NBA Draft, Mock Drafts, and Expert Analysis (original) (raw)

Atlanta

Zaccharie Risacher

Round 1 - Pick 1 (1)

France

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Risacher's combination of length and defensive versatility on the wing makes him a player who can come into any situation and contribute right away. He is more than just a catch-and-shoot threat and has shown improvement as a facilitator when his shot isn't falling.

Washington

Alex Sarr

Round 1 - Pick 2 (2)

France

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

This was Sarr's preferred landing spot and he can come in right away and add some relief defensively with how well he protects the rim. Offensively, he has a fluid jumper in the pick-and-pop with the potential to spread past the 3-point line.

Houston

Reed Sheppard

Round 1 - Pick 3 (3) (from Nets)

Kentucky

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Sheppard shot over 52% from 3-point range on 3.5 attempts per game and will be more of a combo guard at the NBA level. He's a little undersized at 6-foot-2 but has a high IQ and a solid floor when it comes to a young, skilled guard coming into the NBA.

San Antonio

Stephon Castle

Round 1 - Pick 4 (4)

Connecticut

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Castle was one of the best defending guards in college hoops during his one year at UConn and showed a much improved 3-point shot during the pre-draft process. He has upside as an elite two-way player in the NBA and can help anchor the defense alongside Victor Wembanyama.

Detroit

Ron Holland

Round 1 - Pick 5 (5)

G League Ignite

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Holland averaged 19.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in the G League this season for the Ignite. Although he can be turnover prone at times, his size at 6-foot-8 and his burst off the dribble and in transition still gives him room for growth in the NBA at just 18 years old. His movement off the ball needs some work and he sometimes clogs the lane with his attempts to get to the rim.

Charlotte

Tidjane Salaun

Round 1 - Pick 6 (6)

France

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Salaun has solid size at the wing position at 6-foot-9 and has really become more than just a catch-and-shoot threat along the perimeter. He's worked this past season to add muscle to his frame and his physicality in the lane improved while playing for Cholet in the LNB Pro A league.

Portland

Donovan Clingan

Round 1 - Pick 7 (7)

Connecticut

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Clingan has all the tools to be a long-term starting center in the NBA and moves well for his size at 7-foot-2. He is more than a rim-running big and can throw a lot of different options in the pick-and-roll, whether that's slipping, rolling to the basket, pinning his man or popping out for a jumper.

Minnesota

Robert Dillingham

Round 1 - Pick 8 (8) (from Raptors via Spurs)

Kentucky

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Dillingham is one of the best guards with the ball in his hands and can get downhill and put pressure on the rim. There's no doubt that he'll be electric in Minnesota, but his size at 6-foot-3, 176 pounds, is concerning for a lead guard in the NBA.

Memphis

Zach Edey

Round 1 - Pick 9 (9)

Purdue

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Edey can come in right away as a backup center and has the best post-up game out of any center in the draft, averaging 25.2 points and 12.2 rebounds per game last season. His limitations are in the pick-and-roll, where only 8% of his made baskets came in that set, and defensively he doesn't have the foot speed to guard the switch, forcing him to be more of a drop coverage center.

Utah

Cody Williams

Round 1 - Pick 10 (10)

Colorado

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Williams is one of the best defending wings in this class with how well he can guard positions 1-4 and has great drop coverage on the switch. He needs to get stronger with the ball but is farther along in his development at 19 than his brother, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, was at his age.

Chicago

Matas Buzelis

Round 1 - Pick 11 (11)

G League Ignite

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Buzelis shot the ball under 30% from 3-point range during his one season with the Ignite but has great size at 6-foot-9 and the ability to space the floor. He's comfortable taking players off the dribble and has good footwork and ball skills in dribble hand-offs on the wing.

Oklahoma City

Nikola Topic

Round 1 - Pick 12 (12) (from Rockets)

Serbia

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Topic suffered a partially torn ACL and they will have to be patient with his recovery. He is one of the best passers in this draft class, averaging 5.5 assists per game in Serbia, and has good size at the point guard position at 6-foot-6.

Sacramento

Devin Carter

Round 1 - Pick 13 (13)

Providence

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Carter shot up draft boards during the pre-draft process with how well he performed during the combine (42-inch max vertical and breaking the combine record for the 3/4-court sprint). He's a tough-nosed guard who is great at turning defense into offense and is one of the best rebounding guards.

Washington

Carlton Carrington

Round 1 - Pick 14 (14) (from Warriors via Trail Blazers)

Pittsburgh

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Carrington hit a late growth spurt and is now closer to 6-foot-5 as a point guard, making him a late riser in the draft. He still has tremendous upside at 18 years old and can come in right away with his quick-twitch pace and decent shot creation off the pick-and-roll.

Miami

Kel'el Ware

Round 1 - Pick 15 (15)

Indiana

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Ware really made a jump in improvement from his freshman year at Oregon to his sophomore season at Indiana, showing more upside as a pick-and-roll big while putting pressure on the rim. His athleticism helps him guard the perimeter off the switch and he's improved his ball-handling, starting the break off missed shots.

