Some notes in our first look after Tuesday’s Draft Lottery, which saw the Detroit Pistons land the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Remember, the Consensus Mock Draft is a compilation of the best mock drafts around the web. We bring them together to come up with a good estimate of how the draft could play out (last update: June 23, 3:02 p.m. ET):
Now that we’ve got a draft order, Cade Cunningham has locked up the No. 1 spot with every mock that’s updated since Tuesday’s Lottery (9 of 10 overall). He leads what appears to be a clear top six, followed by Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Scottie Barnes.
- Green and Kuminga opted to join G League Ignite rather than go the college or international routes, and performed well enough to retain consensus top five status, even with the condensed season coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Keon Johnson, who cracked No. 6 on Kevin O’Connor’s mock for The Ringer, was the only player to break up the aforementioned group. Barnes is slotted 11th on that list. Johnson is also tabbed three times at No. 8 to Orlando.
- From there, projections begin to vary widely, with only Davion Mitchell, whom five mocks slot at No. 7 to the Warriors, and Josh Giddey — three at No. 13 — appearing more than three times at a common selection.
- Franz Wagner seems like the biggest wild card among that late lottery group, showing up at No. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13. James Bouknight shows similar volatility, ranking as high as 7th and as low as 14th among his six showings in this first round of mocks.
- On the international front, it appears Turkey’s Alperen Sengun and Australia’s Josh Giddey are potential lottery locks, with several mocks tabbing them for the Spurs and Pacers, respectively. The 18-year-olds are both rangy for their position, and could come in sharp after competing professionally for several seasons.
MOST COMMON PICKS
No. 1 (Pistons): Cade Cunningham (9)
No. 2 (Rockets): Evan Mobley (6)
No. 3 (Cavaliers): Jalen Green (4)
No. 4 (Raptors): Jalen Suggs (6)
No. 5 (Magic): Jonathan Kuminga (8)
No. 6 (Thunder): Scottie Barnes (7)
No. 7 (Warriors): Davion Mitchell (5)
No. 8 (Magic): Keon Johnson (3)
No. 9 (Kings): Franz Wagner, Keon Johnson (2)
No. 10 (Pelicans): Keon Johnson (2)
No. 11 (Hornets): Josh Giddey, Moses Moody, Isaiah Jackson (2)
No. 12 (Spurs): Alperen Sengun, Jalen Johnson (2)
No. 13 (Pacers): Josh Giddey (3)
No. 14 (Warriors): Corey Kispert, Jalen Johnson, Josh Giddey (2)
Most common (above): Pick at which the player is most commonly projected, with number of mock drafts in parentheses. For example, Cade Cunningham is projected to go 1st in 9 of the 10 mock drafts listed below.*
* USA Today’s mock was unavailable.
Top 14 (below): To calculate the consensus, we award 14 points for every mock draft in which the player went first overall, 13 for second, continuing to one point for the final lottery pick. The player with the highest point total represents the top overall selection, which is as follows:
1. Cade Cunningham | Pistons
Oklahoma State | Position: G | Height: 6-8
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 1 (8)
Athletic scorer who can shoot or use his size to overpower smaller guards; should contribute immediately and eventually become a franchise-changing star.
2. Evan Mobley | Rockets
USC | Position: C | Height: 7-0
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 2 (6)
Skilled big man has the size combined with athleticism to potentially become a dominant force on both ends of the floor.
3. Jalen Green | Cavaliers
G League Ignite | Position: G | Height: 6-5
Status: G League
Most Common: 3 (4)
Fluid scorer who can get buckets in many ways; highlight reel waiting to happen thanks to his athleticism and willingness to attack the rim.
4. Jalen Suggs | Raptors
Gonzaga | Position: G | Height: 6-4
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 4 (6)
Smart, poised athletic guard who is ready to contribute right away thanks to decisive playmaking and willingness to defend on other end.
5. Jonathan Kuminga | Magic
G League Ignite | Position: F | Height: 6-9
Status: G League
Most Common: 5 (8)
A high-upside wing, whose scoring potential will be limited only by his shooting touch and decision-making.
