2021 NBA Mock Draft: Picks 26-30
#26 Brooklyn Nets: C Neemias Queta – Utah State
Given that they are hunting championships with their three-headed monster in Durant, Harden and Irving, the Nets will be wanting to look for guys who can contribute immediately, which is why Neemias Queta makes sense for them.
Neemias Queta is a strong, athletic big man who could easily become an impactful rim-runner in the NBA. He does have similar attributes to DeAndre Jordan, so having the ability to learn from the veteran center makes sense, but the biggest strength to Queta’s game is that he plays with such a high-motor.
Queta wants to be better than everybody he plays against and is relentless on both the defensive and offensive glass, which is why he could make a difference for the Nets early on. He is an above-average shot-blocker and plays well above the rim in transition, which is why this is a good fit for both Neemias Queta and Brooklyn.
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#27 Los Angeles Clippers: G Sharife Cooper – Auburn
Sharife Cooper, the 6-foot speedster out of Auburn, is a very NBA ready guard and while he is undersized for a guard in today’s NBA, he is a great athlete and very underrated playmaker. In 12 games at Auburn this past year, Cooper averaged 20.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists.
He will need to improve his outside shot at the next level given that he is undersized and may be taken advantage of by bigger, more athletic defenders in the NBA, but Cooper is still an above-average athlete that never backs down from anyone.
Sharife Cooper is always willing to fight for his team, which is why the Clippers are a good fit for him. They need a young backcourt talent and with them being a team that fights on both ends of the court for all 48-minutes, he could be in a position to see the floor early on in his career in Los Angeles.
#28 Philadelphia 76ers: F Greg Brown – Texas
Greg Brown played side-by-side with Kai Jones at Texas this past year and Brown made a name for himself being an explosive frontcourt talent who has the ability to be an impactful two-way talent in this league.
The 76ers will be searching for talent to put behind Joel Embiid in their frontcourt in the offseason and given his athletic abilities and potential, Greg Brown could be a nice fit for them. Offensively, Brown is very under-polished, but he has had moments were he has flashed some of the potential he has on that end of the court.
Behind one of the best centers in the entire league and in a system that will let him use his athletic abilities, Greg Brown in Philadelphia could end up being a very underrated fit.
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#29 Phoenix Suns: G Josh Christopher – Arizona State
There is nothing better than for a draft prospect not having to go too far from where they played college hoops and this could very much be the case with Josh Christopher and the Phoenix Suns. Christopher played his college ball at Arizona State and he found a lot of success being a dynamic scorer who can create shots for himself off-the-dribble.
His game is very polished and sound for a 19-year-old prospect and is more NBA ready than many people believe. He is not a guy that can contribute 25+ minutes at a high-level and be an elite-level scorer immediately, but he is more than capable of holding his own off-the-bench and being a reliable, steady option offensively.
His shot making and ability to score from anywhere on the court is what has shaped Christopher into being a first-round talent and someone who can make a difference for a high-level team like the Suns, who could definitely use more talent in their backcourt behind Chris Paul.
#30 Utah Jazz: G Terrence Shannon Jr. – Texas Tech
The Utah Jazz have been one of the NBA’s best teams all year long and are not going anywhere in terms of being championship-contenders anytime soon, which is why they can invest in an athletic, young talent like Terrence Shannon Jr.
He is a pure athlete on the wing and standing 6’6”, he has the intangibles to potentially develop into a reliable two-way option on the wing. Shannon prefers to have the ball in his hands as a primary ball-handler, but has shown the ability to play off-the-ball, primarily in transition.
Texas Tech is always known for producing great defensive players and being one of the best defensive teams year-in and year-out in college basketball, which is why Terrence Shannon Jr. is a nice fit for the Jazz.
They are a team that like to get after it defensively and turn their defense into offense quickly, which is exactly what Terrence Shannon Jr. can do.
