College basketball coaches on the 2021 NBA draft’s best fits and biggest drops

With the NBA draft in the books, we’ve seen a lot of NBA-caliber players fall in the draft. Most notably, Texas A&M’s Robert Williams III, who sat out all of last season as a transfer. But what of the players who were not as successful or drafted? Here, we’re taking a look at the 110-150 players who most improved from their draft calculations, and the 20-30 who likely dropped the most.

The 2019 NBA draft is just over a week away, and fans are starting to get a full picture of the players who will be selected. With that in mind, here’s five things to know about the 2021 draft: The 2021 NBA draft will have 16 picks, the same number the league used in the 2018 lottery. The 2021 draft will not be conducted in the usual order, with the top pick always going to the team with the worst record, and the second-to-last pick going to the team with the best record. The order of the first-round picks will change each year, and the draft will be conducted the week before the NBA All-Star Game. Teams can swap first-round picks in 2020, 2021, 2022,

Stanford head coach Jerod Haase is bullish on De’Anthony Melton, but that doesn’t mean Melton is a lock to land with the New Orleans Pelicans. Melton, a 6-foot-5 combo guard, has a complete game and a high ceiling, but a lack of shooting ability and inconsistent play are questions that may prevent Melton from reaching his ceiling.. Read more about best college basketball coaches 2021 and let us know what you think.

When it comes to constructing a team, it’s no secret that college basketball coaches and NBA front offices have different priorities. “The NBA loves the unknown and birth certificates,” one coach told me, implying that a prospect’s untapped potential and youthful age are more valuable than an older, established player’s track record in many instances. College coaches want someone who can assist a team win immediately since they only have a four-year window for player development.

Three first-team All-Americans were selected in the second round of this year’s NBA draft, while the three players who topped the transfer rankings earlier this spring — Kofi Cockburn, Marcus Carr, and Remy Martin — all entered the draft before returning to school after realizing they were unlikely to be selected. Drew Timme, the early frontrunner for the Wooden Award in 2021-22, was also not expected to be chosen.

However, the various assessment goals do lead to intriguing views from college coaches on NBA draft prospects and selections, which is what we’ve been looking for over the last several days.

Florida State big Scottie Barnes was chosen fourth overall, leapfrogging Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs, who was generally regarded the last of the top tier of players remaining in the draft, after Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, and Evan Mobley.

Several college coaches disagreed with the consensus before to the draft that there was a definite top four on draft boards.

“People thought there was a four since there was a top three. [Barnes] didn’t break a tier, in my opinion “one of them said “I don’t believe Jalen Suggs was considered for any of the top three positions. You may debate Cade, Mobley, and Jalen Green’s order, but you can’t dispute that Suggs should have cracked it.”

“Those top three selections all have the potential to be multiple all-stars,” added another. “When you look at the other people in the lottery, you’ll see that you’re guessing on a lot of them. After the top three selections, there are several unanswered questions.”

Coaches emphasized Barnes’ intangibles as the reason he was able to break into the top four despite starting just seven games for Florida State previous season.

“He has the potential to be a great defender,” one ACC coach said. “He has the potential to be a playmaker. Obviously, the shooting is in doubt, but there’s also a lot to consider about his intangibles in conjunction with his stature. Everything else is at such a high level if he can make some shots. He’s about 6-foot-10, and he’s a colossus. Long arms and broad shoulders. He can dribble and pass the ball. I’m a bit worried about his shooting, and not just his shooting, but the order in which he shoots. It’s not a simple task. However, he scored so well on the other criteria that I can understand why he came in fourth.”

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Check out some of Scottie Barnes’ collegiate moments as he aspires to be a top selection in the NBA draft in 2021.

Barnes, a dynamic forward who was rated No. 5 in the 2020 class coming out of high school, started the first seven games of the season before being benched for the remainder of the season. It didn’t slow him down, and he finished up with a top-five assist and steal rate in the ACC, which is very remarkable for a 6-foot-9 player. He only hit five 3-pointers in ACC play and shot 27.5 percent from 3-point range overall.

Another ACC coach remarked, “I believe it was his mentality.” “He exudes infectious enthusiasm, which I believe drew Toronto’s attention. They have a coach [Nick Nurse] who is very proud of their defensive identity. Scottie isn’t a very strong on-ball defender, but he’s an effective defensive playmaker. He has the ability to block shots, steal passes, and create mayhem. He possesses the size and athleticism to play a variety of positions. All of these factors were taken into account. They have a selfless mantra on offense, and Scottie is an unselfish guy and player. He’s a fantastic rebounder and passer. Toronto is confident in their ability to improve shooting, and that is his one obvious offensive flaw.”


