Official 2021 NBA Draft Thread

[DiplomaticMagic]

Cade is the #1 pick but Mobley is right behind him as 2nd best prospect in draft. I think those 2 are for sure the top 2 prospects in the draft.

[RookieStar]

its flavor of the month time again. Just wait when Suggs string 3 straight games of trip dubs on the way to his conference championship or something. Some of you will be like Cade who?

Or wait until a mix tape of Green dunking over a 7 footer or Kuminga breaking down a defender while doing a step back 3...

lol Mobleys performance was impressive though

[Ducklett]

Could you imagine if we get 2nd pick and have to pick Mobley LOL.

[Skybox]

Just please not somebody who can’t straight up shoot...I don’t care how ankle-breaking AAU mixtapes they have or highlight dunks. Shooters with maturity and toughness.

[Knightro]

You can watch him and see he’s really freaking good, but I just couldn’t in good conscious select Evan Mobley with Vucevic still on the roster.

If they unload Vooch, all bets are off.

[PrimeThyme]

Not sold on Mobley. He's going to need to add serious muscle/size early on. I've watched him quite a bit throughout the season, && when he's not being passive (which can be rare), && does call for the ball in the post, I've noticed that he has serious issues finishing through contact && that's against undersized centers in the pac-12. I see him reverting to more of a jump shooter early on in the league just like Bamba did due to his lack of size even though he's more developed as a post scorer than Bamba was.

There is a lot of flair to his game with how he can handle it at times and occasionally hit a long 3, but I'm not seeing any of the ingredients that would lead me to believe he will be a dominant big at the next level && with the wing/guard talent in this draft I'd have to be assured that he would be to feel confident in taking him over a Suggs/Green/Barnes.

Easy pass for me even if Vuc is moved.

[Skybox]

Not sold on Mobley. He's going to need to add serious muscle/size early on. I've watched him quite a bit throughout the season, && when he's not being passive (which can be rare), && does call for the ball in the post, I've noticed that he has serious issues finishing through contact && that's against undersized centers in the pac-12. I see him reverting to more of a jump shooter early on in the league just like Bamba did due to his lack of size even though he's more developed as a post scorer than Bamba was.

There is a lot of flair to his game with how he can handle it at times and occasionally hit a long 3, but I'm not seeing any of the ingredients that would lead me to believe he will be a dominant big at the next level && with the wing/guard talent in this draft I'd have to be assured that he would be to feel confident in taking him over a Suggs/Green/Barnes.

Easy pass for me even if Vuc is moved.

Me too. After so much of the Vuc criticism hinges on the uselessness of post play, this is a no brainer (if he's not a monster defender and 3pt shooter too-like Embiid). We looking for Jah Okafor, Vernon Carey, etc in 2021?...just like I wouldn't PURSUE Vuc for a big trade, but we already have him.

[Def Swami]

Cade is the #1 pick but Mobley is right behind him as 2nd best prospect in draft. I think those 2 are for sure the top 2 prospects in the draft.

You could talk me into him being the best player in the draft. He's really talented.

[Husky1]

Keon Johnson looks great also. Him,Moody and Bouknight are helping me ease my anxiety if we miss on top 5. Also was thinking we hold on to Gordon, as he can moved if we happen to pick 6 and they want Barnes. Replace AG with him and move him for a SG. Just a thought

[RookieStar]

Could you imagine if we get 2nd pick and have to pick Mobley LOL.

if we get 2nd and Cade is gone, then its Suggs all rhe way.

[Knightro]

Not sold on Mobley. He's going to need to add serious muscle/size early on. I've watched him quite a bit throughout the season, && when he's not being passive (which can be rare), && does call for the ball in the post, I've noticed that he has serious issues finishing through contact && that's against undersized centers in the pac-12. I see him reverting to more of a jump shooter early on in the league just like Bamba did due to his lack of size even though he's more developed as a post scorer than Bamba was.

