In the past 20 years, only one draft class has made four All-Stars in the top five picks. And while the 2021 draft isn't expected to be led by four future Hall of Famers like the one in 2003 with LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosch and Dwayne Wade, there is a feeling within NBA circles that this year's crop The top of that could end up being as strong as what we have seen in the last two decades.
"That top five is potentially as strong as any other draft [since 2000]," said a highly placed NBA official. "There are years where the No. 1 pick will never be the No. 1 pick again. Some drafts lack the No. 1 pick. It's legit. I'm a big fan. Legit has star power [in the top 5]."
It's no secret that drafting is an exact science. Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry, who jointly drafted outside the top five, went on to win five of the previous seven MVP awards. There will certainly be players outside the top five of this draft who will turn into NBA stars. But less than two weeks from the NBA draft lottery, which will determine the final pick order, teams are eagerly waiting to land inside the coveted top five, and for good reason. Cade Cunningham, Jalen Greene, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Kuminga all represent game-changing possibilities, each for a different reason.
What makes each one so complicated? Is there a level within that group? Who else can break into the top five of this draft?
Cade Cunningham: Jumbo Shot Creator
Body: 6-foot-7 and 6-8, 225 pounds, between 7-foot-1 to 7-2 wingspan
Key Position: Most Skilled Isolation Scorer in the NCAA
Similarities: Luka Doncic, Khris Middleton, Jason Tatum
What is his superpower? Multifaceted talent
As Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton told us during the college season, "No matter who's on your roster, Cade fits in."
Cunningham's versatility is a big reason why he is the No. 1 favorite overall, no matter who wins the lottery. At somewhere between 6-7 and 6-8 with long arms and a strong frame, Cunningham moved across the floor for Oklahoma State, brought the ball to the court, finished the property out of isolation and pick-and-roll. (more than 47%) of their offense), clearing floors as a marksman, working as a screener and even building from post. He is the only player estimated in the top five who can legitimately play four positions.
Cunningham has found success in a variety of roles throughout his amateur career. At Monteverde, he was the lead guard, table-setter and shot maker for Scotty Barnes, Moses Moody and Dey'Ron Sharpe on one of the greatest teams in high school basketball history. With the U19 USA team in Crete, he emerged as a playmaking wing with Green, Suggs and Tyrese Halliburton, averaging 12-5-6 in 24 minutes on the way to the gold medal. With the Texas Titans on the Nike EYBL circuit, he averaged 24-7-6 while shooting 2 to 64% and 3 to 35%, finishing fourth in the league in scoring and winning total for 18 games. Ranked first in stocks. (17-1) in our database. At Oklahoma State, he led a ho-hum Cowboys roster in the Big 12 title game - overtaking Baylor in the process - ranking in the team's top two in points, rebounds, assists and blocks as the primary shot-maker. .
Thanks to his ability to play on or off the ball (40% out of 3), his floor is of a Khris Middleton type, while on the high end, Cunningham has the complexions of Tatum and Luka Doncic, thanks to his stellar court vision. Thank you. Simply put, Cunningham is capable of a wide array of roles, and thanks to his calm demeanor, late-game heroics and clutch genes, he still has plenty of upside to tap into.
"I think I influence the game in a lot of different ways," Cunningham said. "It would be difficult to find someone else who is versatile and can influence the game in so many ways. ... I know there are many other big players, but I guess that's me."
Jalen Green: The Most Star Potential
Physical: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds with a wingspan of about 6-foot-9
Key Stats: 10th in Zee League for scores at just 19 years old (18.7 points in 32.4 minutes)
Similarities: Zach LaVine, Bradley Beal, Wiry Anthony Edwards
What is his superpower? smooth scoring ability
Green is far and away the most dynamic of the five possibilities. While watching him working out in Los Angeles recently, he sinks along the way and glides up and down the floor with unbelievable ease. He's turned himself into quite a shot-maker (36% out of 3 in the G League bubble) over the past year or so, and just as well as any teenager I can remember. No prospect could score as easily as Green, who progressed as a ball handler, passer (3.1 assists per game), and an on-ball defender in the bubble. Although they have a very different body type, Greene can exert an Anthony Edwards type impression as a rookie. He'll have nights when he scores over 30, becomes SportsCenter top-10 mainstay and fills a level of excitement in his new fan base, while likely struggling with some inefficiency and defensive growing pains in Year 1. .
