This pick is self-explanatory. Cooper Flagg had one of the best freshman seasons I witnessed and will bring that dog factor to the Mavs team instantly with him.
SF/PF, Duke
Harper might not be my number two prospect but he seems like the consensus two. Harper’s fit seems iffy on San Antonio with Fox and Castle already there but his talent is undeniable. His elite physical tools, high basketball IQ, versatility, passing, feel and insane rim creation makes him one of the must not miss guard prospects. I’ve been told to look out for a trade on draft night as many teams are after the number two pick, but it’ll cost a lot.
PG, Rutgers
I actually love VJ’s fit on the Sixers and with the uncertainty of Ace Bailey committing to an interview and workout with the Sixers it makes sense. This Sixers team lacks the athleticism, high-level motor, two-way profile profile that VJ has. I think the Sixers should be looking to trade off Paul George on draft night and hitting next season with a three-guard type lineup of McCain, Maxey and VJ as they all compliment each other really well. I’m not VJ’s biggest fan half-court wise but it’s easy to see he makes sense on the Sixers as they lack so much of what he gives.
SG, Baylor
Charlotte has a really bad drafting history, so to me, they have to hit it right this time. Kon’s high-level shooting instantly brings more gravity to the team for creators like LaMelo to cook and adds the connectivity they’ve been lacking. It seems like the smartest pick for an organization that hasn’t been that successful in the draft recently.
SG/SF, Duke
Fears could be something nice long term, but I still have my doubts on his process. He is currently a ball-dominant guard that doesn’t finish or shoot well. It’s an interesting case, but I will say I understand the upside outlook. Fears has arguably the smoothest handle in the draft, the most explosive burst out of all the guards and the feel that helps him manipulate defenses at a high level. Question is, how vital is that if he can’t finish or shoot the ball? The Jazz are still early in their rebuild so the patience is going to be there and I’m not very high on the guard talent they have right now. I expect Fears to have some exciting games in his first few years but I also expect some really rough spells.
PG, Oklahoma
I actually love Maluach’s fit on the Wizards especially with Sarr in the frontcourt. The main issue with him right now is the feel but one thing he adds to Washington is high-level finishing, rolling and an insane paint presence with his size. To me, Alex Sarr lacks a lot of big man skills for a seven-footer, but the skillset is there to be a good power forward next to Khaman. I believe they will compliment each other well long term and this seems like a no-brainer pick for a young Wizards team who ended the season on a roll.
C, Duke
With Tre, the Pelicans finally get themselves a high-level scoring guard who has really nice playmaking chops. Tre obviously has weaknesses with his lack of burst and low defensive upside, but luckily Pelicans are a pretty good defensive and rim pressing team when everyone’s available. The Pels have lacked a guard with Tre’s creation and willingness to shoot the air out of the ball every game so it makes sense to jump on him if he’s available. It’s worth noting the Pelicans have been in talks to trade up.
SF, Texas
I know the first reaction to this will be “there’s no way Ace will fall from 3 to 8, right?”. Well, let’s just say his camp has not been easy to get a hold of and Ace is the only non-injured prospect projected to go in the lottery to not hold a workout yet outside of Noa Essengue. Now this is more of a prediction than actual intel, but it wouldn’t shock me if Bailey’s camp forced him to a team like the Nets, where he’ll get the ultimate green light and has the chance to be the face of the franchise. I was also told that Brooklyn is the prime spot for every prospect projected in the lottery right now so this aligns with the intel.
SF, Rutgers
From what I’ve heard, the Raptors are aiming to strengthen their frontcourt depth. The main guy they’re targeting is Khaman Maluach but with him gone, they will likely target Queen at 9 with his high-level offensive tools that can make you drool on film. It’s worth noting that Queen hasn’t committed to a workout with the Raptors yet and has shown doubts of wanting to be in Toronto. The Raptors have also shown willingness to trade down multiple spots for more draft capital. I was told the other day that the Nets have had multiple discussions with Toronto and it might be revisited on draft night.
C, Maryland
The Suns have now entered the lottery thanks to the Kevin Durant trade. I think Carter Bryant checks all the boxes for both their short and long term vision. Bryant is a high-level defensive playmaker who’s very switchable. He’s also a reliable floor spacer, and an elite athlete ready to contribute immediately. He would be in an ideal spot to develop alongside a star talent like Devin Booker. The Suns will lean towards a big in this draft, but with how this mock has gone, the other centers look like a reach at 10.
