Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and draft expert Sam Vecenie of The Athletic (@Sam_Vecenie) break down 2021 NBA Draft prospects.
They discuss how March Madness changed the draft, Evan Mobley’s ideal NBA role, the evolving center position, potential best players on championship teams and much more.
Josh Giddey has declared for the 2021 NBA draft.
Giddey is currently the No. 13 prospect in ESPN's Top 100 draft rankings.
Giddey has spent this season with the Adelaide 36ers of the NBL, averaging 11 points, 7.4 assists and 7.1 rebounds.
"I know that playing in the NBL has more than prepared me for the next level, so I'm ready to take that jump and enter the 2021 NBA Draft," Giddey told ESPN in a statement. "The 36ers have done a great job developing me, and have put a lot of work into my game over the entire time I've been here. My teammates and the coaching staff here in Adelaide have helped my game reach a new level, and that's only given me more confidence that this is the right decision for me."
Michael Foster Jr. has signed to play with the G League Ignite during the 21-22 season.
Foster is ESPN's No. 7 prospect in the Class of 2021 and the first player to join the Ignite for next season.
A 2021 McDonald’s All-American, Foster spent his last two high school seasons at Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, where he averaged 32.2 points and 18.4 rebounds as a senior and 26.3 points, 13.4 rebounds and 6.1 blocks as a junior.
Foster is a native of Milwaukee.
Gui Santos has submitted paperwork to the league office to make himself eligible for the 2021 NBA draft, his agent Aylton Tesch of A11 Sports Management told ESPN.
Santos is the No. 33 prospect in ESPN's 2022 mock draft.
Because of his youth and the lack of scouting opportunities caused by the pandemic, Santos was not originally expected to be a part of the 2021 NBA draft class.
Kentucky senior Olivier Sarr declared for the 2021 NBA Draft on Tuesday.
Sarr, who transferred from Wake Forest last season, averaged 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
The Wildcats have lost Sarr, Brandon Boston Jr., Terrence Clarke and Isaiah Jackson to the draft thus far.
Johnny Juzang is entering the 2021 NBA Draft but will maintain the ability to return to UCLA.
Juzang, the No. 50 prospect in the ESPN 100 NBA draft rankings, was named second-team All-Conference in the Pac-12 after a productive season in which he averaged 16 points and 4.1 rebounds for UCLA.
Juzang was one of the most improved players in the country after averaging just 2.9 points in 12 minutes per game as a freshman at Kentucky, leading him to transfer in the offseason to be closer to home.
ESPN has moved Paolo Banchero into the top overall slot in their latest 2022 NBA mock draft.
Banchero will play at Duke and has supplanted Chet Holmgren for the spot. Several NBA scouts have concerns about Holmgren's ability to reach his full potential due to his unique physical composition.
While the 2022 draft class wasn't considered a highly coveted one early one, it has grown on NBA personnel.
ESPN's Top-10
1. Paolo Banchero
2. Chet Holmgren
3. Jaden Hardy
4. Yannick Nzosa
5. Jabari Smith
6. Adrian Griffin
7. Peyton Watson
8. Patrick Baldwin
9. Caleb Houstan
10. Kennedy Chandler
Jalen Suggs is leaving Gonzaga for the 2021 NBA Draft.
Suggs is expected to be a top-5 pick in the draft.
Suggs averaged 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.9 steals for Gonzaga in less than 30 minutes a game. He was voted a consensus second-team All-American.
Chet Holmgren has committed to Gonzaga.
Holmgren is the projected No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft. Holmgren also considered going directly to the G League.
"The process was hard," Holmgren told ESPN. "I had a lot to learn on the go. I had to lean on others and get their advice. My dad went through it, and Coach Larry Suggs with Jalen. I kept getting consistent advice that I will get a feeling when I know. Not to overanalyze everything because everything sounds good. Nobody sells their weakness.
"It was [Gonzaga's] consistent approach, how versatile they are on the court and their offensive style. They take their talent and tweak their system based on their personnel. They know how to put it all together."
Holmgren had a dominant senior year for Minnehaha this past season, averaging 20.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 4.7 blocks while shooting 80% from the field.
Evan Mobley has declared for the 2021 NBA Draft, leaving USC after his freshman season.
Mobley is widely expected to be a top-3 pick in the draft.
Mobley was a second-team All-American and the Pac-12 Player of the Year.
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