There's no shortage of Greene fans in the NBA front office, and it could be argued that he has the most star potential in the draft. An NBA executive said Greene has a chance to become a "10-time All-Star and 25-points-per-game scorer" after settling in an NBA game. Green has the Zach Lavin type of effortless bounce, along with Bradley Beal-like shotmaking ability and scoring instincts, which is clearly an interesting combination for a franchise looking for star power. Ask him who is the best prospect in the draft, and Greene doesn't mince words.
"I am, in my opinion, the best prospect I am in this draft," Green said. "I didn't go to college and I played against older men. I think as a 19-year-old to do that, I'm definitely the best player in the draft."
Evan Mobley: The Modern Big
Physical: 7 feet, 220 pounds, with a 7-foot-4 wingspan
Key Stats: Seventh in the NCAA in Half-Court Scoring Proficiency
Similarities: Anthony Davis, Chris Bosch, Jaren Jackson Jr.
What is his superpower? perimeter skills
Mobley is the draft's best big man, but that doesn't mean he'll be anchored inside the paint. His ability to play at a height of 7 feet on the circumference at both ends of the floor – combined with his prolific feel for the game – is what sets him apart from the rest of the class as well as the prospects of more recent top biggies such as James Wiseman. is. and Deandre Ayten.
"10, 15 years ago it was mostly, if you're older you live inside the paint," Mobley told ESPN's Jonathan Givoni at the USA Basketball minicamp in October 2018. "But nowadays in the NBA you see a lot of players. There's a lot of dragging the floor. [Kevin Durant], he's 7 feet but he has a good 3 ball. I'm trying to be like that, bit my 3 ball Lift up. Try to be like Giannis [Antetokounmpo], driving to the basket, and like Anthony Davis behind the basket and spreading the floor as well."
Moby regularly brought the ball to the floor and began the offense for Rancho Christian High School. Their feel and positional handles are scarce for the game; USC also began using him as a pick-and-roll ball handler at the end of the season. He is a wise passer (2.8 assists per 40) with shooting mechanics that eventually allowed him to play both 4 and 5, despite converting just 30% as a freshman to place the floor 3rd. Will give
On the defensive end, his fluidity and leg speed help him switch guards and wings with ease. He's also a fine pick-and-roll defender, with a great touch on the interior and excellent shot-blocking instincts (3.4 blocks per 40). While I have compared her to a young Davis, there are also a lot of Bosch in her sport with her body type, all kinds of sports, and skill levels.
No better big in the country than Evan Mobley to help neutralize Oregon’s small-ball attack. Mobley averaging 3.8 blocks per game over his last 5 contests. Anthony Davis-like with his ability to guard on the perimeter and protect the rim at 7-0. pic.twitter.com/6nmAncFjtu
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) March 26, 2021
It's no secret in NBA circles that Mobley could end up as the best player to come out of this draft once his body is full. He could have used a more physical big with him given his rebounding struggles and modest build. Even though it's not in his nature to handle games as a scorer, he's going to effect wins wherever he goes, and his floor-and-ceiling combination has got him excited about his future in the NBA.
Jalen Suggs: The Two-Way Guard
Physical: 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, 6-foot-6 wingspan;
Key Stats: First high-key player since Penny Hardaway in 1992 to average 19 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2.5 steals per 40 minutes
Similarities: Jure Holiday, Brandon Roy
What is his superpower? winning effect
Suggs is a culture-changer who brings instant rigor and a winning mindset wherever she goes. While his open-court passing, aggressive rim attack and ability to hit shots late in the games is what you see on the floor, it's what the Suggs brings in on a day-to-day basis that sets them apart from the rest of this group.
