The 2021 NBA Draft Lottery drawing will be unveiled Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN. The final award is supposed to be the right to select Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham at No. 1, but NBA evaluators agree that getting into the historically strong Top-5 is a hugely prestigious award for every team. The circumstance in which is their logo. Ping pong ball.
Here's everything you need to know before the lottery, including the odds for each team involved, top odds to watch, the latest intel from around the league, trade picks to track, and what's next.
How to see
The show will feature representatives from all 14 lottery teams, including declared or reported representatives Hakeem Olajuwon (Rockets), Ben Wallace (Pistons), Jeff Veltman (Magic), Nazar Mohammed (Thunder), Kobe Altman (Cavaliers), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves). ), Fred Van Velet (Raptors), Mark Eversley (Bulls), Monte McNair (Kings), Swine Cash (Pelicans), Miles Bridges (Hornets), Peter J. Holt (Spurs), Nancy Leonard (Pacers) and Rick Welts (Warriors).
The 2021 NBA Draft will be held on July 29 on ESPN and ABC.
This year's lottery odds
Here's a quick look at the odds for every team with a chance to win a top pick this year:
Average pick: 3.7
No. 1: 14.0%
Top four: 52.1%
Note: If Houston's pick falls outside the top four it gets conveyed to Oklahoma City.
Average pick: 3.9
No. 1: 14.0%
Top four: 52.1%
Average pick: 4.1
No. 1: 14.0%
Top four: 52.1%
Average pick: 4.6
No. 1: 11.5%
Top four: 45.1%
Average pick: 4.8
No. 1: 11.5%
Top four: 45.1%
Average pick: 5.5
No. 1: 9.0%
Top four: 27.6%
Note: If Minnesota's pick is not one of the top three it gets conveyed to Golden State.
Average pick: 6.2
No. 1: 7.5%
Top four: 31.9%
Average pick: 7.5
No. 1: 4.5%
Top four: 20.2%
Note: If Chicago's pick does not move up to the top four it gets conveyed to Orlando.
Average pick: 8.1
No. 1: 4.5%
Top four: 20.2%
Average pick: 8.7
No. 1: 4.5%
Top four: 20.2%
Average pick: 10.4
No. 1: 1.8%
Top four: 8.5%
Average pick: 11.3
No. 1: 1.7%
Top four: 8.1%
13. Indiana Pacers
Average pick: 12.5
No. 1: 1.0%
Top four: 4.7%
Average pick: 13.7
No. 1: 0.5%
Top four: 2.4%
The top prospects
There have been only six drafts with three or more All-Stars selected in the top five since 2000. With executives regularly saying this crop has multiple No. 1-caliber picks, the 2021 NBA draft has that type of firepower at the top.
- Cade Cunningham: Cunningham's versatility is a big reason he's the favorite to go No. 1 overall regardless of who ends up winning the lottery. ... He's the only player projected in the top five who could legitimately play four positions.
- Evan Mobley: It's no secret in NBA circles that Mobley could very well end up as the best player to come out of this draft once his body fills out. He could use a more physical big alongside him early on given his rebounding struggles and slight build.
- Jalen Green: Green has no shortage of fans in NBA front offices, and there's an argument that he has the most star potential in the draft. One NBA executive said Green has a chance to be a "10-time All-Star and 25 point-per-game scorer" once he settles into the NBA game.
- Jalen Suggs: Suggs is a culture-changer who will instantly bring toughness and a winning mentality wherever he goes. ... Coaches and staff who have been around him say he's the most competitive player they've ever coached.
- Jonathan Kuminga: Kuminga is the most physically ready of the top five, with ideal tools for a two-way wing in today's NBA. Of the aforementioned prospects, Kuminga is the only one an NBA coach could comfortably ask to slow elite wing scorers such as Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Tatum, even if his discipline and motor on that end are still evolving.
Mock draft and projections
Heading into the lottery drawing, here's how ESPN's Jonathan Givony is projecting the top five picks, based on the current order:
1.Rockets: Cade Cunningham | PG | Oklahoma State
2.Pistons: Evan Mobley | C | USC
3.Magic: Jalen Green | SG | G League Ignite
4.Thunder: Jalen Suggs | PG/SG | Gonzaga
5.Cavaliers: Jonathan Kuminga | SF/PF | G League Ignite
Get the full mock draft from Givony here based on the latest inside information. He'll have a new mock draft on Tuesday night following the drawing.
Before then, check out this team-by-team breakdown via Givony and Schmitz, including:
- Lottery odds for every team
- The top-5 prospects each team would covet
- The most likely prospect for each team based on its draft range