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Jalen Green, Cade Cunningham top Jason McIntyre's NBA Mock Draft 1.0

Updated Jul. 20, 2021 6:28 p.m. ET

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By Jason McIntyre
FOX Sports Betting Analyst

The NFL Draft is fast approaching, but the NBA's will arrive before you know it.

With the NBA All-Star Game marking the midway point of the season and college basketball set for March Madness, it’s the perfect time for our first NBA Mock Draft of the year.

This draft is much stronger at the top than the 2020 draft, with a trio of college freshmen and two players who bypassed college for the G-League in the mix to be the No. 1 pick. Any one of them could have gone first in last year's draft.

Let’s dive in. 

1. Minnesota Timberwolves – Jalen Green, combo, G League Ignite

An elite athlete, Green has thrived in the G-League (17.9 PPG) against tougher competition than Cade Cunningham has faced. Remember, LaMelo Ball faced grown men in the NBL, didn’t put up great numbers and was totally prepared for the NBA. Green is already a better shooter than Ball (36% on 3s), and he’s capable of leading the NBA in scoring one day. Green reminds me of a young Clyde Drexler in the open floor: long and lean and hyper-aggressive attacking the basket. 

2. Detroit Pistons – Cade Cunningham, combo, Oklahoma State

A 6-foot-8 point-forward who can score at all three levels and create? This would put Cunningham’s ceiling at Ben Simmons or Luka Doncic, and I expect him to make a few All-NBA teams. I have Cunningham a notch behind Green because Green has a big edge being able to take anyone off the dribble and create with ease. Cunningham is a more polished all-around player, and along with Jerami Grant, he would be fantastic foundational pieces for the Pistons.

3. Houston Rockets – Evan Mobley, center, USC 

The Rockets are a blank slate. Current starters Victor Oladipo and PJ Tucker will be gone soon or this summer. Christian Wood and John Wall are the only ones guaranteed to return next season. Mobley (61% on 2-pointers) is a better pro prospect than James Wiseman, whom Mobley outplayed head-to-head in a 2019 meeting. From body frame to shot-blocking ability, I see some Kevin Garnett in Mobley’s game, minus the vocal tenacity. 

4. Orlando Magic – Jalen Suggs, combo, Gonzaga

The best player on the best team in college basketball, Suggs defensively reminds me of Eric Bledsoe. He’s 43rd in the country in steal percentage (3.8%). Suggs shoots 58% on 2-pointers – Cunningham is at just 47%, but with a vastly inferior supporting cast – but averages just one made 3 per game. Suggs played varsity basketball as an eighth-grader, averaging 17 points per game, and led his team to three straight state titles before COVID-19 cut short his quest for fourth.

5. Sacramento Kings – Jonathan Kuminga, wing, G League Ignite

A tantalizing prospect who doesn’t turn 19 until October, Kuminga came to the US from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2016. He’s a ridiculous athlete with massive upside, but he’s a year or two away from being a real offensive factor. In the G League, he isn't shooting well from 3 (24%) or the foul line (62%). He’s fluid handling the ball and has great vision as a point-forward, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he emerged as the best player from this draft. Best case scenario, he becomes Paul George, an All-NBA player.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers – Ziaire Williams, wing/forward, Stanford

The Cavs are set in the backcourt and stole their center for the future, Jarrett Allen, in the James Harden trade. Small forward is a gaping hole, though, and as rough a rookie year as Isaac Okoro has had – 31st of 34 rookies in PER – Williams could make the job his very quickly. Williams scored 19 points vs. Alabama in his first college game but has struggled the past month since missing four games because of a "personal matter." His length and skill set harken to another smooth Stanford wing in Josh Childress.

7. Washington Wizards – Scottie Barnes, wing/forward, Florida State

He’s playing only 24 minutes a game, and he has made just one 3-pointer in the past six weeks, but the advanced stats speak kindly to Barnes' impact with the Seminoles. He’s 43rd in the country in assist rate and 72nd in steal percentage. Both translate well to the NBA. He’s hitting 53% of his 2-pointers but just 56% of his free throws. A plus defender, he’ll need to get in the gym and hone his offensive skills to reach his NBA ceiling, which might be Jimmy Butler.

8. New Orleans Pelicans – Ayo Dosunmu, combo, Illinois

There was talk about Dosunmu leaving school after his freshman year to turn pro, but offensive questions lingered. Remember how Buddy Hield made the massive offensive leap during his senior season at Oklahoma and vaulted into the top 10? That’s what Dosunmu is going through now, enjoying career highs in shooting, rebounding, scoring and assists. He reminds of Villanova’s Josh Hart, a player who does everything well, and excels in the unquantifiable "leadership" category.
 

