2021 NBA Mock Draft: Way too early picks for the lottery

The fast rising 6-foot-8 18-year-old Real Madrid power forward Usman Garuba is going to be one of the most fun 2021 NBA Draft prospects to watch once international basketball game action gets back up and running. Over the course of the next year or so, Garuba will be one of the most followed international prospects for the 2021 draft.

Garuba recently turned 18 years old, back on March 9. Hence he’s still a very raw prospect that has a long way to go in his game. But there’s still so much potential that Garuba brings to the table that he’s definitely already worth the consideration as a top 10 pick in the 2021 draft. If he continues to grow his game the way he has with Real Madrid of late, he’ll continue to shoot up draft boards.

Moreover, Garuba made the leap from playing in just two games in the Real Madrid program two seasons ago in Liga ACB, to already playing in more than a dozen games in EuroLeague this past season. Garuba played in 14 games with Real Madrid in EuroLeague and 22 in Liga ACD during the 2019-20 campaign. He averaged 13.1 points per 36 minutes, 8.6 rebounds, 2.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks, while shooting 67.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.

There is hope that Garuba develops a good three-point shot to go along with his standout defensive skill set and great rebounding ability. In total during his two seasons in the Real Madrid program, he’s averaged around 11 rebounds per game.

Garuba has a lot of strength down low and already projects out to be a top end defender. He just needs to continue to see his offensive game blossoming in the next 12 months.

And what better fit for Garuba in the 2021 draft than a team like the San Antonio Spurs that loves that “draft-and-stash” strategy.