[2021] Wahoo's Big Board

[Wahoo]

Wahoo’s Big Board

 

1. PF Roger Stewart 6-8 22 [Tulane] - 86

 

Stewart is clearly the most talented in this draft class. While he lacks some touch in the paint, he still was a consistent scorer and averaged 16.2 PPG (9th overall). His rebounding and defense mean he has an impact on both sides of the floor. Stewart was 5th in RPG (7.9) and SPG (1.8). Don’t forget that he can also dish the ball to teammates, averaging 4.3 APG (8th). With a good amount of potential, Rod “The God” Stewart is a do-it-all player that will be a star for years to come.

 

2. SF Raymond Rivera 6-5 22 [Tennessee] - 84

 

Raymond Rivera comes in just under Stewart and could be the #1 pick in any other year. Rivera was an absolute stud in college, leading the country in scoring at 18.4 PPG. Rivera also racked up 7.3 RPG (11th), 3.9 APG (13th), and 1.8 SPG (2nd). Opposite of Stewart, Rivera has a deadly 3-point shot (47.7%) but could improve on his finishing in the lane. Scouts think Stewart is more talented on the boards and could develop more, dropping Rivera to second here.

 

3. SG Benjamin Morris 6-3 22 [south Dakota St.] - 82

 

After the top 2 prospects, there are many players who are close together in skill. Some may be surprised that Benjamin Morris fills my 3rd spot with so many other talented players having great college seasons. While Morris did not light up the scoreboard (12.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.2 APG), he shows lots of offensive skill both behind and inside the arc. Morris’ stats were hindered by an extremely talented South Dakota St. team that spread the ball around between Kevin Diaz, Donnie Morrison, Tyrell Woolridge, and Morris. Both Diaz and Woolridge will be drafted, while Morrison is returning to South Dakota St. What sets Morris apart from other prospects in this area is his work ethic and ability to improve. Scouts love his potential, and Morris could close the skill gap to Stewart and Rivera in just a few seasons.

 

4. PF Jose Foster 6-5 22 [sMU] - 83

 

The Wooden Award winner slides down to 4th, but I wouldn’t be surprised if his name is called in any of the top 3 spots on Draft Day. Foster was the only player to average a double-double, putting up 16.5 PPG (8th) and 11.4 RPG (1st). Foster put on a rebounding clinic and finished the season averaging 3 rebounds per game more than the next closest player, Roger Turner. Foster can be relied on to score and rebound, but falls a little short on the other aspects of his game. He is still a threat whenever he is on the floor and can be an impact piece immediately.

 

5. SF Moises Farr 6-7 22 [Portland] - 81

6. PG Francis Doyle 6-2 22 [saint Mary's] - 82

 

I went back and forth on Farr and Doyle as they will excel in different ways. Farr will fit in well with any team that wants to play a 3-point heavy game. Farr can improve on his interior scoring, but is solid in all other areas. Doyle will be a good fit for any team that wants to run a balanced offense due to his ability to score in a variety of ways. A big downside to Doyle is his effort on the defensive side of the ball. That, in combination with Farr’s potential, has me slot Doyle behind Portland’s star.

 

7. C Fred Andrews 6-9 20 [saint Mary's] - 80

 

Fred Andrews would be a great selection anywhere after pick 2 due to his age. Andrews will have a full 2 years more than the players above him to develop. I slot him in at 7 due to the proven skill and consistency from the players above him, but Andrews will be a steal if he falls anywhere lower than 7.

 

8. SG Darin Bowman 6-4 22 [Air Force] - 78

 

This will serve as a surprise for some, but Darin Bowman is the only player in the entire draft class that scouts rated as A+ potential. In the long run, this will prove to be a big difference maker and earns Bowman a bump up of quite a few spots. Bowman is still talented as it is and boasts a great 3-point shot and passing ability. With some improvements to his rebounding and defense, Bowman will grow into a top starter and eventually a star.

 

9. SF Kevin Diaz 6-6 22 [south Dakota St.] - 80

10. PF Harold Walker 6-6 22 [New Mexico] - 80

11. SF Jordan Bridges 6-5 22 [Memphis] - 80

 

This group of players is very similar and any one of these individuals could be in the top 10. I have Diaz ahead of the others due to being the most balanced scorer. Walker won’t score as many points but will do everything else you need him to. Bridges has slightly lower potential than the others which knocks him to the bottom of this grouping, but his dagger 3-pointer could see him go higher to a team that values jump shooting.