On Thursday night, neither Ziaire Williams nor Joshua Primo were anticipated to be chosen in the lottery. Williams began the selection process as a late first-round pick, but as draft day neared, he gradually climbed into the teens in mock drafts, while Primo was predicted as the 28th choice in ESPN’s final mock draft.

Despite this, both players were selected in the first 12 rounds of the draft, with Memphis taking Williams at No. 10 and San Antonio taking Primo at No. 12.

Williams, a 6-foot-8 winger out of Stanford, was a top-10 recruit out of high school but struggled as a freshman. In the last two months of the season, he shot 37.4 percent from the field and 29.1 percent from 3-point range, and he only scored in double digits twice.

“At 10,” one coach said, “Ziaire was an excessively aggressive [option].” “Both his efficiency and effectiveness were at an all-time low at Stanford. It surprised me that he was able to leapfrog some of the other competitors and into the top ten.”

Due to the deaths in his family, Williams missed six games in the midst of the season and then the Pac-12 tournament, and Stanford had one of the most difficult coronavirus-affected seasons of any team in the nation. Because to Santa Clara County’s prohibition on team sports, the Cardinal were basically on the road from late November until late January.

Another coach said, “I really believe in his potential.” “I believe he has a strong personality. It all boils down to how much weight we place on the most disastrous season in college basketball history. Especially for a first-year student. Especially in the case of Stanford, when they weren’t even on campus for the most of the time. You must do research. Do you think he’s a good guy and a good player? His height, athleticism, and skill set are on par with any winger in the draft.”

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Take a look at some of Joshua Primo’s highlights during his time at Alabama.

Primo, who turned 18 on Christmas Eve, was the NCAA basketball’s youngest player last season. He reclassified from the 2021 class to the 2020 class towards the conclusion of his senior year, and the 6-foot-6 wing showed glimpses of why he was a preseason favorite heading into college. Primo, on the other hand, finished the season with 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds on 43.1 percent shooting.

He had a good six-game run in the middle of the season, averaging 14.2 points, but just 6.8 points in his last 13 games.

“I don’t believe he demonstrated enough in his one year at Alabama to earn lottery selection status,” one rival coach remarked. “When you scouted Alabama, you began with John Petty and what to do with Herb Jones, then how to limit [Jaden] Shackelford and [Jahvon] Quinerly off the bounce, and then how to deal with Alabama’s pick-and-pop. Finally, you arrive at Primo. However, it is due to his age and the potential for growth. He is not only youthful, but he also seems to be young. He still has a lot of space to develop. And, as the year progressed, he improved considerably as a defender.”

“Primo was a stretch,” said another coach. “The scouting community adores him because of his youth, measurables, and some of his testing, but I don’t believe he produced as much as he’s been given credit for on the court. There were certain players who were more of a sure thing that could have aided San Antonio in their current situation. Josh, on the other hand, has a higher ceiling than some of the first-round picks. He’s a high-risk, untested option.”


The power of the SEC in the first round

The SEC had a nice night on Thursday. Seven players from the league were chosen in the first round, including six one-and-done picks. Primo’s selection was unexpected, but Arkansas’ Moses Moody (14), Florida’s Tre Mann (18), Tennessee’s Ke Johnson (21), Kentucky’s Isaiah Jackson (22), LSU’s Cameron Thomas (27) and Tennessee’s Springer (28) didn’t have to wait long.

(For the time being, we’re not include Texas forward Kai Jones in the league.)

“It’s a tribute to the athletes,” one SEC coach remarked, “but it begins from the top.” “Basketball is becoming a priority for athletic departments. The SEC is known for its football conference, but the coaching in the league, whether it’s [Rick] Barnes, [Eric] Musselman, [John] Calipari, or Nate Oats, can compete with any league in the nation. The league’s ability to make such a significant leap is due in large part to the mix of leadership and coaching.”

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Take a look at some of Cameron Thomas’ highlights during his time at LSU.

Thomas is one of the characters who creates a variety of viewpoints. Thomas is the all-time top scorer at renowned Oak Hill Academy, was one of the greatest pure scorers in the 2020 high school class, and then went on to average 23.0 points per game at LSU during his one season there.

