2021 NBA Draft Sleepers

[Troubadour]

Who are the players projected to go in the second round or undrafted that you hope land on your team?

My three are:
- Neemias Queta
- Joel Ayayi
- JT Thor

For Queta, to be as skilled a passer at his size is special. Add his improved shooting from the line and in the midrange and you have a potential rotation big for a long time. He is one of the most productive players in CBB this year and that size and shot blocking is hard to teach.

Ayayi, to me, is a superstar role player. Makes very few mistakes while spacing the floor, finishing at the basket, and serving as a secondary/tertiary playmaker. A lot to like in his game.

JT Thor is the biggest project of these three, but has a fascinating game. At 6'10", he has the size to guard bigger players and he is still quick enough to eventually hold his own in switching situations. He has shown flashes of an off the dribble game, but he doesn't appear strong enough to get all the way to the rim just yet. I'd love to get him in the G League for a year or two to really refine his game and at 19 years old, there's plenty of time to work with him.

[Pekovic_MIP21]

Nice choices...I agree very much on Ayayi. Never going to be a superstar but I can see him being a valuable plug and play role player from the get go and having a nice long career.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Catchall]

Expecting the Jazz to draft at #30, I like Bennedict Mathurin, Filip Petrusev, Isaiah Todd and Marcus Bagley.

I think there's a meaningful chance that Bagley ends up better than Kuminga. He has that level of natural ability.
With Mathurin, you're looking for a Mikal Bridges-type 3D wing with a bit of ball handling.
With Petrusev, you're hoping for a rangier version of Sabonis who can play both the 4 and the 5.

[bbms]

Josh Giddey and Roko Prkacin. They would be mocked in the lottery range if they were playing at the NCAA instead of playing against actual pros.

[Stillwater]

Who are the players projected to go in the second round or undrafted that you hope land on your team?

My three are:
- Neemias Queta
- Joel Ayayi
- JT Thor

For Queta, to be as skilled a passer at his size is special. Add his improved shooting from the line and in the midrange and you have a potential rotation big for a long time. He is one of the most productive players in CBB this year and that size and shot blocking is hard to teach.

Ayayi, to me, is a superstar role player. Makes very few mistakes while spacing the floor, finishing at the basket, and serving as a secondary/tertiary playmaker. A lot to like in his game.

JT Thor is the biggest project of these three, but has a fascinating game. At 6'10", he has the size to guard bigger players and he is still quick enough to eventually hold his own in switching situations. He has shown flashes of an off the dribble game, but he doesn't appear strong enough to get all the way to the rim just yet. I'd love to get him in the G League for a year or two to really refine his game and at 19 years old, there's plenty of time to work with him.

In the same way you have Juzang as a mid 2nd round prospect you now have Ayayi as a 2nd rounder...
your bar is too high and or you are vastly overrating other options in this draft.
I would not hesitate to pick Ayayi at 12

[Mickey8]

Filip Petrusev, NBA ready player

[treefi]

top 20
PG Jaden Springer
PG Davion Mitchell
SG - Johnny Juzang
PG - Josh Giddey
early 2nd
C - Neemas Queta
SG - Josh Christopher
PF- Isaiah Todd
PF - Santa Aldama
SF - Julian Champagnie

[Stillwater]

top 20
PG Jaden Springer
PG Davion Mitchell
SG - Johnny Juzang
PG - Josh Giddey
early 2nd
C - Neemas Queta
SG - Josh Christopher
PF- Isaiah Todd
PF - Santa Aldama
SF - Julian Champagnie

I like Christopher and Isaiah Todd as mid-late first myself by the time the predraft process is complete
but yeah both would be great value early 2nd if they fall.
I don't know about Queta at this point or if he should even get drafted. I liked him last year when
I gave him more of a pass.

