The 2019 NBA Draft on Thursday night is slated to be one of the most action-packed drafts that we have ever seen.  Expect a few trades to be made and some players to be taken way earlier than anticipated.  The only real locks heading into the draft are Zion Williamson and Ja Morant and the #1 and #2 picks.  Aside from that, there is quite a bit up in the air, which makes this mock draft all the more fun.

1 – New Orleans Pelicans

Zion Williamson – PF / Duke / Age: 18 / Height: 6’7”/ Weight: 285 lbs

College Stats: 33 G / 22.6 PPG / 8.9 RPG / 2.1 APG / 2.1 SPG / 1.8 BPG / 68 FG%

Player Type: Defensive-Minded Slasher

• -Tough to limit Zion to two archetypes, but these describe him the best

2 – Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant – PG / Murray State / Age: 19 / Height: 6’3”/ Weight: 175 lbs

College Stats: 65 G / 18.7 PPG / 6.1 RPG / 8.2 APG / 1.4 SPG / 48.5 FG%

Player Type: Scoring Playmaker

• Ability to create his own shot and create for others
• Conley trade should mean big minutes right away

3 – New York Knicks

R.J. Barrett – SG/SF / Duke / Age: 19 / Height: 6’7”/ Weight: 202 lbs

College Stats: 38 G / 22.6 PPG / 7.6 RPG / 4.3 APG / 45.4 FG%

Player Type: Balanced Isolation Scorer

• Has many tools to his game, but he is strongest at taking a defender off the dribble in isolation

4 -New Orleans Pelicans

Darius Garland – PG / Vanderbilt / Age: 19 / Height: 6’2”/ Weight: 175 lbs

College Stats: 5 G / 16.3 PPG / 3.8 RPG / 2.6 APG / 53.7 FG%/ 47.8 3P%

Player Type: Sharpshooting Playmaker

• Insane ball-handling and a smooth jumper
• Could be on the move; No. 4 subject of heavy rumors

5 – Cleveland Cavaliers

Jarrett Culver – SG / Texas Tech / Age: 20 / Height: 6’5”/ Weight: 195 lbs

College Stats: 75 G / 14.9 PPG / 5.6 RPG / 2.8 APG / 1.3 SPG / 45.9 FG%

Player Type: Balanced Lockdown Defender

• Multiple tools on offense
• Ability to guard the best player on the opposing team

6 – Phoenix Suns

Coby White – PG / North Carolina / Age: 19 / Height: 6’5”/ Weight: 185 lbs

College Stats: 35 G / 16.1 PPG / 3.5 RPG / 4.1 APG / 1.1 SPG/ 42.3 FG%

Player Type: Speedy Scorer

• Playmaking could improve
• His quickness and scoring ability stand out

7 – Chicago Bulls

Cam Reddish – SG/SF / Duke / Age: 19 / Height: 6’8”/ Weight: 210 lbs

College Stats: 36 G / 13.5 PPG / 3.7 RPG / 1.9 APG / 1.6 SPG / 35.6 FG% / 33.3 3P%

Player Type: 3-and-D wing

• If his shooting gains consistency, he can become an ideal 3-and-D NBA player

8 – Atlanta Hawks

DeAndre Hunter – SF/PF / Virginia / Age: 21 / Height: 6’7”/ Weight: 225 lbs

College Stats: 71 G / 12.4 PPG / 4.4 RPG / 1.6 APG / 50.9 FG% / 41.9 3P%

Player Type: 3-and-D wing

• More consistent than Reddish, but less potential

9 – Washington Wizards

Nassir Little – SF / North Carolina / Age: 19 / Height: 6’6”/ Weight: 225 lbs

College Stats: 36 G / 9.8 PPG / 4.6 RPG / 0.7 APG / 47.8 FG%

Player Type: Athletic Lockdown Defender

• Scoring needs consistency
• Athleticism and defensive capabilities are on an NBA level

10 – Atlanta Hawks

Jaxson Hayes – C / Texas / Age: 19 / Height: 6’11”/ Weight: 220 lbs

College Stats: 32 G / 10.0 PPG / 5.0 RPG / 2.2 BPG / 72.8 FG% / 74% FT%

Player Type: Athletic Rim Protector

• Possesses huge upside on both ends of the floor

11 – Minnesota Timberwolves

Sekou Doumbouya – SF/PF / France / Age: 18 / Height: 6’9”/ Weight: 230 lbs

International Stats: 27 G / 7.8 PPG / 3.3 RPG / 0.7 APG / 0.7 SPG / 48.2 FG%

Player Type: Raw Prospect

• Seems like a cop out, but not enough has been seen of Doumbouya to give him a real archetype
• Check our International Spotlight for a better look

