NBA Mock Draft Picks 15–30
No need for an introduction. Let’s continue mocking!
Washington Wizards: Trey Murphy III, F, Virginia
Comp: Mikal Bridges
Stats: 11.3 PPG, 3.4 REB, 1.2 AST, 50.3% FG%, 43.3 3PFG%, 92.7% FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: Murphy is a prototypical three-and-D guy that is so coveted in today’s game. Like Duarte, Murphy is a certified shoota (43% on five attempts/game) who’s got serious range and an above average ability to move without the ball to open spots on the perimeter. On defense, his length (6’8” with a seven foot wingspan) and stellar fundamentals make him an impact on-ball defender who can guard 1–4. While his shot creation and shooting off the dribble need work (I’ll give Murphy a slight pass on shot creation because UVA’s offense didn’t emphasize one on one action), Murphy has a great feel for the game and can really bring it on both ends of the floor.
Fit with the Wizards: Davis Bertans a.k.a the 16 million dollar man was the Wizards only pure sharpshooter last season, but he would constantly get cooked on defense. Considering that Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook need some help on offense plus the fact that Washington doesn’t have any great on-ball defenders, Murphy can serve as a solid go-to option on both ends of the floor.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Alperen Sengun, C, Turkey
Comp: Nikola Jokic extra-lite
Stats: 19.2 PPG, 9.4 REB, 2.5 AST, 3.0 Stocks, 64.6% FG%, 19.0% 3PFG%, 81.2% FT%, Turkish League MVP
Simplified Scouting Report: In my opinion, Sengun has the widest range of outcomes out of any prospect in this draft. His ceiling could be Nikola Jokic, but his floor could be Darko Milicic. In the Turkish League (which is a legit professional league), Sengun used a Kevin McHale-ean variety of seals and post moves and to destroy defenders down low. His footwork is incredible, as Sengun’s seamless pivots and spins remind me a lot of Jokic. Sengun also sports a Charmin soft touch around the basket. As for his shooting ability, Sengun only took 21 threes last season and made only four of them, but his not-awful shot mechanics suggest he can improve. While Sengun isn’t very athletic and struggled defensively, he at least plays hard on defense.
Fit with the Thunder: Fit doesn’t apply to the Thunder in this draft; they have the most wiggle room to swing for the fences out of any team. If developed properly, I think Sengun can become a tantalizing post scorer in the league, and the Thunder have the time to let Sengun figure himself out. And a Poku-Sengun frontcourt? I now might have a reason to voluntarily watch the Thunder next season.
New Orleans Pelicans: Corey Kispert, G/F, Gonzaga
Comp: Joe Harris
Stats: 18.6 PPG, 5.0 REB, 1.8 AST, 52.9 FG%, 44.0% 3PFG%, 87.8 FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: Kispert is the best pure shooter in this class and it’s not really close. Kispert has a plethora of tools in his shooting toolbag: A sweet form, seemingly unlimited range, an ability to effectively move without the ball and get to an open spot, an elite ability to shoot off the catch, dribble and on the run, and very importantly, really good shooting numbers. He can go on absolute shooting tears like he did against Virginia, where the Cavaliers got scorched with a nine-three shooting clinic from Kispert. While Kispert doesn’t bring much else to the table other than decent passing and defensive effort, his shooting ability should keep him in the league for a long time.
Fit with the Pelicans: Is Kispert a better basketball player than some of the guys behind him in this mock draft? Absolutely not. But is he exactly what the Pelicans need? That is a resounding yes. The Pelicans’ spacing was constantly awful last season, and JJ Redick (who’s in Dallas now) was their only knockdown shooter that teams had to really respect. With an unstoppable offensive force inside (Zion) and a clear number one on-ball scoring option (Brandon Ingram), the Pelicans need a floor spreader and a kick out option for those two, and Kispert couldn’t be the more perfect guy for that role.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Usman Garuba, F, Spain
Comp: PJ Tucker with a little more offense
Stats: 4.8 PPG, 4.7 REB, 1.0 AST, 48.2% FG%, 30.7 3PFG%, 63.5% FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: Garuba is the type of guy you want on your basketball team, and he gives you a reason why: Defense. Garuba’s stats don’t show his value to his team. He’s a high impact on-ball defender who can guard 1–5 who’s motor never stops running. He makes life hell for ball handlers by constantly staying in front of them and making them work overtime to create any kind of separation. On offense, Garuba is a project, as he doesn’t seem totally comfortable with the ball in his hands and can’t create his own shot, but he’s shown he can shoot it decently and has also shown off some savvy passing skills. Overall, Garuba is a smart basketball player who can conceivably defend all five positions with PJ Tucker-esque intensity and skill.