The coaches and staff around him say he is the most competitive player ever. The Suggs went 19-0 with three gold medals during his USA basketball career. He was the best player in college basketball on one of the best teams I've ever seen. Aside from his game-winning bank against UCLA, he was the only Gonzaga Bulldog to score 22 points in 33 minutes against Baylor. His handling, shooting, and finishing finesse still need work, so it's natural to wonder what his season would have looked like if he was asked to make the most of his team's offense at Oklahoma State, like Cunningham. But Suggs is a winner in every sense of the word. He makes game-changing plays in the big moments that show he has the potential to be much more than an NBA starter in the right position.
I have often compared him to Holiday because of his defensive physicality, toughness and ability to play on or off the ball. Suggs is further ahead than Holiday - the 17th overall pick in 2009 - was on the same stage, and was far more electric with the ball on the open court. He and Holiday have physical similarities and are both highly appreciated for their defensive skills and winning ways. Holiday is a former NBA All-Star, annual Defensive Player of the Year nominee, Teammate of the Year (2020) and Sportsmanship Award winner (2021), who averaged 16-4-6 during his career defending another team . Best player -- Not a bad result for the Sugs.
Jonathan Kuminga: The Wild Card
Body: 6-foot-8, 225 pounds, 7-foot-1 wingspan
Key Stats: 1.2 evasion and 1.0 block per 40 minutes
Similarities: Jaylen Brown, Lambe DeMar DeRozan
What is his superpower? double capacityt
Kuminga is among the top five most physically prepared in today's NBA with the ideal tool for a two-way wing. Of the above possibilities, Cuminga is the only NBA coach who can comfortably ask to slow down elite wing scorers like Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Tatum, even though his discipline and motor at that end are still developing.
It wasn't that long ago that NBA scouts were discussing Kuminga as a potential No. 1 pick, when he scored 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists in his first three G-League bubble competitions (all victories), Achieved an average of 1 steal and 1 block per game. ) He was the best player on the floor in both pre-bubble scrimmages (24-5-3), and G League Ignite staffers with NBA experience regularly touted him as a potential top pick. However, some of Cumming's shortcomings began to appear as the bubble progressed. He shot just 33% off 2 and 22% in 3 in his last five games and eventually opted to call it off after 13 games due to injury.
Given some ups and downs in Orlando, Florida, teams have felt more comfortable with names like Cunningham, Green, Mobley and Suggs on Cuminga. It has been even more difficult for teams to gather accurate information and background information about Kuminga, who grew up in the Congo and moved between different schools once he arrived in the United States.
Finishing up a two-day trip in Orlando watching projected top-5 pick Jonathan Kuminga. Great to get an updated live look @ the 6-8 Congaelse wing for the first time since Ignite practices leading up to the bubble. Kuminga averaged 15.8 PTS, 7.2 REBS and 2.7 AST in 13 games. pic.twitter.com/3smc6FXdS2
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) May 18, 2021
Still, after seeing Cuminga working out for two days in Orlando recently, there's no question about his ability. He is a better shooter than his 25% G League clip. He looks every bit 6-foot-8 with a tremendous frame, excellent length, and sharp footwork. He is comfortable making from across the floor and scoring from the midpost, even showing glimpses of the court's vision in the open floor. If a team can take out Kuminga's jumper, stabilize his defensive motor and inspire him to play a more free-flowing, ball-running style, it could be the best to come out of the 2021 draft. Could end up with one of the players, just like he was billed less than five months ago. And with teams starving for pawns that can defend a few positions and make an open shot, Kuminga has a relatively high floor.
"I see myself as the best player in this draft," Kuminga told us when we were in Orlando. "But I'm not going to talk like I'm the best player. I still have a lot of things to show, a lot of things to work on, a lot of things to prove. I'm just going to work." To stay and be the best version of myself. I worry about that."
How does this top-5 rank historically?
Since 2000 there have been only six draft picks with three or more All-Stars in the top five. The 2018 class could make it seven; Doncic and Trey Young have already been All-Stars, and Ayton and Jackson have All-Star potential. There have been two clear All-Stars in each of the last two drafts: Zion Williamson and Ja Morant in 2019, and Edwards and LaMelo Ball in 2020.
Still, it's hard to find a draft with four All-Stars picked in the top five. That type of firepower tops this year, with officials regularly saying there are several No. 1-caliber picks in this crop.