One league coach remarked, “I believe he’s a very, really excellent offensive player.” “He has an incredible ability to generate fouls. He has a high release point, which attracts fouls from players walking below him, but it has little effect on his shoot. He performs an excellent job, and when he gets into the lane, he instinctively puts his head back, allowing him to go to the foul line two or three times each game. He’ll be able to go into an NBA game tomorrow and get to the free-throw line on his own and make his own shot.”

Thomas, on the other hand, shot only 40.6 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from 3-point range, and he didn’t do much for the Tigers other than score. He’ll have to be more than simply a scorer if he wants to be a regular starter in the NBA.

“For a lot of folks, Cam Thomas has been a difficult evaluation,” one opposition coach remarked. “At every level, he’s been a natural scorer. But that’s the extent of his contribution to the game. The NBA wants you to play the game correctly, which includes passing the ball, playing excellent defense, and understanding the intricacies of the game. Cam has had a lot of doubts about a number of those things during his career.”


The last selection, Loyola Maryland forward Santi Aldama, was the greatest surprise of the first round. Aldama, a Spaniard, is expected to be drafted late in the second round after spending two seasons with the Greyhounds, where his teams placed eighth and ninth in the Patriot League.

But don’t dismiss Aldama because he doesn’t have a high-major pedigree. He’s a 6-foot-11 power forward with a career average of 21.1 points and 10.1 rebounds for Loyola. Before going to the United States in 2019, Aldama received offers from top European teams and was voted MVP of the 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship, an award shared with Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum, Enes Kanter, Jonas Valanciunas, Dario Saric, Frank Ntilikina, and others.

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Cade Cunningham was selected first overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2021 NBA Draft.

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One Patriot coach remarked, “He’s grown better and better.” “He has genuine guard talents at 6-foot-11. Princeton’s Loyola attack is extremely positionless and flexible. I was watching them and saw him come off a pick-and-roll and make a pocket pass to a roller on one play. He holds off a defender and hits a 10-foot floater on the next possession. That’s not something you’d expect to see from a 6-foot-11 man anyplace. He’d play a game where he’d just be like, “Holy crap.” You let him shoot because he’s so excellent off the bounce and inside, and he hits 37 percent from three. What options do you have?”

Another Patriot coach said, “The one thing he’s very excellent at that people miss is his passing.” “He’s a fantastic passer. He has the ability to take you apart. He found out how to take advantage of our defense and modify his strategy. If you’re going to select a player based on his potential, he needs to be one of the best. He is 7 feet tall and can shoot and pass the basketball. He was a Division I basketball player who competed at a high level in Europe. They selected him because of his potential. Week after week, he improved. He’ll find it out on his own.”

There will be some concerns about his level of competitiveness. Due to an injury as a freshman and then the pandemic as a sophomore, Aldama never faced anybody outside the Patriot League during his two seasons at Loyola. He’s also just 215 pounds, with several Patriot coaches citing his lack of strength and physicality as concerns at the next level.

A third coach who scouted Aldama stated, “I felt it was a poor choice.” “He was very productive, but if you actually watched the games, it was because he was much larger than the rest of the players on the court. He was a part of each and every play. He was able to amass such huge statistics against opponents who were neither as big nor as competent. During the season, they faced Lafayette six times. That’s just not true. I don’t believe he’s very good at shooting the ball. In college, he scored in ways where there was no penalty for missing — he had a lot of leeway. Allowing him to make some shots and look good against smaller, weaker competition on certain occasions. He might have gotten 20 selections later if he had waited.”


The demise of Sharife Cooper

Auburn point guard Sharife Cooper was one of the most surprising draft-day flops. Cooper was drafted at No. 48 by the Atlanta Hawks after being projected as high as the top 10 in February and ending at No. 23 in ESPN’s final mock draft.

Cooper wasn’t allowed to play as a freshman until Auburn’s 12th game of the season, but he then went on to put up statistics that we haven’t seen since Trae Young — his new teammate in Atlanta, ironically. In 12 games, he averaged 20.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 8.1 assists, leading the league in usage, assist rate, and fouls drawn.

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Watch Auburn point guard Sharife Cooper’s highlights.

