It may be too soon for most to consider the 2021 NBA Draft when we still don’t know the date of the 2020 draft, but team-building never sleeps — not even in quarantine.
And with that in mind, The Celtics Wire continues its analysis of 2021 draft prospects, moving from guards to bigs who the Boston Celtics ought to be keeping an eye on for when that draft finally rolls around.
With the early entry deadline more than a week behind us, we finally have a solid idea of who will actually be in the mix for the summer (we think) after next, which lets us take a closer look at a more defined field of prospects.
We’ll be working off of our sister site’s recent article “2021 NBA Draft: An early look at the top 60 prospects” as a guide to compliment our own analysis of these potential future Celtics.
And possessing just one 2021 first-round draft pick likely to be towards the end of the last third of the draft, we have a good idea of the range of players likely available to Boston, barring big movements in either direction.
So, with all that said, let’s take a look at some of the best big men potentially in the Celtics’ reach.
No. 5 – Drew Timme, Gonzaga
A 6-foot-10 forward with whispers of an outside shot (he’s hitting 33.3 % from deep, but on just three attempts last season), Timme has a fairly high floor as a high-energy rotation big with some starter upside if he can be coaxed to shoot more from beyond the arc.
As Rookie Wire’s Bryan Kalbrosky notes, the Bulldog is already hitting 49.3 % of his midrange shots and the form is largely good, so expanding his range of an already-accomplished offensive repertoire could turn the Gonzaga product into a late steal.
No. 4 – Khalifa Diop, CB Gran Canaria Junior Team
A high-energy big man who can score in a variety of ways near the basket with the mobility and athleticism to expand his game considerably as a slasher, Diop can also pull down rebounds at an elite rate.
Recording at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Valencia, Spain 28.6 points and 20.5 rebounds per 40 minutes and 20.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per 40 during the U19 World Cup in 2019 has potential to be an impact player on both ends of the floor.
No. 3 – Amar Sylla, Oostende
A wiry 6-foot-9 forward with solid rim protecting skills and an extant if raw jumper with an odd finish, Sylla is also very mobile defensively and possesses good footwork for his size and age — just 18.
The Senegalese big man likely would have been drafted this draft, but elected to stay for one more season of overseas play to improve his stock. He recorded 14.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per 40 minutes at the U19 World Cup in 2019.
No. 2 – Roko Prkacin, Cibona Zagreb
When you look up “motor” in the dictionary, this guy’s photo will be there waiting for you. Already possessing a diverse offensive toolkit full of spin moves and slick layups, Prkacin is a natural scoring big who could be a starting modern 5 even if his jumper doesn’t come along.
And it’s not terrible — just inconsistent. He’s also already led Croatia to a Gold in the U16 Euro Championships in 2018, where he won MVP, as well as some very good showings at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Valencia, Spain this year.
No. 1 – Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova
As one might expect from a Jay Wright-coached prospect out of Villanova, Robinson-Earl can shoot it, and while he may not be a lights-out shooter at 32.8%, he connects often enough to suggest it could one day be an important part of his game.
That he shoots 81.4% from the line is another good sign, though more than 3.1 free throw attempts per game is another area of his game that shouldn’t be too difficult to improve with some reps at the NBA level.
He already averages 1.44 points per possession on offensive rebound putbacks per Synergy — in the 95th percentile — as well, so his floor is likely the highest of any of these prospects with the skills he already has, and the path to even a low-level starter isn’t especially fraught.
