My Top 10 Prospects in the 2021 NBA Draft
As the 2020–21 NBA season comes to an end, teams are now looking to improve their rosters for the upcoming season. The always highly anticipated NBA draft is right around the corner and I will be covering the biggest names leading up to this special night. There is always some uncertainty with looking at college, international, and G-League prospects. However, this draft class looks to be one of the most star-studded in recent memory.
This list will be a ranking of who I feel are the best NBA prospects in the class. I look at a player’s overall skillset, NBA readiness, and potential in creating this ranking.
So without any further ado, I present my top 10 favorite prospects heading into the 2021 NBA Draft.
1. Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State University
Point Guard, 6'8, 220 lbs, 20.2 pts, 6.3 reb, 3.6 ast
Clearly the top player in the class, Cunningham has incredible potential as both a scorer and a playmaker in the NBA. At 6'8, he is already at an advantage against other players at his position. Combine his frame with his extremely impressive basketball IQ and 3 level scoring ability, and he is a problem for defenses. Speaking of defense, Cunningham is also a solid defender who can guard multiple positions. He has the potential to be the next superstar in the future of position-less basketball.
2. Jalen Green, G-League
Shooting Guard, 6'6, 180 lbs, 17.9 pts, 4.1 reb, 2.8 ast
Green is an NBA-ready prospect who is a natural scorer and an athletic freak. He can drive to the basket and shoot the 3-pointer at a solid efficiency. I believe that he has clear all-star potential and could become an All-NBA talent if he gets put in the right situation.
3. Evan Mobley, University of Southern California
Center, 7'0, 190 lbs, 16.4 pts, 8.7 reb, 2.4 ast
Mobley is another superstar-level prospect who completes what I believe to be the “Big Three” of this draft class. He is big man who can run the floor, handle the ball, and finish around the rim. Along with this skillset, he has also shown potential to be the top defender of this draft class. His defensive instincts allow him to be able to guard positions 3–5 on the court, which is very eye-opening to NBA scouts.
4. Jonathan Kuminga, G-League
Small Forward, 6'7, 210 lbs, 15.8 pts, 7.2 reb, 2.7 ast
One of my favorite players in the entire draft is Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga, among other big prospects, opted to play in the G-League instead of the NCAA. Here, Kuminga was able to solidify himself as a player with massive upside. He is arguably the best athlete in the class, which allows him to blow by defenders and finish around the rim. He is also one of the best defensive players in the draft class. While he is not as polished as other players in the class, he has the potential to be a number one or two option for a contending team.
5. Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga University
Point Guard, 6'4, 205 lbs, 14.4 pts, 5.3 reb, 4.5 ast
Jalen Suggs is a proven leader and winner at the NCAA level. His leadership and play this year with Gonzaga greatly improved his draft stock for me. Suggs is one of the most NBA-ready prospects in the entire draft, which should be enticing for teams looking to compete now. Suggs is an excellent scorer and playmaker who will almost certainly succeed at the next level.
6. Moses Moody, Arkansas University
Shooting Guard, 6'6, 205 lbs, 16.8 pts, 5.8 reb, 1.6 ast
Moses Moody is another player who I am extremely confident will succeed in the NBA. Moody, in my opinion, is one of the best scorers in the entire draft. He can shoot the three and drive to the basket effectively, all while handling a large offensive load. He has the potential to be a clear number one option for a competing team in the future, while also being able to have a considerable role right out of the gate.
7. Scottie Barnes, Florida State University
Small Forward, 6'9, 225 lbs, 10.3 pts, 4.0 reb, 4.1 ast
This guy did it all for FSU this year. He scored when he needed to, got rebounds, made plays for others, and played stellar defense. Aside from his poor shooting from range, he looks like a carbon copy of Draymond Green. I could see him making several All-Defensive teams and contributing to a championship contender in the future.
8. Zaire Williams, Stanford University
Small Forward, 6'9, 195 lbs, 10.7 pts, 4.6 reb, 2.2 ast
After a rocky freshman season, many scouts have sent Zaire Williams way down into the draft rankings. I’ve seen too many mock drafts with him in the 20–30 range, while he is clearly still a lottery pick. He was once ranked top 10 in the class for a reason, and I don’t think anything has changed. He is one of the most talented players in the class and has potential as high as just about anyone outside of the “Big Three”. He should build some strength to solidify himself as a true threat in the NBA.
9. Josh Giddey, Australia
Point Guard, 6'8, 205 lbs, 10.9 pts, 7.4 reb, 7.5 ast
The first and only international prospect in my top ten, Giddey is another super intriguing prospect in this deep draft class. He stuffed the stat sheet playing for the Adelaide 36ers in Australia. Giddey is a true playmaker who has excellent NBA potential. There are fears that he will not be able to keep up with the fast pace of the NBA, but I believe that his skillset will be enough to overcome this criticism.
10. Josh Christopher, Arizona State University
Shooting Guard, 6'5, 215 lbs, 14.3 pts, 4.7 reb, 1.4 ast
Being put in a terrible position on the Arizona State team, Christopher plummeted to the bottom of many draft boards. Honestly, I don’t see why. Sure his efficiency wasn’t as great as you’d want from a pure scorer, but he has all the tools that you want from a scorer in the NBA. He loves to create his own shot against the defense, he knows how to use his frame to get past defenders, and he can shoot the ball from deep (somewhat inconsistently, but that will come over time). Josh Christopher is definitely more of a gamble pick in this extremely deep 2021 NBA draft class. His ceiling is just too high to ignore for me not to place him as a top ten prospect.