Philadelphia

Jared McCain

Round 1 - Pick 16 (16)

Duke

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

McCain is one of the best shooters in this draft, shooting 41.8% from 3-point range and shot lights out at the combine in front of every NBA executive and scout. Even though he's undersized at 6-foot-3, 197 pounds, Philadelphia knows exactly what it's getting from him as a reliable shooter who competes at a high level.

LA Lakers

Dalton Knecht

Round 1 - Pick 17 (17)

Tennessee

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Knecht was the best scorer in the SEC, averaging 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game at Tennessee. He's one of the older players in the first round at 23 but can be a plug-and-play guy right away, contributing with his size and three-level scoring. LeBron is going to love playing with him as the all-time 3-point assist leader in NBA history.

Orlando

Tristan da Silva

Round 1 - Pick 18 (18)

Colorado

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

The senior forward shot 40% from 3-point range and has the potential to be that hybrid four in the NBA with his solid inside-out game and how well he gets to his spots out of the pick-and-roll option.

Toronto

Ja'Kobe Walter

Round 1 - Pick 19 (19) (from Pacers)

Baylor

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Walter has solid size for a shooting guard at 6-foot-5 and showed more promise off the bounce during his one year at Baylor. His 3-point shot was a little inconsistent over his freshman season at Baylor, but the spacing in the NBA will allow him better looks for higher-percentage shots.

Cleveland

Jaylon Tyson

Round 1 - Pick 20 (20)

California

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Tyson was one of the best scorers in the Pac-12 and can do a little bit of everything really well. He's strong with the ball, cuts well and finishes through contact, but his mobility on defense and ability to keep players in front still needs some work.

New Orleans

Yves Missi

Round 1 - Pick 21 (21) (from Bucks)

Baylor

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Missi still has a ton of room for growth after his one year at Baylor, but the glimpses that he showed defending the block and running the floor well in transition scream upside as a rim-running big in the NBA at 7 feet.

Denver

DaRon Holmes

Round 1 - Pick 22 (22) (from Suns)

Dayton

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Holmes could be that hybrid big with his polished interior scoring and improvement in his shot selection behind the arc, averaging 38.6% from 3-point range.

Milwaukee

AJ Johnson

Round 1 - Pick 23 (23) (from Pelicans)

Southern California Academy

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Johnson's upside as a 6-foot-5 combo guard is very intriguing and he's a player who has been in the gym working out with Rockets guard Jalen Green since 8th grade. They have similar mannerisms as playmakers, and Johnson is still so raw as prospect he could end up being one of the best players in this draft two to three years down the road.

Washington

Kyshawn George

Round 1 - Pick 24 (24) (from Mavericks via Knicks)

Miami (FL)

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

George hit a late growth spurt two years ago and shot up from 6-foot-3 to 6-8. He still passes like a point guard but is playing more along the perimeter. His 3-point shot is what's most intriguing, shooting 41% from 3 off the bench during his one year at Miami.

New York

Pacome Dadiet

Round 1 - Pick 25 (25)

France

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Dadiet is one of the youngest players in the draft, still just 18 years old, and will be a draft-and-stash development project for the Knicks. His size and strength at 6-foot-8 along the perimeter is what first stands out when he plays, and he's showing more signs as a poised playmaker off the wing, finishing his season in Germany for Ratiopharm Ulm on a high note.

Oklahoma City

Dillon Jones

Round 1 - Pick 26 (26) (from Clippers via Knicks and Mavericks)

Weber St.

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Jones does a lot of little things really well, which is probably why the Thunder traded up to grab him. Jones reads the game sharply, dictates pace and plays to his advantages.

Minnesota

Terrence Shannon

Round 1 - Pick 27 (27)

Illinois

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Shannon is a three-level scorer who has improved his 3-point shot over the course of his college career, finishing his senior season at Illinois shooting 36.2% from deep. He's an older, experienced guard at 23 who can come in right away and contribute for Minnesota.

Phoenix

Ryan Dunn

Round 1 - Pick 28 (28) (from Nuggets)

Virginia

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Dunn was the best perimeter defender in college basketball this season with his length at 6-foot-8 and averaging 2.3 blocks and just under two steals per game during his sophomore season at Virginia. The biggest hole in his game is his 3-point shooting where he made only 20% of his attempts from deep this past season.

Utah

Isaiah Collier

Round 1 - Pick 29 (29) (from Thunder via Pacers and Raptors)

USC

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

The fact that Collier fell so far in the draft after entering this past college season as the No. 1 high school recruit is shocking. The biggest gap in his game is his outside jumper and his turnovers during his one year at USC. Where he does excel is in the open court, and he has great body control around the rim. With the spacing and pace of the NBA game, he could be a steal for the Jazz.

Boston

Baylor Scheierman

Round 1 - Pick 30 (30)

Creighton

School

Yahoo Sports Commentary

Scheierman's shot creation and size as a perimeter player is what shot him inside the first round. He's a four-year player out of Creighton and averaged 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game as a senior.