SF, Arizona
Portland has been noted as one team that travelled to Germany to interview Noa. I actually love his fit in Portland in the frontcourt with Clingan especially with the spacing and gravity Simons and Sharpe give in the backcourt. Noa has the tools of a player with really high upside. His athleticism, flexibility defensively, high feel for the game and aggressive nature fits Portland well. I think there’s a chance Noa becomes an average or just below average NBA shooter due to his willingness to shoot at a good volume and that’ll be vital to his outlook in the NBA long term. Expect Noa’s range to be between 6-14 in this draft.
SF/PF, Ratiopharm
Asa Newell has been catching teams' eyes recently in workouts and could go as high as 11. Asa’s fit in Chicago makes a lot of sense as his athleticism, play finishing, motor and ability to switch adds another dynamic to the Bulls frontcourt. It's also worth noting that Chicago have had previous struggles with offensive rebounding and that’s a plus for Asa. Chicago has shown no signs of wanting to back down from winning so Asa’s the perfect high floor pick to fit into the rotation straight away.
PF, Georgia
Murray-Boyles seems like a seamless fit for the Hawks as his creation ability, dominant paint offense and special rim touch makes him a nice piece to add to the Hawks offensive core. I think the big selling point here is Collins' defensive upside. His consistent anticipation, on-ball versatility, high motor and switchability makes him a potential defensive backbone for Hawks defense long term. Murray-Boyles has a chance to be a top five guy in this class due to his skillset and scalability. It is worth noting the Hawks have been in talks to trade both picks to get in the top 10.
SF/PF/C, South Carolina
Rasheer Fleming actually makes a lot of sense for the Spurs as he is a high energy player who’s always active on both ends of the floor. He’s a willing cutter who finishes at the rim at a high rate and also has shown recent development of being able to shoot it well especially on the wing and in the corner. There are questions about Rasheers poor performances against real competition, but you can’t deny he fits the Spurs perfectly as he’s a low usage wing who’s super athletic, finishes at a high level, covers so much ground defensively and has shown good signs this past year of being able to shoot lights out in the corner.
SF, Saint Joseph’s
I’ll be honest, this might be my favourite fit for Beringer. Joan has shown good improvement in the last year offensively but is still pretty raw on that end. OKC have enough players with gravity that really could open Beringer’s game up on that end. Now let’s go into my favourite part of Beringer's game: his defensive upside. He has quick feet and his hands are just as good. He has shown multiple times this year that he can defend guards just as well as he defends bigs. Beringer is an upside pick that OKC typically loves to make but I have a feeling he’ll instantly affect the rotation off his defense alone.
C, Cedevita
After they acquired this pick in the Desmond Bane trade, I instantly thought Jase would be the perfect Bane replacement. Richardson might’ve measured small at the combine but the plus wingspan and athletic numbers were great. He instantly slots into the backcourt with his efficient sharpshooting abilities, smart off-ball movement, connectivity and defensive effort. Now yes, he is small, and lacks the creation of a PG but I think in Memphis he suits the SG role next to Ja even with the lack of size.Jase is the type of player who’ll force you to start him with his lack of mistakes and production. He reads the game well, especially on the offensive end and has shown really good self creation flashes pre NCAA and at Michigan State.
PG/SG, Michigan State
Ryan Kalkbrenner currently fits the Timberwolves timeline and has the skills to instantly affect an NBA floor. Kalkbrenner’s high-level finishing has been constant every year he was at Creighton and he also started showing signs of being a lethal pick-and-pop weapon with his shooting improvements in the last two years. Kalkbrenner also brings instant positivity to the Wolves paint defense with his high-level drop defense. One weakness that might put people off with Ryan is his inconsistent rebounding on both ends but I don’t think it’ll be an issue in the NBA and especially on the Wolves.
C, Creighton
I’m not Egor’s biggest fan by any means. His lack of strength, handle for a lead guard, consistent jumper and weak point of attack defense leaves a sour taste in my mouth at this spot. That said, a lot of scouts love his size, manipulative playmaking and overall read of the game. I’ll be honest, he seems like the kind of guy the Wizards would like. Personally, I believe Egor will need conditioning for a year before he really makes a difference on an NBA floor and even then, he’s not a sure thing as he lacks so much on the eye. Maybe the scouts are seeing something we all aren’t though right? After all, they are professionals.
PG/SG, BYU
Kasparas was ranked as high as top four in this class at one point, but his struggles were very concerning post-injury. His lack of protection off the ball and decline as a shooter were red flags. That said, Kasparas could be a nice backcourt addition to the Nets offensively as he adds size, connectivity and suits Jordi Fernandez’ structure offensively with his high IQ, pick-and-roll play and pass-and-go instincts. The main concern with this pick will be the defensive switchability at the guard spot and the lack of athleticism in the backcourt overall. It’s worth noting the Nets might not keep this pick with talks already happening with teams like the Raptors.