There is a lot of flair to his game with how he can handle it at times and occasionally hit a long 3, but I'm not seeing any of the ingredients that would lead me to believe he will be a dominant big at the next level && with the wing/guard talent in this draft I'd have to be assured that he would be to feel confident in taking him over a Suggs/Green/Barnes.

Easy pass for me even if Vuc is moved.

Man that's tough.

I definitely agree that Mobley needs to add size and strength, but the actual skill gap between he and Bamba seems massive to me.

Bamba at Texas only had 10 assists his entire freshman season. Mobley has 60.

Mo racked up a ton of rebounds and blocks because of his wingspan, but outside of lobs and scoring off offensive rebounds, he really showed very little ability to do much of anything offensively with the ball in his hands at Texas. If you asked him to take even one dribble, he really had a hard time.

I'd even go so far as to say Bamba's shot transformation (which is still very much a work in progress to this day) didn't even happen until he hooked up with Drew Hanlen who completely overhauled his shot mechanics in the summer between his final college game and the draft.

Mobley has tangible skill as a short roll man, both as a passer and as a shotmaker which is something Bamba is unlikely to ever possess.

Candidly, I don't really want my bigs posting up all that much anyway, so the fact that Mobley is moved off his spot relatively easily right now isn't a huge deal for me either.

[jonbob17]

Me too. After so much of the Vuc criticism hinges on the uselessness of post play, this is a no brainer (if he's not a monster defender and 3pt shooter too-like Embiid). We looking for Jah Okafor, Vernon Carey, etc in 2021?...just like I wouldn't PURSUE Vuc for a big trade, but we already have him.

Mobley is special on defense because is switchable, like Bam, except he is 7' with a 7'6" wingspan. He can guard point guards.

I don't like the idea of drafting a big early, because you are going to eventually have to pay them. I don't know how Utah is going to build around Gobert on a super max the next few years.

With that said if you believe Mobley is going to be Chris Bosh or AD-light on offense, you have got yourself something really unique and valuable.

[jonbob17]

Cade is the #1 pick but Mobley is right behind him as 2nd best prospect in draft. I think those 2 are for sure the top 2 prospects in the draft.

You could talk me into him being the best player in the draft. He's really talented.

I have a hard time with Suggs. He's a tremendous athlete, and the shooting is good enough.

This Gonzaga team feels like the best college basketball team in a long time. I'd be really curious to know what Suggs looked like on a team like Cade's or Cole's last year, with zero spacing, He shouldn't have to worry about spacing at the NBA level, unless the Magic pick him, I just have a hard time knowing how much of what he has shown is because of this tremendous Gonzaga squad, and he is certainly part of the reason. Timme is about the worst shooter of the starters, and makes 33.3% from 3 and takes almost a shot a game.
I mean the team shoots 64% on 2pts, and 37% from three. Their effective field goal rate is 61%. AS A TEAM

[Xatticus]

Cade is the #1 pick but Mobley is right behind him as 2nd best prospect in draft. I think those 2 are for sure the top 2 prospects in the draft.

You could talk me into him being the best player in the draft. He's really talented.

I have a hard time with Suggs. He's a tremendous athlete, and the shooting is good enough.

This Gonzaga team feels like the best college basketball team in a long time. I'd be really curious to know what Suggs looked like on a team like Cade's or Cole's last year, with zero spacing, He shouldn't have to worry about spacing at the NBA level, unless the Magic pick him, I just have a hard time knowing how much of what he has shown is because of this tremendous Gonzaga squad, and he is certainly part of the reason. Timme is about the worst shooter of the starters, and makes 33.3% from 3 and takes almost a shot a game.
I mean the team shoots 64% on 2pts, and 37% from three. Their effective field goal rate is 61%. AS A TEAM

It's double-sided. He also doesn't get the same opportunities to shine due to their talent. He has the physical tools and he passes the eye test. He makes good reads. He is unselfish. He can shoot, though hopefully he continues to improve in that regard. I just have little doubt that he will be successful and I think his ceiling is really high.

[PrimeThyme]

Man that's tough.