One opposition coach said, “You look at him from a pure skill standpoint, he’s one of the top 20-25 guys in the draft.” “You have to question whether, because of Auburn’s playoff prohibition, he didn’t get to demonstrate what he could accomplish at the top level in the few games he didn’t get to play in the SEC tournament.” He wasn’t cleared until the SEC season began. He was not given the opportunity to play for Gonzaga. I believe he has an incredible ability to throw the advance pass, particularly in transition. His initial response is to glance up and move the ball with the pass, rather than putting it on the deck. He does an excellent job — Kentucky gave him five or six different pick-and-roll coverages, and he adjusted well on the fly. He has a great offensive basketball IQ, in my opinion. Another thing he excels at is getting to the free throw line quickly.

“Because he’s so young, he accomplished it in such an elite-level conference, and he’s got enough transferrable qualities to the next level, he’s worth taking a gamble on until you get to Pick 25, 26, 27, and beyond. He has to develop as a shooter and defender, but he can come off the bench in an NBA game and at the very least contribute.”

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Cooper, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 180 pounds, struggled with his shooting as a rookie. He shot 39.1% from the field and 22.8 percent from three-point range, while turning the ball over more over four times per game.

“He’ll be an acquired taste,” one coach predicted. “Is he good enough to play in the NBA because of how many times he dribbles the ball and how much he requires it? You have to be the team’s top player if you need the ball that much to be successful.”

Another coach remarked, “He’s a great talent with the ball, a magician on the ball-screen, and Trae has shown you can be 6-foot-1 and 165 pounds.” “To me, he’s always been inefficient. His assists were more a result of the fact that he had the ball the whole game, so five or six times a game he’d give it to a player and they’d make a shot. I don’t see him passing people open, rollers and shooters. He also doesn’t attempt to defend himself. However, I would have chosen him late in the first round.”


Is it a good night for the G League or a terrible night for the G League?

The fate of the inaugural G League Ignite class was one of the stories worth watching on Thursday night. Last spring, five-star talents Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Isaiah Todd, and Daishen Nix, as well as ESPN 100 prospect Kai Sotto, were signed to the new G League route. While Sotto went on to participate in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifications for the Philippines, the other four players remained in the G League.

Green (2) and Kuminga (7) were chosen in the top 10 as anticipated, but Todd (31) was selected in the second round sooner than projected. Nix and Sotto were not selected in the draft.

Is the G League’s argument for signing more top high school talents stronger or worse after Thursday night? It was a bit of a wash, according to college coaches.

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Check out Isaiah Todd’s highlights from his time with the G League Ignite.

“We all thought Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Green would be in this situation a year later when they decided to go to the G League last year,” one college coach remarked. “It worked to that degree.” They didn’t have to attend college since they didn’t want to. They wanted to earn a living, practice every day, and compete against professionals, and it all worked out. Jalen Green wasn’t a terrific shooter in high school; maybe if he gets to college, opponents will load up on him, making him seem awful. Kuminga may struggle in a grind-it-out, half-court game in college. However, it’s difficult to predict that you’ll place higher than second or eighth.

“Isaiah Todd should have finished 51st instead of 31st. In the G League bubble, he wasn’t very good. Going to Michigan would have been beneficial, but it would have taken him two or three years. Sotto and Nix, the other two men, should’ve gone to college. As a consequence, they blundered. So, if Jalen Duren wants to play in the G League, he’ll be in a similar situation as Kuminga in a year. Now, if some other men do the same thing as Nix, they’ll have the same sort of night. So it’s business as usual. It didn’t work out. The two main faces of the thing performed admirably. Last year, if someone had announced, “Isaiah Todd is going 31st,” everyone would have joined up. But if this is the road you want to walk down, you’d better be very excellent.”

“Those who do not wish to attend college will see it as a benefit. Those who are undecided will most likely see it as a negative “another coach has been added. “Going to the G League didn’t harm Daishen Nix; he was out of shape. Isaiah Todd was selected higher than I expected. If Kuminga had played college basketball and done some crazy things, he could have finished in the top five. But I don’t believe that was a plus or a negative in overall. The emphasis now shifts to Cade Cunningham vs. Jalen Green endorsement agreements, which will either show or refute the worth of college basketball.”

The top ten recruits The next generation of G League Ignite prospects is led by Jaden Hardy and Michael Foster, with top candidates Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren also considering the route.


Ones that are good and picks that are poor

College coaches praised Baylor’s championship-winning backcourt of Davion Mitchell (No. 9 selection) and Jared Butler (No. 40).