12 – Charlotte Hornets

PJ Washington – PF / Kentucky / Age: 20 / Height: 6’8”/ Weight: 230 lbs

College Stats: 72 G / 12.9PPG / 6.6 RPG / 1.7 APG / 1. BPG / 52.1 FG% / 38.4 3P%

Player Type: Well-Rounded Stretch Big

• Will help any team with floor spacing
• Has a complete offensive game

13 – Miami Heat

Rui Hachimura – SF/ PF / Gonzaga / Age: 21 / Height: 6’8”/ Weight: 235 lbs

College Stats: 102 G / 12.1 PPG / 4.4 RPG / 57.9 FG% / 31.6 3P%

Player Type: Balanced Fundamental Scorer

• Scoring is his main skill, but he has great intangibles
• Excelled as the floor general/leader at Gonzaga

14 – Boston Celtics

Bol Bol – C / Oregon / Age: 19 / Height: 7’2”/ Weight: 235 lbs

College Stats: 9 G / 21.0 PPG / 9.6 RPG / 2.7 BPG / 56.1 FG%/ 52.0 3P%

Player Type: Raw Stretch Big

• Risk to draft him, but his ceiling is very high as a Porzingis-like stretch big

15 – Detroit Pistons

Keldon Johnson – SG/SF / Kentucky / Age: 19 / Height: 6’6”/ Weight: 210 lbs

College Stats: 37 G / 13.5 PPG / 5.9 RPG / 1.6 APG / 46.1 FG% / 38.1 3P%

Player Type: Balanced Wing

• Not a dominant scorer, but brings a bit of everything on both ends of the floor
• Good leader.

16 – Orlando Magic

Tyler Herro – PG / Kentucky / Age: 19 / Height: 6’5”/ Weight: 185 lbs

College Stats: 37 G / 14.0 PPG / 4.5 RPG / 2.5 APG / 1.1 SPG/ 46.2 FG% / 35.5 3P%

Player Type: Sharpshooter

• Potential to become a dominant sniper from long-range

17 – Atlanta Hawks

Romeo Langford – SG / Indiana / Age: 19 / Height: 6’6”/ Weight: 215 lbs

College Stats: 32 G / 16.5 PPG / 5.4 RPG / 2.3 APG / 44.8 FG% / 27.2 3P%

Player Type: Scoring Guard

• He is a natural scorer
• Jumper and overall game needs tuning/consistency before it translates well to the NBA

18 – Indiana Pacers

Kevin Porter Jr. – SG / USC / Age: 19 / Height: 6’6”/ Weight: 215 lbs

College Stats: 21 G / 9.5 PPG / 4.0 RPG / 1.4 APG / 47.1 FG% / 41.2 3P%

Player Type: Confident Scoring Wing

• He scores with confidence and should be able to translate that part of his game to the NBA level

19 – San Antonio Spurs

Goga Bitadze – C / EuroLeague / Age: 19 / Height: 6’11”/ Weight: 250 lbs

College Stats: 13 G / 12.1 PPG / 6.4 RPG / 1.2 APG / 2.3 BPG / 54.8 FG%

Player Type: Versatile Rim Protector

• He brings a lot to the table on the offensive end and has an uncanny ability to block shots
• Check our International Spotlight for a better look

20 – Boston Celtics

Brandon Clarke – PF / Gonzaga / Age: 22 / Height: 6’11”/ Weight: 220 lbs

College Stats: 98 G / 14.5 PPG / 7.7 RPG / 2.4 BPG / 63.9 FG%

Player Type: Unselfish Versatile Defender

• Defense is his strongest skill
• Can score well around the rim
• Needs to develop his jumper

21 – Oklahoma City Thunder

Nickeil Alexander-Walker – SG / Virginia Tech / Age: 20 / Height: 6’5”/ Weight: 205 lbs

College Stats: 67 G / 13.5 PPG / 4.0 RPG / 2.7 APG / 1.4 SPG / 46.4 FG% / 38.3 3P%

Player Type: Scoring Playmaker

• He has the size and playmaking ability to be a force on the offensive end of the floor

22 – Boston Celtics

Ty Jerome – PG/SG / Virginia / Age: 21 / Height: 6’5”/ Weight: 195 lbs

College Stats: 105 G / 9.6 PPG / 3.0 RPG / 3.7 APG / 1.2 SPG / 43.5 FG% / 39.2 3P%