 

12. SF Dennis Hall 6-6 22 [Colorado] - 79

 

Dennis Hall just lost out on the scoring title to Raymond Rivera but averaged 18.2 PPG. He was an efficient scorer despite posting a lower-than-expected 3P%. I put this down to an unlucky year as his free throw percentage shows that he is a consistent shooter.

 

13. PG Arthur Smith 6-4 22 [sMU] - 77

 

Arthur Smith wasn’t the biggest name in college, but he was the feeder of Jose Foster. Leading SMU in assists with 4.0 per game, Smith also added on 11.9 PPG despite Foster being the focus of the offense. Scouts are high on Smith’s growth potential which boosts him up my big board.

 

14. C Roger Turner 6-9 22 [uMBC] - 78

 

Roger Turner finished 2nd in RPG (8.4) behind the aforementioned Jose Foster and was also UMBC’s leading scorer (14.0 PPG). Turner is great around the rim and also protecting it, but don’t expect him to wow you with an outside shot. Turner will be a strong, traditional center to build a future around.

 

15. SF Ryan Wilson 6-5 22 [Georgetown] - 78

 

Ryan Wilson can drop a bucket and a dime from anywhere on the court, but is not a strong rebounder or defender. He led a balanced Georgetown offense and can provide solid production off the bench immediately.

 

16. SG Martin Bailey 6-4 22 [iowa St.] - 77

 

Bailey is a sharpshooter that can also provide an individual threat. He struggled in efficiency his senior season, but scouts are high on his potential to score from behind the arc in the NBA and become a better all-around player.

 

17. PG Ali Bunnell 6-1 21 [Louisville] - 77

18. SF Johnny Hall 6-6 22 [Colorado] - 77

19. SF Jesse Rodriguez 6-5 22 [Colorado St.] - 77

20. PG Thomas Williams 6-2 22 [san Diego] - 77

 

I view these players as largely interchangeable. Bunnell gets bonus points for being a year younger than the rest and being the best scorer of the bunch (14.9 PPG). I loved Johnny Hall’s college production despite having the nation’s 2nd leading scorer (Dennis Hall) on his team. I prefer Rodriguez’s skillset over that of Thomas Williams, but Williams may develop into a better player.

 

21. PG Devin Houston 6-4 20 [st. Bonaventure] - 73

 

Houston was a standout sophomore and his youth gets him past many more experienced players. Scouts see a good amount of potential to improve his rebounding and defense, but Houston is already an effective scorer (13.1 PPG). Houston will be a league-leading point guard if he is given time.

 

22. C Lawrence Baker 6-10 21 [st. Bonaventure] - 75

 

Lawrence Baker is a swiss army knife on the floor. This means that he can fit into any lineup and provide value. He is also an early declaration which gives him more time to develop. Baker was the natural leader on St. Bonaventure’s squad despite his age, averaging 15.8 PPG and 7.8 RPG.

 

23. SF Stephen Bryant 6-5 22 [Western Michigan] - 76

24. PF Thomas Goodman 6-6 22 [uC Irvine] - 76

 

Bryant and Goodman are both solid scorers that prefer to take a jumpshot. They excel in defense and rebounding and will already be good role players as they start their careers.

 

25. C Len Shultz 6-9 21 [Tulane] - 76

 

I struggled with where to place Len Shultz. On one hand, he is a young player with decent potential. On the other hand, he is a one-dimensional scorer. He will be lockdown on defense but will struggle in other aspects of the game. Shultz was a bit of a surprise early declaration but I expect him to go in the first round.

 

26. SG Mark Ross 6-3 22 [Kansas] - 74

27. SG Victor Adams 6-1 22 [Wisconsin] - 74

 

Ross and Adams both provide a punch from behind the arc. Ross is the better pure scorer and has higher potential. Both are excellent on the ball.

 

28. SG Frank Ward 6-1 22 [st. Bonaventure] - 73

29. SF Ronald Lucas 6-5 22 [Purdue] - 73

 

Frank Ward and Ronald Lucas can score however you ask them to. This flexibility can be valuable to teams that aren’t committed to one style of offense.

 

30. PG Rich Velasquez 6-4 22 [uC Irvine] - 73

31. PG Darin Quinn 6-1 22 [Omaha] - 73

 

Velasquez and Quinn provide all-around play aside from defensive struggles. However, for a team late in the first round that needs an offensive guard, these are both good options.

 

32. PG Earl Diaz 5-11 20 [san Diego] - 70

 

Earl Diaz sneaks into the first round due to only being 20 years old. If he stays on a normal development path, those 2 extra years will provide the tuning he needs to become a starter on any team in the league.

