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2019 NBA Draft: Pre-NCAA Tournament Mock Draft 2.0

By Aaron Peterson

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 16: Duke Blue Devils forward Zion Williamson (1) and Duke Blue Devils guard Tre Jones (3) at the end of the of the ACC Tournament championship game with the Duke Blue Devils versus the Florida State Seminoles on March 16, 2019, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 16: Duke Blue Devils forward Zion Williamson (1) and Duke Blue Devils guard Tre Jones (3) at the end of the of the ACC Tournament championship game with the Duke Blue Devils versus the Florida State Seminoles on March 16, 2019, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 15: North Carolina Tar Heels forward Nassir Little (5) drives the baseline during the ACC basketball tournament between the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels on March 15, 2019, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by William Howard/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 15: North Carolina Tar Heels forward Nassir Little (5) drives the baseline during the ACC basketball tournament between the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels on March 15, 2019, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by William Howard/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

9: Washington Wizards- Nassir Little, F, North Carolina

Much like New Orleans, things in D.C. aren’t going so well. John Wall has a major injury along with his atrocious contract, Bradley Beal is at the center of trade rumors, and the team moved on from their starting small forward in Otto Porter.

Here, the Wizards swing for the fences with Little. As the third ranked player in the country coming out of high school, Nassir Little’s three-and-D potential have scouts very intrigued. Being compared to Kawhi Leonard at times, his defense in college has been solid.

However, his offense has been far from adequate. Much like fellow top-three recruit Reddish, Little has fallen short of expectations set for him, putting up averages of 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in only 18 minutes of action per game. With Little, the Wizards are undertaking a project that is high risk and very high reward.

10: Los Angeles Lakers- Keldon Johnson, G, Kentucky

Some may believe that Keldon Johson being taken with a top 10 pick may be too high for him, but the pick makes all too much sense for Los Angeles. Because Los Angeles is, supposedly, in win-now-mode.

Johnson is a player who can come in and make an impact immediately, as most Calapari products are able to do. With this pick, the Lakers are able to fill two needs: a floor spacer and a shoting guard. Johnson is a solid all-around player, he can get to the bucket, shoot the ball, dribble, and play good defense.

In 2018-2019, he averaged 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 46.5 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from range. Some weaknesses of Johnson’s include his distributing, and although he is a solid defender, the steals and blocks totals don’t show it. Expect Johnson to shoot up draft boards after the NCAA tournament, as typical of Kentucky players.

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