One commented, “Davion Mitchell to the Kings was a fantastic choice.” “Last year, the Kings had no one to defend. Mitchell is now in the mix, along with De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. Fox should be a decent defender, and Mitchell should be an exceptional defender, thus Haliburton will be able to protect anyone he can. It greatly improves them. Who cares if it’s small?”

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As he prepares to enter the NBA draft in 2021, watch clips of Final Four Most Outstanding Player Jared Butler of Baylor.

“At 40, Jared Butler is an f—-ing fantastic selection. That’s my second-round selection, and it’s the one I’m most excited about “a different coach said. “If he’s in good health, I’d have him at 15-20. That’s a thing if [Butler’s alleged medical condition] is a thing. But he’s a mid-first-round selection, or at the very least a player in the top two-thirds of the first round. Great shooter, extremely poised, fiercely competitive, good pick-and-roll player, selfless person, national champion He’s incredible.”

Day’Ron Sharpe of North Carolina was touted by many coaches as a good selection at No. 29.

One coach remarked, “I like Day’Ron Sharpe.” “He’s athletic and has more talent than people give him credit for. He appeals to me. He’ll almost certainly show some ability to make threes at some point. Plays with vigour. Carolina has a total of 15 big men, so everyone gets a chance to play. He could have gone to another ACC school, averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds, and been a lottery selection.”

Another remarked, “Day’Ron is who he is.” “He’s not Isaiah Stewart, but Stewart was chastised for his measurable problems and shooting range, and he went on to be an all-rookie player despite the criticism. Day’Ron plays with a lot of fight on the glass, a lot of toughness and power, despite the fact that he is different and will not have the same chance.”

Ayo Dosunmu, an Illinois All-American guard, has fallen all the way to No. 38, where he will play for the Chicago Bulls, his hometown team. The selection was praised by one coach.

He said, “Ayo Dosunmu accomplished all he was expected to do.” “He dominated high school basketball in his region, then returned home to play college basketball. Luka Garza won the award, although he was probably the best player in the best conference the year before, and maybe the year before that as well. I’m sure there are concerns about what he is, whether he’s a point guard or a shooting guard, how consistent a shooter he is, and how creative he is. All I know is that he was given everyone’s best chance in a fantastic league, and he delivered every night. He’s a fantastic competitor. Chicago was an excellent choice.”

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Check out all of Ayo Dosunmu’s talents that make him a top NBA draft candidate in 2021.

UConn’s James Bouknight and Virginia’s Trey Murphy III were two first-round selections that sparked heated debate among coaches.

Outside of Jalen Green, Bouknight was maybe the greatest pure scorer in the draft, but he was chosen No. 11 by Charlotte after being predicted to go as high as sixth.

“I’ve never seen a player who shot 27 percent from three, had 22 assists to 33 turnovers, has been injured both in high school and college, and everyone is freaking out about him falling,” one coach said. “He has to be in possession of the ball. I believe he’s gifted, but I understand why he left out.”

Another coach inquired, “Did Bouknight actually drop?” “In high school, he was rated outside the top 70; now, two years later, he’s a top-ten candidate. I was shocked he didn’t make the top ten. I was shocked to see Ziaire Williams climb above him. Franz Wagner isn’t better than Bouknight, but his climb above him astounded me.”

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Check out James Bouknight’s highlights from his time at UConn.

Murphy only stayed at Virginia for one season after transferring from Rice, where he spent two seasons. Murphy averaged 11.3 points and shot 43.3 percent from three-point range in Charlottesville. He gradually climbed up draft boards throughout the summer, with to his length and 6-foot-9 height, and was selected No. 17 overall by the Pelicans.

“He was a great catch-and-shoot guy,” one ACC coach observed, “but he doesn’t do anything off the dribble.” “He didn’t strike me as a very tough person. He’s best in space, in catch-and-shoot situations, when he can utilize his agility in the open floor and fly in on the glass. In terms of defense, I couldn’t get a good feel of him. I’m aware that he’s fluid and moves well. It’s difficult to read between the lines on where he’ll go as a defender since Virginia plays defense in a very conventional manner. But I didn’t believe he had anyplace else to go if you didn’t let him get something simple in the open court and took away catch-and-shoots.”