 

33. PF Steve Henderson 6-6 22 [Wisconsin] - 71

34. SF Reid Beltran 6-6 22 [West Virginia] - 73

35. SG Shawn Johnson 6-2 22 [Georgetown] - 72

36. SG Scot Wilde 6-3 20 [south Dakota St.] - 69

37. PG Lynwood Funk 6-4 22 [Wichita St.] - 72

38. SG Irwin Trimble 6-3 21 [Western Michigan] - 69

39. SG Edgar Hardy 6-4 21 [Washington St.] - 69

40. C Erick Mclaughlin 6-9 21 [West Virginia] - 72

41. SG Tyrell Wooldridge 6-4 22 [south Dakota St.] - 70

42. PF Demarcus Haller 6-5 21 [Colorado] - 72

43. SF Keith Sanchez 6-7 22 [Tennessee] - 70

44. PG Ronald Hill 5-11 22 [Kansas] - 70

45. C Antione Blythe 6-10 22 [Oregon] - 70

46. SG Andy Rhodes 5-11 21 [Louisville] - 68

47. C Jere Winkler 6-9 22 [Washington St.] - 69

48. PF Larry Griffin 6-6 22 [Colorado St.] - 68

49. PF Gene Cortez 6-6 22 [Air Force] - 73

50. PF Kenneth Thomas 6-8 22 [Purdue] - 67

51. PG Bernie Bonds 6-4 22 [Oregon] - 68

52. PG Jeremy Kelly 6-4 22 [Tennessee] - 67

53. SF Daniel Martin 6-5 22 [Air Force] - 67

54. C Mark Bennett 6-9 22 [New Mexico] - 69

55. PF Frank Patterson 6-6 20 [Oregon] - 68

56. PG Johnathan Sullivan 6-0 21 [Memphis] - 69

57. SG Val Spradlin 6-3 22 [seattle] - 65

58. C Ernest Phillips 6-10 22 [Oregon] - 66

59. SF Cleo Clifford 6-6 22 [seattle] - 66

60. SF Moses Garcia 6-6 22 [Wichita St.] - 66

61. PG Alejandro Ballard 5-11 22 [Wichita St.] - 68

62. PG Raleigh Venable 6-3 22 [Florida Gulf Coast] - 65

63. SF Issac Burge 6-5 22 [seattle] - 67

64. PG Rocco Thornhill 5-7 20 [Wichita St.] - 67

 

65. SG Willie Foster 6-1 22 [Washington St.] - 69

66. PG Guillermo Marsh 6-3 22 [VCU] - 64

67. SF Craig Simmons 6-5 22 [st. Bonaventure] - 67

68. SG Nigel Geary 6-3 22 [Georgetown] - 63

69. PG Michael Stewart 6-2 22 [VCU] - 63

70. PG William Green 6-4 22 [Tulane] - 64

71. SG Carson Sylvester 6-3 22 [san Diego] - 63

72. C Barton Caraballo 6-11 22 [Portland] - 65

73. PF Travis Willis 6-8 22 [saint Mary's] - 64

74. SF Anton Thorpe 6-8 22 [Florida Gulf Coast] - 63

75. SF Johnny Young 6-6 22 [Tulane] - 65

76. C Jeremy Foster 6-9 22 [Louisville] - 65

77. PG Clement Proctor 6-4 22 [New Mexico] - 63

78. PG Samual Shank 6-2 22 [uMBC] - 63

79. C Joshua Watson 6-9 22 [VCU] - 64

80. PF Todd Edwards 6-7 22 [Western Michigan] - 63

81. SF Gabriel Glover 6-6 22 [Louisville] - 64

82. PG Steve Dunn 5-6 22 [Colorado] - 62

 

What did I get right? What did I get wrong?? Let's debate!

Edited July 19, 2021 by Wahoo

[SageBow]

Love it! Excellent article!

 

Cool to see your thoughts on the Top-5. Moise Farr sneaking in over Francis Doyle is super interesting to me. I think he'll be a great player, will be fun to see where those two land.

[Bingo415]

My eyes went right down to #21 due to draft position, and to see PG Devin Houston there baffles me. He's a solid player, but really projects as a much more of 2nd round guy, I think.

[subsequent]

I'm still miffed at how low Goodman was rated, but I think the dude is going to be a real solid player. Maybe not a world beater, but any team that picks him up will be very happy.

[Migi]

Interesting to have Foster in 4th, while many have him as the #2 prospect after Stewart. I think Doyle should be 5th.

 

That 25-30 range is interesting for future development/depth pieces ?

[cricket]

I think you've rated potential, in general, higher than I did on my lists. That might be the right call, but I haven't seen enough to really know!