This NBA Mock Draft will feature the newly announced lottery order. From the Washington Wizards to the Charlotte Hornets, here’s an NBA mock draft of picks 1-14.
The Wizards got the luck of the draw in the lottery, earning the number one overall selection. There’s really only one pick here if they don’t overthink it: AJ Dybantsa is the guy. An athlete in every sense, he is a pure scorer who can do everything on a basketball court. Adding him to the Wizards would make them an incredibly intriguing team next season with Trae Young and Anthony Davis.
Darryn Peterson may have the most talent in the draft, but the health concerns at Kansas has stalled his draft stock. A backcourt of Keynote George and Peterson would be one of the best in the NBA for the next decade. A perfect combination of playmaking, scoring, and defense would make Utah a fun team to watch for a long time.
Cam Boozer is the third man in this draft class’s big three, but that doesn’t say anything bad about the player. In other years, he could be in conversations for the number one overall pick. He is a big-bodied forward who has shown improvement in knocking down perimeter jump shots. Adding him next to a young core of Jaylen Wells, Cedric Coward, and Zach Edey would form a strong nucleus for the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Chicago Bulls finally got lucky in the lottery. They jumped from pick nine all the way into the top four, securing Caleb Wilson. A potential franchise-changing player in a big market is just what the NBA needed, and that’s what happened in Chicago. Wilson is a freakish athlete who defends and rebounds at an elite level, all while showing upside as a scorer.
The Los Angeles Clippers received this pick in the Ivica Zubac trade with the Indiana Pacers. This was the highest possible slot for the Clippers, as if it were top four, it would be retained by the Pacers. Nate Ament is an interesting prospect, with his range going from pick five to possibly out of the lottery. He’s a versatile forward who has great shotmaking upside. The Clippers drafting a guard doesn’t make a ton of sense with Darius Garland locked up for the foreseeable future.
Darius Acuff Jr had an awesome season at Arkansas, skyrocketing him up draft boards. The Brooklyn Nets would be getting a trustworthy guard who can turn into a great NBA player. He can play both ends of the floor, but more importantly for Brooklyn, he brings talent. With a team like the Nets, that’s what they need at this stage of their rebuild.
The Sacramento Kings lack any true assets to build their future on. Mikel Brown Jr. would give them a guard with elite scoring upside and an actual piece to start their rebuild with. This would finally be a step in the right direction in Sacramento.
Keaton Wagler is a 6’6 point guard who has the ability to play both guard spots. He averaged 18/5/4 during his freshman season at Illinois, which also featured a final four appearance. The Atlanta Hawks would essentially replace Trae Young with a bigger and more athletic guard of the future.
Kingston Flemings would be a perfect fit on the Dallas Mavericks. He could be mentored by Kyrie Irving and set up to be the long-term running mate for Cooper Flagg. Flemings is a true point guard who has high upside as a playmaker. If he can get his jumpshot to stick (38% last season), he would be a big part of Dallas’ future.
The Milwaukee Bucks have a very interesting offseason coming up, mainly because of the uncertain future regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. Karim Lopez is the best international player in this NBA mock draft. He projects as a versatile forward with potential to be a good all-around player.
Brayden Burries is a two-way player who would fit next to Steph Curry perfectly. He can play with or without the ball and is an efficient shooter. He could be the Golden State Warriors guard long after Curry calls it a career.
Yaxel Lendeborg is the oldest player in this NBA draft class, but that wouldn’t affect a contending team’s mind. He immediately comes in and jumps into the Oklahoma City Thunder’s rotation.
Morez Johnson Jr is perhaps the best athlete in the class, and he showed that off at the draft combine. He was towards the top in all testing and measurables. He’s a proven winner and dynamic forward who, if the jumpshot is consistent, has no true weakness.
Dailyn Swain is one of the better defenders in this year’s group. A versatile wing who would fit perfectly on the offensive-heavy Hornets. His height was measured in at lower than his listed 6’7, but the tape doesn’t lie. Lamelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and Swain are a fantastic group of players to lead the Hornets into the future.
The NBA Draft is still a ways away, but it’s never too early for some predictions. Stay on the lookout for a full first-round StadiumRant NBA mock draft before the draft takes place.
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