National Basketball Association

Andy Katz rates the 12 teams that won the 2021 NBA Draft

Updated Jul. 30, 2021 4:08 p.m. ET

By Andy Katz
Special to FOX Sports

The projected top five players for the 2021 NBA Draft all went in the top five.

The only real surprise was Toronto taking Florida State’s Scottie Barnes over Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs, who ended up in Orlando.

The consensus was the draft would really begin with Oklahoma City at No. 6, and it did when the Thunder pulled the first stunner by selecting Australian guard Josh Giddey, who told me Wednesday that he wasn’t even thinking about the NBA a year ago, let alone months ago.

The two biggest surprises in the lottery were the timing of the selections of Stanford’s Ziaire Williams (No. 10 to Memphis) and Alabama’s Joshua Primo (No. 12 to San Antonio). Both players were more than deserving of being lottery picks, but let’s be honest here — no mock drafts had either one as a lock.

So, let’s break down the 2021 draft with the 12 teams that made the best moves.

1. Detroit Pistons: The Pistons couldn’t mess this up. They took Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 pick. He’s a star. He’s mature. He’s ready to play now.

Then in the second round, Detroit grabbed two Big Ten players: Isaiah Livers from Michigan and Luka Garza from Iowa, the latter being the 2021 Wooden and Naismith award winner. Livers has battled injuries, and the jury is still out if he will stick. But don’t sleep on Garza. He has worked hard to be in this position. He has slimmed down, makes 3-pointers now, and has a massive chip on his shoulder. He could even bring back the bruising Pistons if he chooses to play physical in the post.

2. Houston Rockets: The Rockets grabbed Jalen Green with the second pick and might have landed the best prospect in the draft. They’ve got a player who will be a hit on and off the court. And he can step in and do what he did for the G League Ignite team — score.

I also like the picks of Alperen Shengun of Turkey and Usman Garuba of Spain — two players who if they stay in Houston, can add much needed size, versatility and rebounding inside.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs got the unicorn in Evan Mobley out of USC. No one else in the draft is like Mobley. He’s a rim protector and a rebounder. He can put the ball on the floor, and he's a big man who can shoot and drive.

Mobley was a hot commodity who also could end up being the best player in this draft. The Cavs didn’t have to do anything else once they got Mobley.

4. Orlando Magic: The Magic picked up Suggs and Franz Wagner in the lottery. That’s a home-run night. Suggs was the best player on the board at five once Toronto took Barnes. Suggs was Mr. Everything for Gonzaga. He’s a tremendous passer, a player who thrives in the big moment (see the shot to beat UCLA), and he'll find a way to fit in with Cole Anthony, Michael Carter-Williams and R.J. Hampton.

Wagner adds a defensive aspect to the wings. The Michigan forward thrives defending, and he can put the ball on the floor and flourish getting to the basket.

5. Toronto Raptors: The Raptors pulled the first stunner by taking Barnes ahead of Suggs at No. 4. But Barnes is no fluke selection. The Florida State freshman can play all over the floor and defend every spot. He embraced D under Leonard Hamilton, and he’ll fit right in with the Raptors' defensive mentality.

The second-round picks of David Johnson (Louisville) and Dalano Banton (Nebraska) are wait-and-see players, but both have the potential to put points on the board.

6. Sacramento Kings: Davion Mitchell is the ultimate two-way player. He was the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. He was a national champion at Baylor. And the Kings need to boost their defensive posture. Mitchell will embrace the role and be a tremendous teammate. Love this pick.

7. Chicago Bulls: The Bulls didn’t have a first-round pick … but so what? Chicago hit a home run in selecting hometown player Ayo Dosunmu of Illinois at No. 38 in the second round.

The Bulls also took a guard from Chicago in 2008 when they selected Derrick Rose out of Memphis. That turned out well, and this will, too. Dosunmu is a winner, a closer and has earned the right to be an NBA player who thrives in his role.

8. Washington Wizards: Corey Kispert slid down a bit to No. 15. The Wizards told me they were going to take the best available player. Kispert was a natural choice. The Gonzaga forward is a passer, 3-point shooter, and a player who has a high basketball IQ.

Kispert played with Rui Hachimura at Gonzaga and will slide right into being a contributing player on day one.

9. Charlotte Hornets: James Bouknight is a scorer. He’s a shot maker. The Hornets needed someone like Bouknight. The UConn guard continues to prove people wrong, and being selected at No. 11 was lower than he was projected. The Hornets also picked up Kai Jones of Texas at No. 19 — a high-flyer who can finish well above the rim. That’s a quality pair of first-round picks.

10. Brooklyn Nets: The Nets needed another scorer on the perimeter. LSU’s Cameron Thomas was one of the most underrated players in the draft. He’s a big-time scorer. Getting him deep in the first round at No. 27 could end up being a steal of this draft. If the Nets keep their second-round picks in Kessler Edwards (Pepperdine) and Marcus Zegarowski (Creighton), then they’ve added another scoring wing/forward and a playmaker.

11. New York Knicks: The Knicks were movers in the first round, but after all the dealing, they ended up with Quentin Grimes (Houston) and Miles McBride (West Virginia). These two selections give the Knicks a scorer and a defender on the perimeter. That helps a team on the rise.

12. Indiana Pacers: Chris Duarte was a seasoned vet for Oregon last season. Yes, the senior guard played like he had been there for a long time. That’s typical of Dana Altman players. They blossom into experienced finished products. The Pacers have a history of taking veteran college players. Duarte will be the latest in line to deliver on day one.

Andy Katz is a longtime college basketball writer, analyst and host. He can be seen on FOX Sports and Big Ten Network platforms, as well as March Madness and NCAA.com, and he hosts the podcast "March Madness 365." Katz worked at ESPN for nearly two decades and, prior to that, in newspapers for nine years.