Fit with the Thunder: See Alperen Sengun.
New York Knicks: Cam Thomas, PG, LSU
Comp: Reggie Jackson
Stats: 23.0 PPG (damn), 3.4 REB, 1.4 AST, 40.6% FG%, 32.5 3PFG%, 88.2% FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: Cam Thomas is a bucket with arms and legs; he was born to put basketballs in basketball hoops. He’s an ultra-skilled shot creator, can legitimately hit any shot inside half court, and attacks the basket and finishes creatively. His free throw numbers also suggest his shooting skill will carry over into the NBA. However, Thomas hasn’t proved he can do much else than score, and even when he does score, it’s not very efficient. Thomas took 17 shots a game last season, and his shot selection at times was spectacularly questionable. He’s not a good passer, and his defense is, to put it kindly, bad. His effort is lacking on that end, and his overall defensive fundamentals need a lot of work. However, considering how good of a scorer he is, I believe Thomas at the very least can carve out a role as a microwave scorer off the bench.
Fit with the Knicks: As a Knicks fan, it was excruciating to watch how hard it was for the Knicks to score points in the playoffs. Julius Randle had a fantastic year and all, but when he couldn’t score, no one else could properly supplement on-ball scoring for the Knicks. While Thomas isn’t a good defender and will get yelled at a lot by Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks desperately need a skilled on-ball scorer, and Thomas is probably the best pure scorer in this draft slightly behind Cade Cunningham.
Oklahoma City Thunder (lol jk Atlanta Hawks): Ziaire Williams, F, Stanford
Comp: Rashard Lewis
Stats: 10.7 PPG, 4.6 REB, 2.2 AST, 37.4% FG%, 29.1% 3PFG%, 79.6% FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: I really have no idea what to think of Williams as a prospect. Pardon my language, but he went through so much shit at Stanford that I don’t think last season was an accurate representation of Williams’ game. Stanford got wrecked with COVID issues, and Williams also dealt with a death in his family. That being said, what we did see was upside, but a lot of loose screws to tighten. Williams is a pretty good ball handler who can create his own shot, and on defense, he uses his incredible length to disrupt passing lanes. However, he needs to iron out his jump shot and add some muscle in order to effectively attack the basket and defend wings well in the league.
Fit with the Hawks: The Hawks don’t really have any pressing needs right now. Even if John Collins leaves in free agency, the Hawks still have Onyeka Okongwu. At this point in the draft, you may as well take a swing on a guy like Ziaire Williams.
New York Knicks: Jared Butler, G, Baylor
Comp: Seth Curry
Stats: 16.7 PPG, 3.3 REB, 4.8 AST, 2.0 STL, 47.1 FG%, 41.6 3PFG%, 78.0% FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: While Davion Mitchell got most of the (deserved) shine during Baylor’s title run, it was actually Butler who took home Final Four MOP and led Baylor in scoring against both Houston and Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament. An absolute sniper from long range, Butler is an extremely confident shooter whose form is consistent and fluid. Along with being a great shooter, Butler can also handle the ball well and use effective dribble moves to create an open shot for himself. His nearly five assists a game should also be noted, as Butler is always looking for the open man. On defense, while his lack of size, above average athleticism and short wingspan may limit him in the league, he’s a very smart on-ball defender. Off-ball, Butler reads passes like Ed Reed; his anticipation on defense is ridiculous.
Fit with the Knicks: Butler would fit like a glove in the Big Apple. New York’s only true knockdown shooter is Reggie Bullock (Immanuel Quickley can be thrown in there too), but Bullock is a UFA this offseason, and multiple teams have shown interest. While the Knicks were a really good three point shooting team last season, they don’t have many great individual three point shooters. Butler is definitely a great three point shooter. Add in his defensive ability and basketball IQ, and Butler is a guy I feel like Knicks fans can get behind very quickly.
Los Angeles Lakers: Tre Mann, G, Florida
Comp: Jordan Poole
Stats: 16.0 PPG, 5.6 REB, 3.5 AST, 1.4 STL, 45.9% FG%, 40.2% 3PFG%, 83.1 FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: Mann’s ability to create may have him taken before the 22nd pick. He’s a very skilled ball handler whose Kemba-esque shiftiness allows him to create separation and get off a shot. A three level scorer, Mann has serious range from downtown, and when he’s not scoring, he’s a solid passer who's good at finding the open man. However, Mann isn’t very big, strong or long, which will limit his ceiling on both ends, but more so defensively.