I definitely agree that Mobley needs to add size and strength, but the actual skill gap between he and Bamba seems massive to me.

Bamba at Texas only had 10 assists his entire freshman season. Mobley has 60.

Mo racked up a ton of rebounds and blocks because of his wingspan, but outside of lobs and scoring off offensive rebounds, he really showed very little ability to do much of anything offensively with the ball in his hands at Texas. If you asked him to take even one dribble, he really had a hard time.

I'd even go so far as to say Bamba's shot transformation (which is still very much a work in progress to this day) didn't even happen until he hooked up with Drew Hanlen who completely overhauled his shot mechanics in the summer between his final college game and the draft.

Mobley has tangible skill as a short roll man, both as a passer and as a shotmaker which is something Bamba is unlikely to ever possess.

Candidly, I don't really want my bigs posting up all that much anyway, so the fact that Mobley is moved off his spot relatively easily right now isn't a huge deal for me either.

The Bamba comment wasn't me trying to make an apples-to-apples comparison between him and Mobley. They are pretty different players, && I would tend to agree that Mobley is much more skilled offensively at this stage than Bamba was. His playmaking ability is the most impressive thing about him as a prospect, which has never been in Bamba's repertoire. I was just simply stating that a lot of the production Mobley is getting in the mid-post/low post area where he is drawing nearly 6 FTA's a game, is going to come harder at the next level.

That relegates him to taking a lot more of those long 2's, which he's shown to be quite good at, but is not a skillset I covet whatsoever out of my stretch 5's. I see him being more than content with doing so though. I've seen a player who has too often shied away from contact this year. I believe much of his value early on is going to hinge on the development of his 3pt shot, which he quite honestly just hasn't hit consistently enough this season.

Everything I've seen from Mobley has come in bursts and inconsistent stretches. I just can't agree with the notion that he is one of the best players in the country. One of the most talented, and an intriguing project?

Sure. But many centers before him have had intriguing offensive skillsets with a lot of talent to go with it. Intangibles matter though. I worry about a center that shies away from contact and disappears for stretches, as I've seen throughout the year. Perhaps I'm still jaded from the promise that was Mo Bamba, but I'd like to think I have a pretty good grasp on Mobley as a prospect.

He could certainly prove me wrong, put all the skills together, && develop into a force offensively, but I wouldn't bet on it.

[RookieStar]

Me too. After so much of the Vuc criticism hinges on the uselessness of post play, this is a no brainer (if he's not a monster defender and 3pt shooter too-like Embiid). We looking for Jah Okafor, Vernon Carey, etc in 2021?...just like I wouldn't PURSUE Vuc for a big trade, but we already have him.

Mobley is special on defense because is switchable, like Bam, except he is 7' with a 7'6" wingspan. He can guard point guards.

I don't like the idea of drafting a big early, because you are going to eventually have to pay them. I don't know how Utah is going to build around Gobert on a super max the next few years.

With that said if you believe Mobley is going to be Chris Bosh or AD-light on offense, you have got yourself something really unique and valuable.

He probabably can guard college PG. In thr NBA? dont think he can.

[RookieStar]

BTE, anyone watching Moody right now? After that stinker of a game yesterday he has 20 already at the half!!!

[Knightro]

Read on Twitter

[Husky1]

Moody looks exactly what we need. Is it a top 6??

[jonbob17]

It's double-sided. He also doesn't get the same opportunities to shine due to their talent. He has the physical tools and he passes the eye test. He makes good reads. He is unselfish. He can shoot, though hopefully he continues to improve in that regard. I just have little doubt that he will be successful and I think his ceiling is really high.

I think Suggs is a fine prospect, I have him 5th on the board, of the clear top 5, he's just the one I am not sure of his ceiling. He's has a solid floor as a good nba starter. I think could be more of a big combo guard than a big point guard. I could be completely off, everything I read says he's got good vision and passing, like a quarterback. He just doesn't watch like recent top end point guards to me. Maybe it's just the size and strength blinding me.