[No-Man]

Filip Petrusev, NBA ready player

Petrusev is the opposite of a sleeper

Yoan Makoundou is my guy, I think Mathurin, Trey Murphy, Kessler Edwards, Sam Hauser and Gabriele Procida are very slept on as well

[No-Man]

top 20
PG Jaden Springer
PG Davion Mitchell
SG - Johnny Juzang
PG - Josh Giddey
early 2nd
C - Neemas Queta
SG - Josh Christopher
PF- Isaiah Todd
PF - Santa Aldama
SF - Julian Champagnie

How are any of these guys, outside of maybe Aldama and Champagnie, sleepers at all?

[BoyzNTheHood]

I really like Raiquan Gray as a super glue big man at the next level.

I'm also intrigued by Nah'Shon Hyland's scoring potential with NBA spacing and can see him as a 6th man.

Herbert Jones projects as a Corey Brewer type in my opinion.

And I also think Charles Bassey is ranked too low, he looks like a solid big along with Queta.

[clyde21]

some of these guys you dudes listed definitely dont qualify as 'sleepers' lol

for me it's more names like Wieskamp, Champagnies, Kinsey, Cazalon, Makoundou, Liddell, Boeheim

[Almost Retired]

top 20
PG Jaden Springer
PG Davion Mitchell
SG - Johnny Juzang
PG - Josh Giddey
early 2nd
C - Neemas Queta
SG - Josh Christopher
PF- Isaiah Todd
PF - Santa Aldama
SF - Julian Champagnie

How are any of these guys, outside of maybe Aldama and Champagnie, sleepers at all?

I looked at some old 2021 Mock Draft lists. Johnny Juzang wasn't even on most of the ones I saw. One tournament run later and he's likely now a late lottery pick. I wish my Bulls had a First Rounder, I'd take him in a heartbeat. Very elite shooter that is developing a nice all around game. But he's no longer a sleeper after his performance.]

Two guys that will go in the mid to late second round or go undrafted that I'd be interested to evaluate are Chris Duarte of Oregon and Dejon Jarreau of Houston. Duarte is older but has a wide ranging skill set that could translate into being a solid rotational wing. And Jarreau is a defensive beast at PG with good length and a high BBIQ. He was the real leader of that tough Houston squad that had a great run until they met the Baylor Buzz Saw. They are both sleepers.

[doordoor123]

Ayayi reminds me of Caris LeVert without as much passing ability. He has that great first step and slides through the defense on drives.

[jman3134]

some of these guys you dudes listed definitely dont qualify as 'sleepers' lol

for me it's more names like Wieskamp, Champagnies, Kinsey, Cazalon, Makoundou, Liddell, Boeheim

Unfortunately Kinsey is coming back I saw.

[clyde21]

some of these guys you dudes listed definitely dont qualify as 'sleepers' lol

for me it's more names like Wieskamp, Champagnies, Kinsey, Cazalon, Makoundou, Liddell, Boeheim

Unfortunately Kinsey is coming back I saw.

you're right, completely missed that.

[babyjax13]

Not sure it counts, but I'd say Keyontae Johnson if he's medically able to play in the NBA. Elite athlete, decent three point shooter, very good rebounder. His stock has obviously fallen because of the medical issue, but I feel like it has fallen too far. He was looking like a late lottery pick, so I'd be ecstatic if I had a late first and could grab him.

[jman3134]

some of these guys you dudes listed definitely dont qualify as 'sleepers' lol

for me it's more names like Wieskamp, Champagnies, Kinsey, Cazalon, Makoundou, Liddell, Boeheim

Unfortunately Kinsey is coming back I saw.

you're right, completely missed that.

Def wasn't on major headlines - just adding another to list of returnees.

[Stillwater]

Ayayi reminds me of Caris LeVert without as much passing ability. He has that great first step and slides through the defense on drives.

I bet he gets mixed reviews from scouts with his hot or cold output. Seems like he needs a lot of development but the tools are evident. I like him late lottery to late teens if he can clean up some of the question marks about durability and transferability to the NBA game if not late first seems about most likely result.

[Jerry Lucas]

To me it's Tre Mann by a landslide. I haven't seen this guy ranked higher than late lottery and he's 5th on my draft board.