Fit with the Lakers: One thing that really hurt the Lakers last season was their lack of on-ball scoring from the perimeter. While Mann is no Cam Thomas, Mann’s ability to create his own shot would certainly be of help to the Lakers, who may be losing Dennis Schroeder to free agency and Kyle Kuzma to the Shanghai Sh—nope, nope. Not using that joke. That joke is stupid and overused. In all seriousness, Kuzma isn’t as bad as people portray him to be, but he actually might not be on the Lakers next season.
Houston Rockets: Jalen Johnson. F, Duke
Comp: Tobias Harris lite
Stats: 11.2 PPG, 6.1 REB, 2.2 AST, 2.4 Stocks, 52.3% FG%, 44.4% 3PFG%, 63.2 FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: Johnson is a tough one to scout. He's an extremely versatile athlete at 6’9”, 220 pounds who can conceivably guard 1–4 with that size. Using his athleticism effectively, he’s tough to stop in transition and on attacks to the basket. Johnson also showed flashes of being a skilled three point shooter, passer, rebounder and ball handler. This is all great stuff, but the cons with Johnson are hard to ignore. He kind of quit on Duke when their season was going sideways just 12 games in; I don’t like that. As for his actual game, it’s very raw. He’s not a very creative ball handler, his jumpshot is slow and awkward, and his overall defensive awareness and effort need some serious work. Johnson has the physical skills to be successful in the league, but if he can’t build skill, he’ll be toast.
Fit with the Rockets: Like I said earlier with the Ziaire Williams selection, at this point in the draft, why not take a big swing. Unlike the Hawks, however, the Rockets are nowhere near a playoff team as currently constructed, so they have even more of a reason to take a shot with Johnson.
Houston Rockets: Isaiah Jackson, C, Kentucky
Comp: DeAndre Jordan
Stats: 8.4 PPG, 6.6 REB, 0.7 AST, 2.6 BLK, 0.8 STL, 54.0% FG%, 0/2 from three on the season, 70.0% FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: Jackson is very raw, but has shown flashes of being a potentially lethal rim protector. Jackson is a ferocious shot blocker who times his jumps well and makes drivers think twice about going up for a layup. Jackson can also conceivably guard 1–5, as his athleticism and size allow him to both move with quicker guards stride for stride and matchup against seven footers. Jackson hustles, gets physical and proved to be a legit lob threat at Kentucky last season. However, Jackson needs to work on his defensive discipline (biting on pump fakes, averaged three fouls/game last season), and his offensive fundamentals aren’t quite there either.
Fit with the Rockets: Should Jackson develop into a legit rim protector, him and Christian Wood would form one of the league’s more intriguing backcourts. I can certainly see Jackson becoming a starter soon, but he has a laundry list of skills he needs to refine in order to get there.
Los Angeles Clippers: Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland, PG, VCU
Comp: Jordan Clarkson
Stats: 19.5 PPG, 4.7 REB, 2.1 AST, 1,9 STL, 44.7% FG%, 37.1 3PFG%, 86.2$ FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: Bones is a bucket. An electric three level scorer, Hyland combines a slick handle with a knockdown three point jumper. He can also get to the tin and, despite being extremely skinny, can finish through contact. On defense, Hyland has solid awareness, and his two steals a game are a product of such skill. While he needs to add weight and cut down on turnovers in order to heighten his ceiling, I believe Hyland can be the next Jordan Clarkson: an electric sixth man who can get hot in the blink of an eye.
Fit with the Clippers: Outside of Reggie Jackson (who might be leaving LA this offseason), the Clippers don’t have much backcourt scoring firepower. Hyland can be the microwave scorer Terance Mann was in Game 6 against Utah last season, except more consistently (not that explosive, but you get the point). The Clippers haven’t had a microwave scorer since mango-habanero Lou left town, and Hyland can be that guy.
Denver Nuggets: Miles “Deuce” McBride, G, West Virginia
Comp: Jevon Carter
Stats: 15.9 PPG, 3.9 REB, 4.8 AST, 1.9 STL, 43.1% FG%, 41.4 3PFG%, 81.3 FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: McBride is one of my favorite players in this draft, as he combines suffocating defense with a stellar offensive game. Defensively, McBride is one of the best in this class. His fundamentals are sound, he visibly frustrates ball handlers, and even ripped Cade Cunningham a few times. On offense, McBride can create his own shot with a variety of dribble moves, hit threes and is also a very good passer. He can get a little too ambitious on defense and become tunnel visioned on offense, but overall, I think McBride can be the steal of the draft should he go in the 20’s.
Fit with the Nuggets: Denver’s lack of guard depth was exposed when Jamal Murray went down with a torn ACL last season. Facundo Campazzo is entertaining to watch, and I’m still conducting the Markus Howard train, but McBride brings a defensive ability neither two backup guards possess. Campazzo is a mismatch against pretty much everyone, and Howard isn't a great defender either, so McBride would be a smart selection for the Nuggets who are trying to win a championship sooner rather than later.