PG, Illinois
Nique is one of the best plug-and-play wings in the draft. Clifford’s high-level rebounding, team defense, abilities to scale up and down fit what Miami Heat have been lacking on the wing post Butler trade. I think Nique also fits the culture Miami currently has. He’s an instant contributor who has the leadership capabilities and fits the switch-heavy system under Erik Spoelstra. I said it back in March, Nique is the guy any team that wants to contend should be all over.
SG, Colorado State
I think that Noah Penda can do a lot for most teams including the Jazz. Noah is one of the best switchable defenders in the draft who’s 6’8” and that can also be the glue to any team with his high feel, motor and help side activity. My main concern around Penda has to be his lack of process when making stuff happen for himself scoring wise. He seems to struggle with his efficiency overall at the rim and on jumpers, which may ruin his outlook especially if it continues into the NBA. Inefficient wings normally struggle in an NBA setting out of the gate. Noah’s case can be different, because how many of these wings have this level of feel and translatable defensive skills?
SF, Le Mans
Thomas Sorber has the second-highest upside out of all the bigs in this class in my opinion. The Hawks have lacked a center with Sorbers high feel, quick footwork and wingspan for years now. One thing that can definitely put you off with Sorber is his poor shot selection. He has a tendency to take shots that leave you baffled. That said, the Hawks could really use a hub that can defend at a high level. I would’ve had Sorber much higher if the foot surgery didn't leave a big question mark around his availability.
C, Georgetown
Cedric’s tape proves that he can scale up, score efficiently at all three levels and move off the ball smartly. One thing I also enjoy about him is his flexibility on-ball, which looks great on film and suggests he could become something more than a role player at the right spot.
SG, Washington State
Danny Wolf is a high-feel big who can wow you with his handle and guard-like instincts but also make you question his decision-making. OKC is the type of team that will cover up his defensive flaws and give him the platform to perform in the rotation as they lack a big who can serve as a connector like Wolf. Overall, Wolf is an exciting player but his low outcome isn’t ideal.
C, Michigan
Clayton has been a riser for weeks after his impressive play in the NCAA tournament, which saw him capture the national championship. His high-level shotmaking, consistent vision and creation upside will lead to him touching an NBA floor in no time. The fit on Orlando just makes a lot of sense from a standpoint of them needing more spacers that their stars can thrive off. Walter’s draft position ranges anywhere from 15 to as low as 30.
PG/SG, Florida
Drake Powell is more of a hypothetical prospect due to his raw athletic tools. If any team can afford to draft a raw prospect that needs time it’s the Brooklyn Nets, who are just starting their rebuild. I’ll go back to his pre-NCAA production because the shooting metrics and stocks all stood out in his junior and senior year. He was even 10th on my board in the preseason due to the fun film, stats and archetype success in the league. He’ll just need to land on a spot like the Nets who will be willing to give him time.
SG, UNC
Nolan Traore is an intriguing prospect because he has high feel for the game and brings energy on the defensive end. He’s also a very good playmaker who projects to be a productive point guard at the pro level. The main question mark going forward is his shooting efficiency, which was extremely underwhelming for Saint-Quentin this past season. If his jump shot improves, we are talking about a potential gem in this draft class. It’s worth noting that Traore has impressed teams in his scheduled workouts.
PG, Saint-Quentin
I’m not Maxime Raynaud's biggest fan, but the tools can be enticing, especially for a team like Boston. He just had a season averaging a double-double where he showed capabilities of scoring at all levels. My main gripe with Raynaud is how he defends. His lack of drop defense for a big is noticeable, but I’ll try to stay on the positive path. In his last 10 games he has shown significant improvement as a shot-blocker. The sample seems too small to overreact to though. I believe Maxime’s ideal landing spot is Boston due to his ability to space the floor and finish plays with consistency. The Celtics have shown that they can win with a negative defensive big.
C, Stanford
Saraf is a dynamic guard who has showcased versatility on the offensive end. His shooting numbers aren’t eye-popping, but he has time to fix that considering he’s only 19 years of age. He can be a disruptive defender and has all the tools to grow into a lead guard in the NBA, whether that be as a starter or back-up.
PG, Ratiopharm
It’s difficult to draw conclusions about Hugo after the season he had with Real Madrid, but in my opinion, his stock would have looked a lot different if he went the BYU route like Egor Demin. To me, he was the biggest player on both ends quite comfortably at the youth level. Hugo is the ultimate “what if”, but I can still see him going in the 20-30 range and I like his potential fit with the Clippers given their style of play.
SG/SF, Real Madrid