2021 NBA mock draft: Who goes No. 1? Who will Sacramento Kings take with first-round pick?
1. Houston Rockets
Cade Cunningham, PG/SG, 6-8, 220, Oklahoma State
The Rockets get a phenomenal talent to jumpstart their rebuild with the selection of Cunningham, who comes to the NBA with great size, a 7-0 ¼ wingspan and an elite skill set after averaging 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals at Oklahoma State.
2. Detroit Pistons
Evan Mobley, PF/C, 7-0, 215, USC
Mobley will need time to fill out his frame, but he is a gifted 19-year-old big man with agility, perimeter skills, positional versatility and enormous defensive potential.
3. Orlando Magic
Jalen Green, SG, 6-6, 180, G League Ignite
The Magic brings in an elite scorer with tremendous athleticism to lead the rebuild after shipping out Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder
Jalen Suggs, PG, 6-4, 205, Gonzaga
If Suggs is still available here, OKC can pair him with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, adding a fiery competitor who offers positional versatility at both ends with a proven ability to get buckets and stops.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
Jonathan Kuminga, SF/PF, 6-7, 217, G League Ignite
Kuminga is a raw talent who shot 38.7% in the G League, but at 18 he is one of the more tantalizing prospects in the draft with elite athleticism, great size and a 7-2 wingspan.
6. Golden State Warriors (via Minnesota Timberwolves)
Scottie Barnes, SF/PF, 6-9, 225, Florida State
Often compared to Draymond Green, Barnes has great size, length and basketball IQ with a 7-2 wingspan, special passing skills and the ability to guard all five positions.
7. Toronto Raptors
Keon Johnson, SG/SF, 6-5, 185, Tennessee
The Raptors look to the future as Kyle Lowry enters free agency, bringing in an explosive athlete with tremendous upside at both ends of the floor.
8. Orlando Magic (via Chicago Bulls)
Davion Mitchell, PG/SG, 6-2, 205, Baylor
Orlando uses its second top-10 pick to pair Green with Mitchell, who has improved as a shooter and playmaker while establishing himself as one of the most tenacious defenders in this draft.
9. Sacramento Kings
Jalen Johnson, PF, 6-9, 220, Duke
Johnson has dropped on some draft boards due to questions about his attitude and commitment after he left Duke early. The Kings must decide if those concerns are valid enough to pass up a gifted and versatile player who posted per-36 averages of 18.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.9 steals in 13 games for the Blue Devils.
10. New Orleans Pelicans
Cory Kispert, SF, 6-7, 220, Gonzaga
The Pelicans need shooters to space the floor for Zion Williamson. Kispert is NBA ready and might be the best shooter in this draft after hitting 44% from 3-point range last season.
11. Charlotte Hornets
Franz Wagner, SF, 6-8, 205, Michigan
The Hornets address their lack of wing depth with a two-way combo forward who can guard multiple positions.
12. San Antonio Spurs
Alperen Sengun, C, 6-10, 240, Beskitas
The Spurs take a chance on a young big who was named MVP of the Turkish BSL at age 18 after averaging 19 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.3 steals in 37 games for Beskitas.
13. Indiana Pacers
Moses Moody, SG, 6-6, 205, Arkansas
The Pacers improve their wing depth with a promising 3-and-D prospect who can space the floor and defend multiple positions with a 7-foot wingspan.
14. Golden State Warriors
James Bouknight, SG, 6-5, 190, UConn
The Warriors use their second lottery selection to bolster their backcourt depth with an explosive and versatile guard who can score at all three levels and play in multiple lineup configurations.
15. Washington Wizards
Josh Giddey, PG/SG, 6-8, 205, Adelaide 36ers
The Wizards get a multipositional guard who posted triple-doubles in the NBL at age 18, giving them a versatile option behind Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal.
16. Boston Celtics
Kai Jones, PF/C, 6-11, 220, Texas
The Celtics address their needs at the center position, taking a young big with defensive versatility and offensive upside.
17. Memphis Grizzlies
Usman Garuba, PF/C, 6-9, 230, Real Madrid
The Grizzlies improve their frontcourt depth behind Jonas Valanciunas and Jaren Jackson Jr., adding an elite defender with size, versatility and toughness.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Chicago Bulls)
Isaiah Jackson, PF/C, 6-10 ½, 206, Kentucky
The Thunder can use its second first-round pick to address frontcourt needs with an explosive athlete who rebounds, blocks shots and shows offensive upside.
19. New York Knicks
Ziaire Williams, SG/SF, 6-8, 185, Stanford
The Knicks could add some wing depth here with Williams, but Marc Berman of the New York Post reports the Knicks will look to trade picks and money to move into the lottery.
20. Atlanta Hawks
Chris Duarte, SG, 6-6, 190, Oregon
The Hawks add a terrific shooter who is NBA ready at age 24 after shooting 53.2% from the field, 42.4% from 3-point range and 81% from the free-throw line as a senior at Oregon.
21. New York Knicks (via Dallas Mavericks)
Jared Butler, PG/SG, 6-3, 190, Baylor
If the Knicks keep this pick, they could use it to bring in an NBA-ready combo guard who can make plays or get buckets at either guard spot.
22. Los Angeles Lakers
Jaden Springer, PG/SG, 6-4, 205, Tennessee
The Lakers add backcourt depth with a promising 18-year-old combo guard who is considered one of the better perimeter defenders in the draft.
23. Houston Rockets (via Portland Trail Blazers)
Tre Mann, PG/SG, 6-5, 190, Florida
The Rockets use this pick to snag a versatile guard who can run the pick-and-roll, shoot 3s and rebound while playing on or off the ball.
24. Houston Rockets (via Milwaukee Bucks)
Day’Ron Sharpe, PF/C, 6-11, 265, North Carolina
After addressing backcourt needs at No. 1 and No. 23, the Rockets use their third first-round pick to select a 19-year-old big man who posted per-36 averages of 17.8 points and 14.2 rebounds at North Carolina.
25. Los Angeles Clippers
Cameron Thomas, SG, 6-3, 175, LSU
The Clippers land one of the most productive young scorers in the draft in Thomas, who averaged 23.0 points per game at LSU.
26. Denver Nuggets
Ayo Dosunmu, PG/SG, 6-5, 185, Illinois
Denver needs some backcourt depth given Jamal Murray’s timeline for recovery and Dosunmu was one of the best two-way guards in the college game.
27. Brooklyn Nets
Marcus Bagley, SF/PF, 6-8, 215, Arizona State
Solid and skilled 3-and-D forward follows older brother Marvin Bagley III into the NBA after flashing his potential in an abbreviated freshman campaign with the Sun Devils.
28. Philadelphia 76ers
Sharife Cooper, PG, 6-0, 165, Auburn
Cooper lacks size and perimeter shooting, but he’s an intriguing option after averaging 20.2 points, 8.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds as a freshman.
29. Phoenix Suns
Josh Christopher, SG, 6-4, 215, Arizona State
The Suns add backcourt depth with Cameron Payne, E’Twaun Moore and Langston Galloway all entering free agency.
30. Utah Jazz
Greg Brown, PF, 6-9, 205, Texas
Lacking depth at the power forward spot, Utah takes the opportunity to add a young power forward with potential at both ends of the floor.
This story was originally published June 11, 2021 at 4:00 AM with the headline "2021 NBA mock draft: Who goes No. 1? Who will Sacramento Kings take with first-round pick?."