Brooklyn Nets: Jaden Springer, F, Tennessee
Comp: Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Stats: 12.5 PPG, 3.5 REB, 2.9 AST, 1.2 STL, 46.7 FG%, 43.5% 3PFG%, 81.0% FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: Springer is an impact defender. He’s incredibly good at staying in front of his man, his hands are always active, and his overall defensive awareness is high. In the league, Springer can conceivably guard 1–4. On offense, while Springer isn’t a natural scorer, he’s a decent passer and an explosive athlete. His three point numbers are also promising. I think, at the very least, Johnson can become a solid defensive-minded bench piece on an NBA team.
Fit with the Nets: The Nets need defensive help. I think they’re pretty set on offense with, I don’t know, three of the five most gifted on-ball scorers of the past decade. However, the Nets were not a good defensive team. Adding Springer would give Brooklyn a needed injection of defense.
Philadelphia 76ers: Sharife Cooper, PG, Auburn
Comp: Rajon Rondo
Stats: 20.2 PPG, 4.3 REB, 8.1 AST (damn), 1.0 STL, 39.1% FG%, 22.8% 3PFG% (yikes), 82.5% FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: What Cooper lacks in size, he makes up for in basketball savviness and IQ. Cooper is probably the best pure passer in this draft, as his eight assists/game last season were no accident. His advanced vision, feel for the game, passing toolbag, quickness and ball handling skills allow him to pass teammates open, which is essentially a level up from hitting the open man. Cooper can also creatively attack and finish over bigger defenders. On defense, Cooper used his size and to draw plenty of charges. However, his lack of size and a three point jumper are concerning and will severely limit his ceiling, but we’ve seen guys like Cooper (Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo) who excel in the league. I’m a Cooper believer.
Fit with the Sixers: With Ben Simmons gone, the Sixers have a vacant spot at point guard. Tyrese Maxey is legit, Shake Milton is solid and George Hill is a proven veteran, but Cooper brings something different. He’s an offense commander who doesn’t need to score in order to be impactful and will make others around him better. Philly had shooters (Seth Curry and Danny Green) and a beast inside (Joel Embiid), so I believe Cooper can absolutely succeed with the Sixers.
Phoenix Suns: JT Thor, F/C, Auburn
Comp: Shorter but more explosive Manute Bol
Stats: 9.4 PPG, 5.0 REB, 0.9 AST, 1.4 BLK, 44.0% FG%, 29.7 3PFG%, 74.1 FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: For starters, Thor has the coolest name in this draft. As for his actual game, Thor is very raw but shows serious potential to be a solid shot blocking-stretch 4 or 5 in the league. He uses his ridiculous 7’3” foot wingspan to swat shots and disrupt passing lanes. Thor’s athleticism also allows him to defend multiple positions. On offense, Thor has an oddly decent handle and a passable jumper; he hit a snatch back three over Chet Holmgren in high school, and I was pretty shocked. Thor needs to add weight and improve his decision making on offense, but at this point in the draft, why not take a chance on JT Thor?
Fit with the Suns: Dario Saric’s injury in the playoffs last exposed Phoenix’s lack of frontcourt depth behind DeAndre Ayton (sorry Frank Kaminsky). The Suns could go with another point guard here due to Cam Payne’s impending free agency, but I like the upside with Thor here late in the first round.
Utah Jazz: Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois
Comp: Dejounte Murray
Stats: 20.1 PPG, 6.3 REB, 5.3 AST, 48.8% FG%, 39.0% 3PFG%, 78.3% FT%
Simplified Scouting Report: One of the best players in college basketball on one of the best teams last season, Dosunmu is one of my favorite sleepers of this draft. On offense, Dosunmu sports a sweet pull up J and can hit shots with a hand in his grill. He understands change-of-pace dribbling really well, and he’s a very good passer. On defense, Dosunmu’s hands are always active, staying attached to his man and is good at contesting shots. However, his handle isn’t very compact, which lead to his pocket getting frequently picked (Loyola Chicago game was bad), and his decision making can be questionable at times. Regardless, I think Dosunmu can be a really good role payer.
Fit with the Jazz: Over the past few seasons, Utah has lacked a very important kind of player: A solid perimeter defender. Royce O’Neale has been the closest player to that, but even he wasn’t that awesome. I’m not saying Dosunmu is going to be the next Matisse Thybulle, but I think he can earn minutes relatively quickly should he get drafted by the Jazz for his stellar defense.