Maybe even more impressive is the floor and ceiling combination for each of the top five. In recent drafts, for every Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram, there has been a Dragon Bender or kris Dunn. For every Karl-Anthony town, there's going to be a Jahil Okafor or Mario Hezonza. For every Joel Embiid, there is a Dante exam. That volatility is not at the top in this 2021 class.
How do teams view pecking orders?
Few teams see a tier in the top five, with Cunningham, Greene and Mobley as All-Star-caliber players with Suggs and Cuminga as clear starters with the potential to become All-Stars in the future. Some people prefer suggs to both green and mobly. Overall, most people view their productivity and efficiency as the main four variants with comfort levels around the Cunningham, Green, Mobli and Suggs.
As far as rankings go, it depends on who you talk to. Cunningham is still the name you hear at the top, and he's the one I personally would choose No. 1, no matter how fit. But you sometimes hear some support at the top because of Green's dynamic style and scoring ability. As I said last year with LaMelo Ball and Edwards, it's almost a matter of finding what you're looking for. The top five provide nearly every different type of potential franchise building block.
Overall, this 2021 top five is well balanced and versatile, giving executives a plethora of options. How many games would a team made up of all five of them win in a year after a few NBA seasons of experience? I would guess a lot.
Can anyone else break into the top five?
Not every team considers the top five to be set in stone.
"I still think someone else is going to come out of the pile and lead their way," said an NBA executive.
Who are the top five crack candidates and why are they in talks?
Scotty Barnes
Having recently seen Barnes working out in Santa Barbara, Calif., he has an excellent 6-foot-9 frame, 7-foot-3 wingspan, 9-foot-1 standing reach, and impressive all-around performance, according to Sports Science Company. -around is metrics. P3. While Suggs is rightly praised for his abstraction, Barnes is right up there with him, and can have a Halliburton-type effect on a franchise from a personality and competitiveness standpoint. Whether he's going through a workout or watching a pickup on the sidelines, his spirit is infectious, which it has been since we first evaluated him as a 15-year-old.
Enjoyed watching potential top-5 pick Scottie Barnes work out in Santa Barbara. The 19-year-old averaged 16.6 PTS, 6.4 REBS, 6.5 AST, and 2.3 STL per 40 basically playing PG for FSU. He’s every bit of 6-9 with a 7-3 wingspan. Great to see how he’s developed since USAB in 2017. pic.twitter.com/JRkVbynW9N
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) June 5, 2021
Though he would never be wired to score the ball, Barnes does just about everything else, often comparing the supersized Draymond Green and Simmons, whom he embraces. He can bring the ball up and feature like a point guard and defend almost all five positions, and he's progressing as a standstill 3-point shooter. His fit in today's NBA combined with what may have led some teams to prefer Cuminga, and potentially others overtook him at present.
"I think I can do it all," Barnes said during a filming session. "I'm a winner. I think that's the best thing about me, I'm a winner. I'm so selfless on the floor. I help teams win. That's why they should bet on me. I think so." That's I'm one of the best prospects in this draft and with me on your team you immediately get a lot better at it."
Mitchell is one of the most skilled prospects in the draft and is arguably more NBA prepared than anyone else in this class. Already an elite defender, a dynamic driver, a finicky playwright, a versatile shotmaker and a national champion, it's easy to find Mitchell more upside-down than his usual 23-year-old as an instant starter.
New on YouTube: ESPN Film Sessions with Baylor guard and projected top-10 pick Davion Mitchell. Arguably the most impressive tape in the draft.
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) June 10, 2021
Offense: https://t.co/1ALDXYH3ta
Defense: https://t.co/scKNIIKe1v pic.twitter.com/amVQ5svug3
Although not as NBA ready as some of the above prospects, few players in this draft could rival Johnson's physical prowess. He also sports an excellent motor, is a diminutive passerby, and those who have spent time around him rave about his focus, intensity, and appetite levels coming out of Shelbyville, Tennessee, which is 20,000. is a city of more than
Mike Schmitz is an NBA draft specialist and a contributor to DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.