6. Scottie Barnes | Thunder
Florida State | Position: F | Height: 6-9
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 6 (7)
A playmaker at FSU wielding incredible length (7-foot-2 wingspan); defense should come quickly — how soon the shot follows determines the ceiling.
7. Davion Mitchell | Warriors
Baylor | Position: G | Height: 6-2
Status: Junior
Most Common: 7 (5)
Steady hand guided Baylor to the NCAA title; displays solid shot-making, playmaking and on-ball defense, which should provide a high floor from whenever he first hits NBA hardwood.
8. Keldon Johnson | Magic (via Bulls)
Tennessee | Position: G/F | Height: 6-5
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 8 (3)
Rugged, aggressive defender should be able to push the pace on both ends, earning minutes with floor burns and fast breaks until the playmaking catches up.
9. Franz Wagner | Kings
Michigan | Position: F | Height: 6-9
Status: Sophomore
Most Common: 9 (2)
Stretch 4 set to stretch the floor if he can extend range consistently beyond the arc; can slot within multiple offenses alongside strong creators.
10. Josh Giddey | Pelicans
Adelaide 36ers (Australia) | Position: G | Height: 6-8
Status: International
Most Common: 14 (3)
Big guard who can dish and defend, likely providing efficient minutes from the jump; scoring punch will determine how versatile the lineups can get.
11. Moses Moody | Hornets
Arkansas | Position: G | Height: 6-8
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 12 (2)
Helped lead Arkansas into the Elite 8; strong standstill shooter and high-volume rebounder for a two-guard.
12. James Bouknight | Spurs
UConn | Position: G | Height: 6-5
Status: Sophomore
Most Common: None (appeared in different spots in 6 mock drafts)
Scoring guard who can simply figure out ways to get buckets when needed; streaky shooter who can help offset the misses by cleaning up on the boards.
13. Jalen Johnson | Pacers
Duke | Position: F | Height: 6-9
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 12 & 14 (2)
Multifaceted, athletic wing with all-around game that should translate well to NBA; Has explosiveness and leaping ability, can also shoot well from the outside.
14. Alperen Sengun | Warriors
Besiktas International (Turkey) | Position: C | Height: 6-10
Status: International
Most Common: 12 (2)
Big man is known for his physical play and ability to get open around the basket; Will turn 19 days after the 2021 draft, so some seasoning to his game will be required.
Other prospects to watch
Corey Kispert
Gonzaga | Position: G/F | Height: 6-7
Status: Senior
Possibly the best shooter in the draft, connected on 44% of 6.5 attempts from 3-point range (52.9% overall); should offer floor spacing from the first time he cracks a rotation.
Last updated: June 23, 2021 (3:02 p.m. ET)
MOCK DRAFTS
| Pick | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cade Cunningham |
| 2 | Jalen Green |
| 3 | Evan Mobley |
| 4 | Jalen Suggs |
| 5 | Jonathan Kuminga |
| 6 | Scottie Barnes |
| 7 | Davion Mitchell |
| 8 | Keon Johnson |
| 9 | Franz Wagner |
| 10 | Corey Kispert |
| 11 | Isaiah Jackson |
| 12 | Jalen Johnson |
| 13 | Josh Giddey |
| 14 | James Bouknight |
Last updated: June 22
| Pick | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cade Cunningham |
| 2 | Evan Mobley |
| 3 | Jalen Suggs |
| 4 | Jalen Green |
