Your First 5 2021 NBA Draft Tiers

[Hal14]

1 - Cade
2 - Mobley, Green, Suggs
3 - Kuminga, Barnes
4 - Mitchell, K. Johnson, J. Johnson, Wagner
5 - Moody, Kispert, Sengun, Bouknight, Williams, Giddey

What makes Kispert better than Wieskamp and Livers? I'm seriously considering ranking Wieskamp and Livers (and maybe Tre Murphy too) over Kispert.

Kispert is 3 and D without the D. Wieskamp and Livers both shot over 40% from 3 like Kispert did, but Wieskamp and Livers appear to have a better all-around game with rim protection, better defense, better athleticism, etc.

[Lukeem]

The name that jumps out there is Williams - interesting, I think this is the first I'm seeing where someone lists Ziaire as a top 9 prospect in this class. What do you see in him? I am weary of the poor shooting numbers he put up and wiry thin 6'8", 185 lbs frame..

19 year old being wirey doesn’t concern me at all

6’8 close to 7’ wingspan. Quick. Smooth. I believe in the shot coming around when he’s getting nba reps and coaching

easily projects as a strong defender with his effort and intelligence. So should be able to easily carve out a role with upside for a lot more if the shot keeps developing.


Scores impressively at two levels right now it’s hard to imagine with his touch, form and work ethic that won’t naturally stretch out.

Three level scorers that work hard on defence with length like that are great picks more often than not

I’m with you on Ziaire. I think he sneaks into the back half of the lotto with OKC at 16 being his floor.

i think his athletic testing locked that up yesterday

[gswhoops]

1 - Cade
2 - Mobley, Green, Suggs
3 - Kuminga, Barnes
4 - Mitchell, K. Johnson, J. Johnson, Wagner
5 - Moody, Kispert, Sengun, Bouknight, Williams, Giddey

What makes Kispert better than Wieskamp and Livers? I'm seriously considering ranking Wieskamp and Livers (and maybe Tre Murphy too) over Kispert.

Kispert is 3 and D without the D. Wieskamp and Livers both shot over 40% from 3 like Kispert did, but Wieskamp and Livers appear to have a better all-around game with rim protection, better defense, better athleticism, etc.

Oh I’m basing this on what I think teams will do not what I’d do. TBH I don’t watch enough college hoops to have really informed opinions about a lot of guys.

[Hal14]

1 - Cade
2 - Mobley, Green, Suggs
3 - Kuminga, Barnes
4 - Mitchell, K. Johnson, J. Johnson, Wagner
5 - Moody, Kispert, Sengun, Bouknight, Williams, Giddey

What makes Kispert better than Wieskamp and Livers? I'm seriously considering ranking Wieskamp and Livers (and maybe Tre Murphy too) over Kispert.

Kispert is 3 and D without the D. Wieskamp and Livers both shot over 40% from 3 like Kispert did, but Wieskamp and Livers appear to have a better all-around game with rim protection, better defense, better athleticism, etc.

Oh I’m basing this on what I think teams will do not what I’d do. TBH I don’t watch enough college hoops to have really informed opinions about a lot of guys.

ok gotcha

[LoveMyRaps]

I'll give you my top 8 players. These are in terms of realistic average-case outcome.

Tier 1 - Superstar
None

Tier 2 - All-star
Mobley
Green

Tier 3 - High end starter
Cade - People are misreading this kid. His shooting is nice, but his passing sloppy and vision overrated. He isn't good enough to play point in the league, as a result he is an oversized two-guard with handles to bring the ball up the court. He is a minus athlete for his position at any of the 3 defensive positions and might turn out to be a defensive liability.
Jalen Johnson
Barnes

Tier 4 - Good starter
Suggs
Kuminga
Garuba

Tier 5 - everyone else. Davion Mitchell is not a first round pick material.

I can't wait to bump this post in a couple years.

[WargamesX]

Just based on what I think their career peaks will be

Tier 1 Superstar
Cade
Green

Tier 2 all star potentially a superstar
Mobley
Barnes
Suggs

Tier 3 Fringe all star or high level starter
Kuminga
Jalen Johnson
Kai
Keon
Moody

Tier 4 Sleepers who have some superstar potential
Butler
Springer

[Big J]

I'm only ranking the guys that I'm absolutely positive about. The others I am going to admit to not knowing what will happen with them.

Tier 1: Generational Talent
Green

Tier 2: Borderline Stars
Suggs
Mobley

Tier 3: Good Stats Bad Team guys
Cade

Tier 4: Solid Role Players
Barnes
Mitchell

Trash Tier: Out of the league after their Rookie deals
Kuminga
Ziare Williams
Kispert

[eminence]

Updated mine with the final tier. Repeating here without comment:

Cade

Mobley

Barnes
Green

Sengun
Suggs
Kuminga
Garuba
Dosunmu
Murphy

IDK - Giddey, haven't seen him.

[Marcus]

I'm only ranking the guys that I'm absolutely positive about. The others I am going to admit to not knowing what will happen with them.

