2021 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: One week before the 2021 Lottery
1
Cade Cunningham Freshman, G, Oklahoma State
20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.8 blocks, 44% fg, 40% 3pt, 35 mpg
No surprise here, as Cade Cunningham has proven himself to be the top player in the NBA Draft Class of 2021. His combination of playmaking, shooting, and size give him an incredibly high NBA ceiling. He put up stellar numbers with the OSU Cowboys in 2020-2021, even fighting to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a sub-par roster. The sky is the limit for Cunningham, and he should become an impactful NBA player sooner rather than later.
For Houston, taking Cunningham with the first overall selection would be a no-brainer for this team, which is desperately in need of its next franchise player.
This pick would bring about a major break for Houston in the early stages of its rebuild, adding one of the top draft prospects since 2017. Cunningham’s presence in Houston would certainly bring up questions pertaining to the future of Rockets’ guard John Wall, though opting for a Cunningham – Kevin Porter Jr. backcourt is certainly the right move here.
2
Evan Mobley Freshman, C, USC
16.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals, 2.9 blocks, 58% fg, 30% 3pt, 34 mpg
The Detroit Pistons have the luxury, here, of being able to select the best player available. In the second year of a rebuild, and with no cemented young starters on this roster, the Pistons don’t have to pick based on positional need, and they shouldn’t.
Evan Mobley is believed by many to be the second-best player in this draft and a player who would go first overall in a class without Cunningham in it. Sliding in the frontcourt alongside Jerami Grant, the Pistons could actually have a solid duo down low in 2021-2022.
Detroit is no stranger to building around a center, as their last franchise player was Andre Drummond. However, Drummond and Mobley are vastly different players, as the USC product is the type of big that scouts look for today.
His combination of athleticism, mobility, and length, should result in his high-level defense transferring to the next level, as well as his above the rim game and in the low post. Mobley has shown flashes of playmaking ability from the center position as well as a bit of range. Though the latter are not guarantees as a professional, Mobley has an immense ceiling.