| 5 | Jonathan Kuminga |
| 6 | Keon Johnson |
| 7 | Davion Mitchell |
| 8 | Franz Wagner |
| 9 | Alperen Sengun |
| 10 | Kai Jones |
| 11 | Scottie Barnes |
| 12 | Jalen Johnson |
| 13 | Corey Kispert |
| 14 | Josh Giddey |
Last updated: June 23
| Pick | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cade Cunningham |
| 2 | Evan Mobley |
| 3 | Jalen Green |
| 4 | Jalen Suggs |
| 5 | Jonathan Kuminga |
| 6 | Scottie Barnes |
| 7 | James Bouknight |
| 8 | Josh Giddey |
| 9 | Keon Johnson |
| 10 | Franz Wagner |
| 11 | Moses Moody |
| 12 | Alperen Sengun |
| 13 | Davion Mitchell |
| 14 | Usman Garuba |
Last updated: June 23
| Pick | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cade Cunningham |
| 2 | Evan Mobley |
| 3 | Jalen Green |
| 4 | Jalen Suggs |
| 5 | Jonathan Kuminga |
| 6 | Scottie Barnes |
| 7 | Davion Mitchell |
| 8 | James Bouknight |
| 9 | Franz Wagner |
| 10 | Keon Johnson |
| 11 | Corey Kispert |
| 12 | Alperen Sengun |
| 13 | Josh Giddey |
| 14 | Jalen Johnson |
Last updated: June 23
| Pick | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cade Cunningham |
| 2 | Jalen Green |
| 3 | Evan Mobley |
| 4 | Jalen Suggs |
| 5 | Jonathan Kuminga |
| 6 | Scottie Barnes |
| 7 | Davion Mitchell |
| 8 | Keon Johnson |
| 9 | Kai Jones |
| 10 | Josh Giddey |
| 11 | Corey Kispert |
| 12 | James Bouknight |
| 13 | Moses Moody |
| 14 | Jalen Johnson |
Last updated: June 23
| Pick | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cade Cunningham |
| 2 | Evan Mobley |
| 3 | Jalen Suggs |
| 4 | Jalen Green |
| 5 | Jonathan Kuminga |
| 6 | Scottie Barnes |
| 7 | Franz Wagner |
| 8 | Davion Mitchell |
| 9 | Jalen Johnson |
| 10 | Keon Johnson |
| 11 | Moses Moody |
| 12 | Josh Giddey |
| 13 | James Bouknight |
| 14 | Corey Kispert |
Last updated: June 22
| Pick | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cade Cunningham |
| 2 | Evan Mobley |
| 3 | Jalen Green |
| 4 | Jalen Suggs |
| 5 | Jonathan Kuminga |
| 6 | Scottie Barnes |
| 7 | Keon Johnson |
| 8 | Franz Wagner |
| 9 | Alperen Sengun |
| 10 | Davion Mitchell |
| 11 | Isaiah Jackson |
| 12 | Moses Moody |
| 13 | Josh Giddey |
| 14 | Corey Kispert |
Last updated: May 10
| Pick | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cade Cunningham |
| 2 | Jalen Suggs |
| 3 | Evan Mobley |
| 4 | Jalen Green |
| 5 | Jonathan Kuminga |
| 6 | Scottie Barnes |
| 7 | Davion Mitchell |
| 8 | Moses Moody |
| 9 | Keon Johnson |
| 10 | Tre Mann |
| 11 | Josh Giddey |
| 12 | Isaiah Jackson |
| 13 | Franz Wagner |
| 14 | Alperen Sengun |
Last updated: June 23
| Pick | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cade Cunningham |
| 2 | Evan Mobley |
| 3 | Jalen Green |
| 4 | Jalen Suggs |
| 5 | Scottie Barnes |
| 6 | Jonathan Kuminga |
| 7 | Jalen Johnson |
| 8 | Keon Johnson |
| 9 | Moses Moody |
| 10 | James Bouknight |
| 11 | Franz Wagner |
| 12 | Jaden Springer |
| 13 | Davion Mitchell |
| 14 | Josh Giddey |
Last updated: June 22
* Unavailable at this time
Last updated: n/a
* * *
ESPN Insider: Jonathan Givony
The Ringer: Kevin O’Connor
The Athletic: Sam Vecenie
SI.com: Jeremy Woo
Bleacher Report: Jonathan Wasserman
Yahoo Sports: Krysten Peek
NetScouts Basketball: Carl Berman
CBS Sports: Kyle Boone, Gary Parrish
SB Nation: Ricky O’Donnell
USA Today: Scott Gleeson
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