2021 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: One week before the 2021 Lottery
24
Brandon Boston Jr. Freshman, F, Kentucky
11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.2 blocks, 36% fg, 30% 3pt, 30 mpg
Pick via Milwaukee Bucks
To open the NCAA season, it would have seemed impossible for an NBA team to land all three of Cunningham, Greg Brown, and Brandon Boston, as all three were projected to be selected in the top 10.
Though Cunningham was the only of the three to have a truly productive freshman year, Houston would have to feel phenomenal coming into the first year of a rebuild with this type of talent to start off with.
B.J. Boston was supposed to be one of the top picks in this year’s draft, but a very tough freshman season has caused his stock to plummet. His scoring was inconsistent and inefficient at times, though he showed flashes of elite ability to create for himself.
This past year was one of the strangest University of Kentucky basketball seasons that we have witnessed in some time, and perhaps the situation there was part of what was holding Boston back. However, he still has a lot of work to do to get himself back in the conversation among the better players in this class.
25
Cameron Thomas Freshman, G, LSU
23.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.2 blocks, 41% fg, 33% 3pt, 34 mpg
The Los Angeles Clippers will likely be in a similar dilemma as their friends the Lakers this Summer, as they will feel desperate to make a move, but have little to work with due to prior trade deals.
With the Thunder set to cash in on the picks from the Paul George soon, adding quality young players in this draft is essential for sustaining success. It has been well documented that the Clippers are in pursuit of a point guard, and though Cam Thomas is not a true floor general, he could serve another role for Los Angeles.
Cameron Thomas is a one-trick pony as of now, as he was one of the top freshman scorers in the country last year with LSU.
His efficiency wasn’t exactly where one would have hoped for it to be, but considering the scoring load Thomas took on and his blistering free throw numbers (88% on nearly 8 attempts per contest), he should be more efficient in a smaller NBA role. Thomas should carve out a role somewhere as a scorer off of the bench, but for now, his pure-scoring game will limit his ceiling.
26
Ayo Dosunmu Junior, G, Illinois
20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.2 blocks, 49% fg, 39% 3pt, 35 mpg
Ayo Dosunmu’s incredible junior season should secure him a draft spot in the first round, but his age will limit his stock some. Dosunmu is a lightning-quick combo guard who can do a bit of everything on the floor.
He is not a great defender, and probably won’t be as a pro, but he should provide scoring and distribution off the bench right away. Dosunmu’s jumper improved immensely from his sophomore to junior season, and executives are hoping that this will translate into the NBA as well.
As for Denver, this team could use a secondary guard and ball handler off of the bench to play with Facundo Campazzo. In addition, with Campazzo being a thirty-year-old rookie, Dosunmu would be a better long-term play to facilitate off of the bench than Campazzo would.
Thus, they could be patient with him in the short term or give him minutes right away. He isn’t a totally safe bet to be a good NBA player, but he has all of the tools to make it happen.