze is a 19-year old big man that still needs lots of seasoning.
23. Portland Trailblazers – Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Guard, Virginia Tech
There are some concerns about Alexander-Walker’s ability as a player and where he should be drafted. Some have him high in the lottery but this feels like a safer range. He could step in and fill in for either Damian Lillard of C.J. McCollum in the backcourt in spurts.
24. Indiana Pacers – Grant Williams, Big, Tennessee
While the Lakers have a dearth of bigs, Williams is a bit more of a long-term play and could be a replacement for Thaddeus Young down the road. Williams has a great feel for the game but needs to develop a better offensive game to be a regular contributor.
25. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Houston) – Daniel Gafford, Big, Arkansas
As a big Gafford believer, he makes sense in Cleveland as the successor to Tristan Thompson. Bringing him now would help him build chemistry with Sexton and Barrett as a great pick-and-roll big for the future.
26. Philadelphia 76ers – Cameron Johnson, Guard, UNC
The Sixers need productive bench players given their cap situation assuming they choose to max at least one of Tobias Harris and/or Jimmy Butler. Johnson is an elite shooter and provides a needed skillset for the Sixers.
27. Golden State Warriors – Talen Horton-Tucker, Wing, Iowa State
Horton-Tucker hasn’t shot consistently this year but his passing ability makes him a great fit in Golden State, who also needs more production off the bench from cheap role players.
28. Brooklyn Nets (via Denver) – PJ Washington, Big, Kentucky
The Nets have plenty of wings and guards and shooters. What they lack on the roster are big men. Washington is a young big who can shoot and makes plenty of sense for the Nets.
29. San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto) – KZ Okpala, Wing, Stanford
Okpala has a ton of tools and shot 37.5 percent from three this season as a 6’9″ forward with a 7’2″ wingspan. That alone should intrigue scouts. He’s another player who seems like the perfect Spurs player.
30. Milwaukee Bucks – Ty Jerome, Guard, Virginia
The Bucks have clearly prioritized shooting and Jerome is a 39.7 percent shooter from three this season. While the Bucks don’t really have a need at guard, you can never really have too much shooting.