Player Type: Playmaking Sharpshooter

• He has a high basketball IQ
• Potential to be a knock-down shooter at the NBA level

23 – Memphis Grizzlies

Matisse Thybulle – SG/SF / Washington / Age: 22 / Height: 6’5”/ Weight: 195 lbs

College Stats: 135 G / 9.2 PPG / 3.1 RPG / 2.5 SPG / 1.4 BPG / 42.9 FG% / 35.8 3P%

Player Type: Lockdown Defender

• Simple explanation: will have a role in the NBA due to his lockdown defensive capabilities
• Has some work to do on offense

24 – Philadelphia 76ers

Darius Bazley – SF/PF / No School / Age: 19 / Height: 6’9”/ Weight: 210 lbs

Player Type: Raw Athletic Forward

• He is an enigma with a huge ceiling
• 76ers can afford to take a risk on a rookie late in the first round
• Interned at New Balance last season instead of playing college basketball

25 – Portland Trail Blazers

Chuma Okeke – SF / Auburn / Age: 20 / Height: 6’5”/ Weight: 195 lbs

College Stats: 72 G / 9.9 PPG / 6.3 RPG / 1.5 APG / 1.3 SPG / 48.1 FG%

Player Type: 3-and-D wing

• Same as Reddish and Hunter’s description, but Okeke is coming off a bad leg injury and has a lower ceiling

26 – Cleveland Cavaliers

Nicolas Claxton – C / Georgia / Age: 20 / Height: 7’0”/ Weight: 215 lbs

College Stats: 65 G / 8.4 PPG / 6.2 RPG / 1.0 APG / 1.9 BPG/ 45.7 FG%

Player Type: Versatile 3-and-D Big

• Modern day big man that could thrive if he adjusts well to the NBA game

27 – Brooklyn Nets

Mfiondu Kabengele – PF/C / Duke / Age: 21 / Height: 6’10”/ Weight: 255 lbs

College Stats: 71 G / 10.3 PPG / 5.3 RPG / 1.2 BPG / 49.8 FG% / 37.4 3P%

Player Type: 3-and-D Big

• Similar to Claxton, Kabengele with a modern offensive skill set and is a solid shot-blocker

28 – Golden State Warriors

Cameron Johnson – SF/PF / Virginia / Age: 23 / Height: 6’8”/ Weight: 205 lbs

College Stats: 135 G / 11.2 PPG / 4.1 RPG / 1.8 APG / 45.7 FG% / 40.5 3P%

Player Type: NBA-Ready Sharpshooter

• 23 years old and would fit in for a Warriors team that needs depth at the small forward position

29 – San Antonio Spurs

Dylan Windler – SF / Belmont / Age: 22 / Height: 6’8”/ Weight: 200 lbs

College Stats: 128 G / 13.2 PPG / 7.8 RPG / 54.1 FG% / 40.6 3P%

Player Type: 3-and-D wing

• He may be the best shooter out of anyone labeled “3-and-D wing”
• However, his overall skill set is not as complete as some of his peers

30 – Detroit Pistons

Grant Williams – PF / Texas / Age: 20 / Height: 6’8”/ Weight: 240 lbs

College Stats: 104 G / 15.7 PPG / 6.5 RPG / 2.1 APG / 1.5 BPG / 51.6 FG%

Player Type: Glue-guy/Mature prospect

• He already has polished skills, but his jumper needs to improve for him to grow into a dominant NBA presence

Worth a Reach

Bol Bol – Currently projected around 15^th overall in the NBA Draft, Bol Bol could be a player that we look back and say “Why did no one take him earlier?”  He is 7’2”, can shoot threes, and block shots.  These are three things that can be found in foundational big men like Joel Embiid or Kristaps Porzingis.  Injuries are a big scare with Bol, which is the main thing preventing him from being a top-10 pick.  However, if a team with established talent takes the upside gamble earlier in the draft, that could definitely be worth it.  

Carsen Edwards – Edwards lit up the NCAA tournament this year, which sent his draft stock soaring from late-second round to late-first round.  Although I do not have him going in my first round, I do believe he holds sixth man potential and scoring burst ability off the bench for many NBA teams.  He averaged 24.3 points per game for Purdue this season on 39.4% shooting, which shows how much they really commanded from Edwards.  They needed him to have the ball in his hands constantly and he brought them as far as he could with steady scoring eruptions throughout the season into the tournament. If a team like the Celtics picks him at #22 overall to become the backup point guard behind whoever they get to replace Kyrie Irving (assuming he is gone), he could be a nice role player on their bench.

