2021 NBA Mock Draft: Picks 1-5
#1 Houston Rockets: G Cade Cunningham – Oklahoma State
Cade Cunningham is projected to be this year’s top pick and for good reason. The 19-year-old point guard not only has great length for a point guard, standing about 6’8”, but he also is extremely versatile in the ways he can help his team offensively.
Whether it is driving to the rim and rising up over smaller defenders, pulling up from the mid-range or pulling up from three-point range, Cade Cunningham has the ability to score in many different ways and is an elite-level offensive player.
He may not be the quickest or most explosive player in the 2021 NBA Draft class, but because of his length, size and scoring ability, it is hard for any team to pass up the chance to land him in this draft.
If Houston ends up with the #1 overall pick, then this should be a no-brainer choice for them, especially with the future of John Wall uncertain and the Rockets looking to get the best young talents available.
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#2 Minnesota Timberwolves: G Jalen Suggs – Gonzaga
The Timberwolves need to address the point guard position immediately and what better way than to draft arguably the best pure point guard in this draft class in Jalen Suggs. Not only is he a terrific floor general and passer, but Suggs’ gifted athletic abilities allow him to blow past slower defenders on his way to the rim.
Not only is Jalen Suggs going to be a franchise point guard for whoever drafts him, but he is probably one of the top athletes in the 2021 NBA Draft class. Suggs is great in transition, he is great in the half-court and he is a terrific pick-and-roll passer that can find his open teammates off-the-drive.
With other athletic players on this roster in Anthony Edwards, Malik Beasley and Jaden McDaniels, the T-Wolves would have an excellent young core in place to build and develop around their two All-Stars in D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Drafting Suggs with the 2nd overall pick would be a great move, but this pick could be conveyed over to the Golden State Warriors should it fall outside of the Top-3.
#3 Detroit Pistons: C Evan Mobley – USC
While they did draft Isaiah Stewart in the first-round this past year and even though he has been really solid for them in his rookie season, passing up on the opportunity to take Evan Mobley 3rd overall would be a mistake for Detroit.
They are in a position as a franchise where they need to take the best talent that comes their way, regardless of position and with Mobley drawing potential first pick attention, this would be a great pick for the Detroit Pistons 3rd overall.
Evan Mobley is not a “big bruiser” center like Andre Drummond or Dwight Howard, but there are some similarities between Mobley’s game and that of both Julius Randle and a young LaMarcus Aldridge. It is tough to find a true, spot-on comparison for Mobley because his size, mobility and skill for a big man is something we have not really seen before in the NBA.
His 7’4” wingspan allows him to contest virtually any shot and while he is not a bulky center, he plays physical defensive and is always aggressive going up for rebounds on either end of the court. There really are no weaknesses to Evan Mobley’s game, which is why he is one of the most intriguing prospects entering the NBA.
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#4 Orlando Magic: G Jalen Green – G-League (Team Ignite)
One of the young players in this year’s draft class that not many people know about is Jalen Green. He decided to skip going the college route and was one of the founding players on the new G-League Ignite team this year.
Standing about 6’6”, Green is one of the youngest players in the 2021 NBA Draft class, but is arguably the most athletic player among them. In the G-League, Green mainly acted as his team’s primary ball-handler, but he has the ability to play on or off-the-ball, which will likely result in him being a shooting guard in the NBA. Not only does the young guard play well above the rim, but he’s outside shooting is also something that has impressed a lot of scouts over the months.
If you add Jalen Green to the Orlando Magic, he will most definitely be their best scoring option and would likely lead the team in scoring throughout the course of the season. This is how good this kid is and with the potential that he has, there is no doubt in my mind that he will be a multi-time All-Star by the end of what will be a long NBA career.
#5 Oklahoma City Thunder: F Jonathan Kuminga – G-League (Team Ignite)
Another guy that many people do not know about; Jonathan Kuminga took the same route that Jalen Green did and they were teammates with each other on the G-League Ignite team. In 13 games with Team Ignite, Kuminga averaged 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and shot 38.7% from the floor.
Standing about 6’8”, Jonathan Kuminga has the length and versatility to either play on the wing or in the low-post against smaller defenders and much like Green, his athleticism for his position is what makes him a franchise-altering player in this 2021 NBA Draft class.
With almost a 7-foot wingspan, Jonathan Kuminga has all the tools to be an elite-level two-way player on the wing and with his insane leaping abilities, he is a guy that will put many people on posters at the next level. Offensively, Kuminga looks to use his athleticism and ball-handler skills to drive to the rim and oftentimes does not look to shoot from deep.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to add as much high-level, young talent to their roster, so this pick would be a “homerun” for them, even though Kuminga is still just 18-years-old and has a lot of developing to do.