Tier 1: Generational Talent
Green

Tier 2: Borderline Stars
Suggs
Mobley

Tier 3: Good Stats Bad Team guys
Cade

Tier 4: Solid Role Players
Barnes
Mitchell

Trash Tier: Out of the league after their Rookie deals
Kuminga
Ziare Williams
Kispert

what puts these three there?

[Big J]

I'm only ranking the guys that I'm absolutely positive about. The others I am going to admit to not knowing what will happen with them.

Tier 1: Generational Talent
Green

Tier 2: Borderline Stars
Suggs
Mobley

Tier 3: Good Stats Bad Team guys
Cade

Tier 4: Solid Role Players
Barnes
Mitchell

Trash Tier: Out of the league after their Rookie deals
Kuminga
Ziare Williams
Kispert

what puts these three there?

Kuminga - Poor work ethic and doesn't have what it takes between the ears.

Ziare Williams - Serious Reddish/Felipe Lopez vibes from him. Lotta hype, not much production.

Kispert - He's a great shooter when he's not moving, but he's not at the level of a Korver where he can hit them coming off screens at weird angles. So basically his shooting skills aren't at the level where they justify his trash defense.

[Hal14]

Tier1
Cade Cunningham
Evan Mobley
Jalen Green
Jalen Suggs

Tier 2
Jonathan Kuminga
Scottie Barnes
Alperen Sengun
Jaden Springer
Jalen Johnson
James Bouknight
Josh Giddey
Roko Prkačin

Tier 3
Miles McBride
Jared Butler
Usman Garuba
Kai Jones
Moses Moody
Keon Johnson

Tier 4
Trey Murphy
Josh Christopher
Davion Mitchell
Santi Aldama
Nah'Shon Hyland
DJ Carton
JT Thor

Tier 5
Franz Wagner
Isaiah Todd
Greg Brown
Tre Mann
Sharife Cooper

[Dn4sty]

Tier 1 - Cade

Tier 2 - Green, Mobley, Suggs, Barnes

Tier 3 - Bouknight, Kuminga, Giddey, Sengun, Moody

Tier 4 -Garuba, Mann, Springer, Zaire, Mitchell

Tier 5 - Wagner, Kai, Kispert,

[GSWFan1994]

Posted this over the Warriors board, just pasting it here:

Also, taking the opportunity to post my big board for the first time:

Tier 1 (prime = top 10 player, MVP candidate on any given year)
1 - Cade Cunningham

Tier 2 (prime = surefire All-Star; top 15 player on any given year)
2 - Evan Mobley
3 - Jalen Green
4 - Scottie Barnes

Tier 3 (prime = borderline All-Star; top 25/30 player on any given year)
5 - Jalen Suggs
6 - Jonathan Kuminga
7 - Jalen Johnson

Tier 4 (prime = above average to very good starters, with potential for more if chips fall in the right place)
8 - Alperen Sengun
9 - Jaden Springer
10 - Ziaire Williams
11 - Franz Wagner
12 - Moses Moody
13 - James Bouknight
14 - Josh Giddey
15 - Usman Garuba

Don't like / don't want drafted for us / seems like will be overdrafted and not perform up to expectations = Keon Johnson, Davion Mitchell, Corey Kispert

Best case for us = Barnes at 7, Springer at 14

Realistic case for us = JJ at 7, Springer at 14

From what I've studied until now, there's a dropoff in talent around 15/17. So we should be good to go regarding the 2nd pick.

There are tons of players I haven't studied yet. I'll be adjusting this until the end of the month.

I don't dislike Moody, just think there are better available options. I'd be satisfied with him at 14. Not on 7.

Mitchell I see as an eventually good to great backup PG. Nothing more than that. Classic case of someone who played very good at the right time (March Madness) and profited from that. He alongside Curry I don't know if it would work.

Springer for me is hugely overlooked. Seems like a Jrue Holiday/Kyle Lowry clone. Would work wonders in a small ball lineup.

Barnes is amazing and gives me, hold for it... Giannis vibes. I just see the "it " factor in him. Plays hard. Awesome defender & team player. Just strikes me as someone who cares about the game and will fight till his last drop of blood to improve his game. Whoever gets him is getting a potential franchise player.

Ziaire is very similar to Paul George in my eyes. Love him. Long wing who can shoot, handle and defend.

Above all, realistically now... if we get Jalen Johnson I'd be delighted. He's similar to Ben Simmons in the sense that he could be a big point forward and enable an outstanding death lineup.

[EMG518]

Tier 1
Jalen Green


Tier 2
Evan Mobley
Cade Cunningham

Tier 3
Keon Johnson
Josh Giddey
Jared Butler
Jaden Springer
Corey Kispert

Tier 4
Isaiah Jackson
Sharife Cooper
Kai Jones
Terrance Shannon Jr.
Jaylen Suggs
Santi Aldama

[The Moose]

Tier 1
Cade
Mobley

Tier 2
Suggs
Green

Tier 3
Barnes, Moody, Sengun

Tier 4
Springer, Wagner, Mann, Kispert, Kuminga,

Tier 5
Bouknight, Mitchell, Giddey, Kai Jones, Butler

updating 4/7

[mademan]

Tier 1:

Mobley

Tier 2:

Suggs
Green

Tier 3:

Cade

Tier 4:

Kuminga
Barnes
Moody