Jalen Lecque – Raw prospect.  Not much more can be said about Lecque, who is coming out of high school into the NBA Draft.  He is a work in progress, so any contending team that can afford to take on a project might want to take Lecque and see what comes of it.  The Spurs at #29 overall come to mind as that team as they have Dejounte Murray as their point guard and could use someone to groom into the Patty Mills role behind Murray and Derrick White.  Lecque could learn from those guys and Gregg Popovich and possibly develop into the best version of himself in that system.  

Kyle Guy – Guy was one of the most clutch players in this past NCAA season.  He helped Virginia complete their championship run and he was truly the leader of his team.  He averaged 15.4 points per game on 42.6% shooting from beyond the arc. He is a knockdown shooter, but he is undersized to be a shooting guard which has harmed his draft stock.  If he is used as a combo guard in the right system, he could potentially flourish in a Joe Harris-type of role.  Teams should look at taking an early-second round flier on Guy as he brings some clutch play and sharshooting ability that can uplift a team’s bench. 

Tacko Fall – He is 7’6”. Although he does not have polished skills and is a very raw prospect, he can definitely become a role player if he is developed on the right team.  He is still a second-round pick, but if a team feels like he can be a difference-maker as their backup center they might want to reach a bit.

Possible Sliders

Romeo Langford – Langford was once a top-5 prospect, but now he is projected right at the end of the lottery.  He could potentially drop to the 20’s if teams gamble with their picks and pick based off of team need and upside.  Langford was not all that impressive in his only season at Indiana and is recovering from right thumb surgery, so teams might allow him to drop into the 20’s and end up with a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder at #21.  Although he does have natural scoring ability, there are many parts of his game that remain questionable.  Look out for Langford potentially dropping on Thursday night.

Bruno Fernando – There are a lot of centers that play the position in a modern sense and match Fernando’s defensive capabilities.  Teams will look for the center that plays defense and can shoot threes before they pick a traditional center.  Fernando does not have a jumper and really only serves as a traditional big-man.  He could fall into the second round if guys like Mfiondu Kabengele or Nicolas Claxton leapfrog him.

Matisse Thybulle –  He is the best defensive player in this draft.  He locks up opponents, but has a limited offensive skill set.  He could be overlooked due to his lack of offense, which could lead to him being picked in the second round rather than the end of the first.  He will likely make any NBA roster that he gets drafted to solely for his defense, but he can become a scary good prospect if he develops a more complete offensive game.

Chuma Okeke – He tore his ACL in the NCAA tournament, which definitely hurt his soaring draft stock.  He would have been right outside the lottery if it was not for this injury, but he is now being projected near the end of the first round.  Like Fernando and Thybulle, we could see Okeke fall into the second round if other prospects leapfrog him.  This is a very unpredictable draft, so anything can really happen outside of the first three picks.  Okeke’s ACL injury could be the reason that he becomes a second round pick rather than a highly coveted mid-first round selection.

Jontay Porter –  Not enough can be said about how unfortunate Jontay Porter’s career has been.  He tore his ACL twice in the past two seasons and dropped from a lottery pick to a second-round pick.  He is currently projected in the middle of the second round, but there is a chance that he could go undrafted come Thursday night.

Just Missed the Cut

Carsen Edwards – PG / Purdue / Age: 21 / Height: 6’0” / Weight: 200 lbs

College Stats: 108 G / 17.8 PPG / 3.4 RPG / 2.5 APG / 41.2 FG% / 36.8 3P%

Player Type: Scoring machine

• Pure scoring ability
• Undersized and lacks defensive skills that will translate to the NBA

Kezie Okpala – SG / Stanford / Age: 20 / Height: 6’8” / Weight 210 lbs

College Stats: 52 G / 13.8 PPG / 4.8 RPG / 1.9 APG / 1.0 SPG / 43.9 FG%

Player Type: Versatile Wing Scorer

• Needs to work on his NBA 3-point line jumper and consistency on the defensive end
• Versatile skill set

Naz Reid – C / LSU / Age: 19 / Height: 6’10” / Weight: 255 lbs

College Stats: 34 G / 13.6 PPG / 7.2 RPG / 46.8 FG% / 33.3 3P% / 72.7 FT%

Player Type: Rebounding Scorer

• He is polished on the offensive end
• Motor is questionable and his defensive skills could improve

Thanks Hoopballers for reading the 2019 NBA Mock Draft!