NBA Mock Draft: February Edition
In the NBA it is All-Star weekend, while in College we are about a month left in the season. so right now seems like a perfect time to make a Mock Draft. Obviously we are still a way away from knowing the order for certain, as there still is two months of basketball and a Draft lottery to be had, that being said it is never too early to get a good look at how I think the NBA Draft would shape up right now. As usual I selected according to what I think the best fit is, I will also have a brief explanation for the pick, so here’s a brand new NBA Mock Draft.
First Round:
1.New York Knicks: Zion Williamson 6’6” Forward Duke
This is the pick the Knicks have been waiting for, Zion is a star player who can make a difference right away and he will probably be an All-Star for years to come.
2.Phoenix Suns: Ja Morant 6’3” Point Guard Murray State
The Suns are in a weird spot, as the best player on the board is RJ Barrett but the best fit is Ja Morant. I think they do the smart thing and pick Morant to play alongside an already talented roster that is in need of a point guard.
3.Cleveland Cavaliers: RJ Barrett 6’7” Wing Duke
The Cavaliers need all the help they can get, so RJ Barrett makes perfect sense as he can come in right away and score 20 points per game, while personality wise I think he fits in well with Collin Sexton.
4.Chicago Bulls: Cam Reddish 6’7” Wing Duke
Cam Reddish is a good shooter and can play on or off the ball, obviously the Bulls would like to have one of the other Duke players but Reddish isn’t bad.
5.Atlanta Hawks: Nassir Little 6’7” Wing North Carolina
The Hawks are trying to build a Warriors type team, a 6’7” wing who can score and compete at a high level.
6.Memphis Grizzlies: De’Andre Hunter 6’7” Wing Virginia
The Grizzlies love to pick good hard nosed defenders and De’Andre Hunter can be that guy for them, he also has developed into a good scorer on offense.
7.Washington Wizards: Jarrett Culver 6’5” Wing Texas Tech
The Wizards just traded away two of their best wings, so obviously they could use some wing help and I think Jarrett Culver can fit in right away. He’s a good overall scorer, good defender, which is something every team needs.
8.New Orleans Pelicans: Romeo Langford 6’6” Guard Indiana
The Pelicans are probably going through a rebuild and they could need a scoring guard like Romeo Langford, obviously he’ll need to become a better shooter but his overall scoring is really good.
9.Orlando Magic: Kevin Porter Jr. 6’6” Wing USC
The Magic love players with upside and Kevin Porter Jr. is that, he’ll need three or four years to be great but if he develops right he could become an All-Star at some point.
10.Miami Heat: Jaxson Hayes 7’0” Center Texas
The Heat are maybe going to be moving on from Hassan Whiteside, so they could use some depth at the center position and Jaxson Hayes is a perfect long-term prospect, he’s extremely long and he’s still developing, I think in four or five years he will be really good.
11.Atlanta Hawks (via Mavericks): Keldon Johnson 6’6” Wing Kentucky
The Hawks like drafting wings to play in key roles, I think Keldon Johnson is the best player available right now.
12.Minnesota Timberwolves: Brandon Clarke 6’9” Center Gonzaga
The Timberwolves have Karl Anthony-Towns who is a great player, however, he’s not a great rim-protector, so getting Brandon Clarke to play alongside him and do all the things he doesn’t is important.
13.Los Angles Lakers: Nickeil Alexander-Walker 6’5” Guard Virginia Tech
The Lakers could be doing a complete roster overhaul this offseason to get Anthony Davis, so adding another combo guard like Nickeil Alexander-Walker isn’t a bad idea.
14.Los Angeles Clippers: PJ Washington 6’7” Forward Kentucky
The Clippers have good guards and a good big, adding a versatile forward like PJ Washington can only be good.
15.Detroit Pistons: Darius Garland 6’2” Point Guard Vanderbilt
The Pistons could use another point guard, Darius Garland is the best one available at this point in the draft.
16.Charlotte Hornets: Rui Hachimura 6’8” Forward Gonzaga
The Hornets have depth at the guard and center position, so taking a versatile forward like Rui Hachimura is probably going to be a good.
17.Brooklyn Nets: KZ Okpala 6’8” Wing Stanford
The Nets like drafting long athletic players, KZ Okpala is that, which makes this a good fit.
18.Boston Celtics (via Kings): Coby White 6’5” Guard North Carolina
Every team could use a good scorer off the bench, which is what Coby White does. I think this would be a smart pick for the Celtics.
19.San Antonio Spurs: Sekou Doumbouya 6’9” Forward Limoges
The Spurs have depth at the guard position, drafting a long and athletic forward like Sekou Dombouya would seem like a good thing to do.
20.Utah Jazz: Tre Jones 6’2” Point Guard Duke
The Jazz could probably use some more help at the guard position, so drafting a 6’2” menace like Tre Jones is probably a smart thing to do.
