2021 NBA Mock Draft: Top 5 predicted picks
NBA scouts are beginning to hunker down to determine who the top prospects will be for the upcoming 2021 NBA draft, as there are just two months left in the college basketball season and the NBA G-league began playing earlier this week.
With a large number of players deciding to return to school for another year this season, due to last year's pre-draft complications as a result of the global pandemic, front offices are expecting one of the best drafts in years.
Another thing that makes the 2021 NBA draft so special is that it will be the first year where prospects who went to the NBA G-league will be eligible for the draft.
NBA Draft: Top 5 projected picks
Below you will find a mock draft that shows the top-five players that have stood out on the court this year and will likely see themselves playing on the big stage against their idols, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, next season.
*Note that this mock draft does not take into account individual team needs.
#1 Cade Cunningham
Averaging 18.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, Cade Cunningham currently holds the number one spot in our NBA mock draft due to his impressive all-round play.
The freshman guard will be able to go into any NBA franchise and make an immediate impact. He has a strong basketball IQ and is a highly capable defender out on the perimeter.
One of Cunningham's best traits is his immaculate vision coming out of the pick and roll. His patience and playmaking ability have similarities to what we have seen from Luka Doncic during his first NBA years.
#2 Evan Mobley
Mobley has been a dominating presence during the college basketball season but has mostly gone under the radar due to the late start times of the PAC-12 conference.
Mobley is currently averaging 16.3 points and nine rebounds on 58.3% shooting during his freshman year with the USC Trojans.
NBA scouts are excited about the potential defender Mobley will be at the next level. He has a 9.4% block rate and impressive foot quickness that allows him to hold his own out on the perimeter against smaller guards. Going along with Mobley's on-court attributes, he is also physically gifted, listing at seven-feet tall with a 7.5" wingspan.
Depending on how the lottery falls, Evan Mobley could more than likely be the first pick in this year's draft.