Welcome To aBlackWeb

2021 NBA Draft thread

Through two scrimmages against NBA G League veterans, Jonathan Kuminga has impressed head coach Brian Shaw the most.

After going for 26 points and eight rebounds in Tuesday’s loss, the 6-foot-8 Kuminga scored 18 of his 21 points in the first half of Thursday’s scrimmage, which Shaw described as a “good old-fashioned butt-whupping” that “was good for us.”

“Kuminga in the first half had 18 points and kept us in striking distance in the first half,” Shaw said on a Zoom call. “Once again he showed that he can play at this level and above this level and can be an impactful on the offensive end and the defensive end.


 
In our debut of the Big Board, Oklahoma State freshman point guard Cade Cunningham is No. 1, edging out Gonzaga freshman Jalen Suggs. Cunningham leads the Big 12 this season in points per game, yet it's his elite court vision, positional size advantage and ability to impact both ends of the court that makes him our clear-cut top prospect. Cunningham has very few warts in his game, and though he's been turnover-prone and struggled with foul trouble of late, he projects as a potential franchise-altering addition for one franchise looking to add a modern-day playmaker. As one scout told me months ago in the lead-up to the 2020 NBA Draft, he'd likely have been the No. 1 pick in last year's draft had he been eligible. He's long been on the draft radar and there's endless optimism that the solid start to his college career bodes well for his NBA prospects with a better supporting cast.

Suggs comes in at No. 2 after a red-hot start to his season that's seen his draft stock surge. A 6-foot-4 combo guard, he has every tool in his bag you want from a top prospect -- from playmaking, to scoring, to a competitive spirit that oozes out of his game. He has always been seen as a difference-maker because of his physicality and ability to make things happen off the bounce, but his shot-making skills on top it all have elevated him into the top tier of prospects. He's hitting 40.6% of his 3-point attempts this season and rates in the 96th percentile as a producer in the pick-and-roll, per Synergy data, making him a perfectly projectable lead guard for the next level and deserving of being included in the same top tier as Cunningham at this juncture of the season


 
How deep is this draft class? I keep hearing that it is 15-20 players deep, in terms of quality players that can good to have solid NBA careers. Is this draft class similar to the 2003 and 1996 draft?
 
How deep is this draft class? I keep hearing that it is 15-20 players deep, in terms of quality players that can good to have solid NBA careers. Is this draft class similar to the 2003 and 1996 draft?
Not as deep as i thought coming into the season, College has exposed some of these kids. But still a great draft class. Will probarbly look better once we see the G-League Ignite boys.
 
Back
Top