21.Portland Trailblazers: Bol Bol 7’3” Center Oregon
I think if the Trailblazers are at a point where Bol Bol is still available they might take him as a long-term prospect to have on their roster.
22.Cleveland Cavaliers (via Rockets): Bruno Fernando 6’11” Center Maryland
I think this is a steal for the Cavaliers as they get Bruno Fernando here, he is long, athletic and has shown already to be an elite scorer inside.
23.Boston Celtics: Daniel Gafford 6’11” Center Arkansas
The Celtics could always use help at the center position, this might be a good spot to take Daniel Gafford.
24.Philadelphia 76ers: Talen Horton-Tucker 6’4” Guard Iowa State
Talen Horton-Tucker is one of the most interesting prospects in this draft as he is not a great shooter for his position but his physicality and length are key components to his game, I think the 76ers might take a chance on him as being a long-term role player.
25.Oklahoma City Thunder: Admiral Schofield 6’6” Wing Tennessee
The Thunder like defense and they like players that play hard, while they need a wing, I am not sure there is a player that fits all those things better than Admiral Schofield.
26.Indiana Pacers: Grant Williams 6’8” Forward Tennessee
Every team could use a quality big like Grant Williams, while speed and athleticism aren’t on his side, his ability to score and pass at a high level will be valuable.
27.Brooklyn Nets (via Nuggets): Shamorie Ponds 6’3” Point Guard St. John’s
The Nets could use depth at the point guard position and drafting local stud Shamorie Ponds would be a good pickup fit wise.
28.San Antonio Spurs (via Raptors): Eric Paschall 6’7” Forward Villanova
As mentioned earlier the Spurs could use help at the four guard position, Eric Paschall is maybe the best player left on the board that plays at that spot.
29.Golden State Warriors: Matisse Thybulle 6’5” Guard Washington
The Warriors could always use a long guard who can play elite defense, no one is better at that than Matisse Thybulle.
30.Milwaukee Bucks: Naz Reid 6’10” Forward LSU
Naz Reid is an interesting prospect who can play both the four and the five position, the Bucks could be a team that winds up taking him late in the first round.
Second Round
31.Brooklyn Nets (via Knicks): Charles Matthews 6’6” Guard Michigan
32.Pheonix Suns: Jontay Porter 6’11” Center Missouri
33.Philadelphia 76ers (via Cavaliers): Darius Bazley 6’8” Forward
34.Philadelphia 76ers (via Bulls): Simi Shittu 6’11” Forward Vanderbilt
35.Atlanta Hawks: Dylan Windler 6’7” Wing Belmont
36.Chicago Buls (via Grizzlies): Luguentz Dort 6’4” Guard Arizona State
37.Charlotte Hornets (via Wizards): Jalen Smith 6’10” Wing Maryland
38.Sacramento Kings (via Magic): Zylan Cheatham 6’8” Forward Arizona State
39.New Orleans Pelicans: Ty Jerome 6’5” Guard Virginia
40.Minnesota Timberwolves (via Heat): Jalen McDaniels 6’10” Forward San Diego State
41.Sacramento Kings (via Timberwolves): Cam Johnson 6’8” Forward North Carolina
42.Dallas Mavericks: Goga Bitadze 6’11” Center Mega Bemax
43.Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Roby 6’7” Forward Nebraska
44.Atlanta Hawks (via Hornets): Dedric Lawson 6’9” Forward Kansas
45.Orlando Magic (via Nets): Charles Bassey 6’10” Forward Western Kentucky
46.Atlanta Hawks (via Lakers): Jalen Lecque 6’4” Guard
47.Los Angeles Clippers: Ky Bowman 6’1” Guard Boston College
48.Philadelphia 76ers (via Kings): Dean Wade 6’10” Forward Kansas State
49.San Antonio Spurs: Louis King 6’9” Forward Oregon
50.Utah Jazz: Jaylen Hoard 6’9” Forward Wake Forest
51.New York Knicks (via Rockets): Kris Wilkes 6’7” Wing UCLA
52.Los Angles Clippers (via Trailblazers): Caleb Martin 6’7” Wing Nevada
53.Boston Celtics: Ethan Happ 6’10” Center Wisconsin
54.Philadelphia 76ers: Yovel Zoosman 6’7” Wing Maccabi Tel Aviv
55.Charlotte Hornets (via Thunder): Robert Franks 6’7” Wing Washington State
56.Indiana Pacers: Barry Brown 6’4” Guard Kansas State
57.New Orleans Pelicans (via Nuggets): James Palmer Jr. 6’6” Guard Nebraska
58.Toronto Raptors: Brian Bowen 6’8” Forward
59.Dallas Mavericks (via Warriors): Cody Martin 6’7” Wing Nevada
60.Sacramento Kings (via Bucks): Luka Samanic 6’10” Forward Union Olimpija