Quentin Grimes, who was selected by the New York Knicks at the age of 25, was another choice that sparked controversy. Last season, the Houston guard was one of the greatest guards in the nation, helping the Cougars reach the Final Four. He was a top-10 recruit in the 2018 class, but he struggled as a freshman at Kansas and transferred to Houston.

“With Houston, he sort of reinvented his game,” one coach said. “He became a stronger defender, he increased his offensive efficiency, and he was the AAC Player of the Year.” “Houston is a fantastic program that has reached the Final Four, but he has Houston instead of Kansas next to his name. Maybe he’d go 15 instead of 25 if Kansas was next to his name. It was a wise decision.”

Another coach remarked, “He doesn’t really distinguish since he didn’t play in a strong conference.” “I thought of him as a second-round selection.”

The four-pick span from Nos. 19-22, according to one coach, will be fascinating to watch from an upside standpoint. Kai Jones of Texas placed 19th, followed by Jalen Johnson (20th), Keon Johnson (21st), and Isaiah Jackson (22nd).

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Kai Jones, a talented Texas big man, has some highlights to share.

“One of those four 19-22 men is going to hit,” he said. “Those four players, all of those high-profile selections with a lot of potential. More than Kai and Isaiah, I’d suggest Jalen Johnson or Keon Johnson. Jalen has a lot of faults, and he wasn’t especially spectacular as a rookie, but I believe he was a fantastic 20th selection. Right now, Keon Johnson is more of an athlete than a basketball player, but he’s a complete freak. He has a lot of defensive ability. He has the potential to develop as a shooter, and he must do so in the future. However, as a 21-year-old, he was an excellent choice for a playoff club.”

Coaches also appreciated the following selections:

Florida’s Tre Mann (No. 18 to Oklahoma City): “He has the potential to be a fantastic choice. He has a moniker that reminds me of Kyrie Irving. I know it’s sacrilege, but it’s his final touch, his handle, his ingenuity.”

Tennessee’s Jaden Springer (To Philadelphia, No. 28): “Springer seems to have been doing well. When he moved to Tennessee, he was boxier and rougher around the edges, and I was looking for a more diverse skill set. However, he was in good shape going up to the draft. Early on, he was worth a chance.”

Alabama’s Herb Jones (route 35 to New Orleans): “He’s a player who will stay in the NBA for 8-10 years. The downside to him is that he was a 1-4 on Alabama. On the defensive end, he can defend 1-through-4 and play the point offensively. What is his point of view? He is, however, an elite-level defender who can enter any club and immediately become one of their top 2-through-4 defenders. He just performs a smidgeon of everything.”

Utah State’s Neemias Queta (No. 39 to Sacramento): “This was a fantastic choice. He can score with his back to the hoop and is a great rebounder. He’s the greatest shot-blocker in the draft, without a doubt. You worry about his knee injuries, but if he had come out after his freshman year, he would have been in this area. As a result, you’re receiving a good deal.”

Michigan (No. 42 to Detroit): Isaiah Livers: “Isaiah Livers is a player I’ve always thought was underrated. He’s 6-foot-7, can shoot the ball very well, plays hard, and rebounds. He’ll never be a celebrity, but can he be P.J. Tucker? What’s to stop you?”

Pepperdine’s Kessler Edwards (No. 44 to Brooklyn): “I believe he is one of those players who will succeed in the NBA. He’s got the length, the classic length of a three-and-a-half-footer. On his 3-ball, he has a difficult release. However, he had a fantastic combine and was able to boost his value throughout the process.”

Gonzaga’s Filip Petrusev (No. 50 to Philadelphia): “He was named WCC Player of the Year two years ago. I’m not saying he would have gone 15 like Corey Kispert if he had stayed, but would his stock have gone through the sky like Kispert’s if he had stayed?”

Texas’ Jericho Sims (No. 58 to New York): He’s simply a player with a lot of potential. Extremely gifted athlete. On the defensive end of the court, he has the ability to impact the game. It’s the 58th overall selection that we’re talking about. He has the ability to not only make a squad, but also a rotation.”

Multiple coaches highlighted Austin Reaves of Oklahoma and Joel Ayayi of Gonzaga as undrafted players that surprised them.

Much like the NFL, the NBA is a league of parity. With so many teams in the league, many of them are more talented than others, which makes it tough for any one team to win it all. However, most coaches have a general idea of which teams they feel are poised to make a leap this season.. Read more about 2020 nba draft big board and let us know what you think.

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