9. Oklahoma City Thunder – Jaden Springer, combo, Tennessee

Several players will be in the mix to chase that sixth spot in the draft after the "Big 5," and Springer is certainly one of them. On a low volume, he’s hitting 46% of 3-pointers, but his 80% from the charity stripe portends good things once he fires more from long range. He’s more active defensively than his teammate Keon Johnson, and offensively, at times, he reminds me of Brandon Roy.

10. Atlanta Hawks – James Bouknight, wing, Connecticut 

A terrific, aggressive offensive player, Bouknight has struggled from deep (30% on 3s), but the rest of his game has tremendous upside. He rebounds extremely well for his size (6-foot-5), and he’s so explosive that I wouldn’t rule out his carrying the Huskies on a deep run in the NCAA Tournament the way Kemba Walker did. Bouknight reminds me of Jordan Clarkson.

11. Indiana Pacers – Keon Johnson, combo, Tennessee

What’s holding him back right now is his woeful shooting (26% on 3-pointers), but offensively, he has some DeMar DeRozan to his game in that he is dominant from the midrange. Some might see Johnson as a TJ Warren-type player, as the Pacers guard came into the NBA barely shooting from deep but developed into a 40% shooter from 3 last season.

12. Chicago Bulls – Josh Giddey, wing, Adelaide 36ers

One of the youngest players to enter the draft, the 18-year old from Melbourne, Australia, seems poised for stardom. He checks all the boxes – inside/outside talent, great floor vision, 6-foot-8 point-forward – and he’s likely going to lead the Australian national team in the Olympics this summer in Tokyo. 

13. Memphis Grizzlies – Jared Butler, guard, Baylor 

Butler had a good sophomore season, but he has made a quantum leap as a junior, becoming one of the best defensive guards in the country and making 44% of his 3-pointers. Chauncey Billups was an elite defensive guard who was an above-average scorer, and Butler is in that mold. Butler is 37th in the country in PER, extremely impressive considering the stat favors big men in college.

14. Golden State Warriors – Chris Duarte, guard, Oregon 

The Warriors are in win-now mode with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson in their early 30s. Duarte, who turns 24 in June, is ready to contribute immediately on the wing. He ranks 23rd nationally in true shooting percentage (66.8%), and he’s 112th in steal percentage (3.3%). His 43% on 3-pointers will come in handy as defenses gravitate toward Thompson and Curry.

15. Toronto Raptors – Franz Wagner, forward, Michigan

The younger brother of Moritz Wagner, who led Michigan to the title game and currently plays for the Wizards, Franz is one of the best prospects in the Big Ten. His brother is a big who can make 3s, and Franz is a skilled wing who just needs a team to believe in his 3-point shooting (31% from 3 last year and 39% this year).

16. Charlotte Hornets – Moses Moody, wing, Arkansas

At 6-foot-6, he’s long and skilled, and he moves the way young Lakers wing Talen Horton-Tucker does. Moody is just scratching the surface, and his shooting potential – 38% on 3s and 82% from the line – gives the whiff of a player who has top-10 potential. 

17. OKC (via Miami Heat) – Cam Thomas, guard, LSU

Thomas is a dynamic scorer who has had the green light all season for the Tigers. He’s scoring 23 points per game, but he’s hitting only 30% of his 3-pointers — or else we’re talking about a top-10 pick. He gets to the rim with ease (50% on 2-pointers) and is money at the foul line (87%), but he’s extremely turnover-prone. At his best, he reminds me of Zach LaVine.

18. New York (via Dallas Mavericks) – Sharife Cooper, guard, Auburn

He has played only 12 games, and he hasn’t shot the ball well – 22% on 3-pointers – but he already has five games of 25-plus points. His counting stats – 20.2 PPG and 8.1 APG — are strong, and he’s relentless attacking the basket. He attempts 8.6 free throws per game. Only two of the top 100 scorers in the country take more than eight FTs per game.

19. Boston Celtics – Greg Brown, forward, Texas

The Celtics are set on the wing, but where they run into problems is against an overwhelming post player such as Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokoummpo. Brown is an athletic, 6-foot-9 big who can step out and hit the 3 (29 3-pointers) while being a shot-blocking presence (128th in the country in block percentage). 

20. New York – Jalen Johnson, forward, Duke

He’ll have to face questions about hopscotching around high schools and then leaving Duke early. And the foot injury. For me, he’s a 6-foot-9 Andre Iguodala – long defensively, smart passer, but the shooting ability (and form) is a concern. In the right organization, Johnson can mature and become a borderline All-Star. In the wrong one, we might see what happened with Kevin Porter in Cleveland.

21. San Antonio Spurs – Neemias Queta, forward, Utah State

Good luck finding the last college basketball player to average 2.5 assists and 2.5 blocks per game. He’s the perfect Spurs big man, as San Antonio looks for bigs to take the spot of 35-year-old LaMarcus Aldridge. Queta is 10th in the country in PER.

22. Denver Nuggets – Josh Christopher, wing, Arizona State

A back injury ended his season prematurely, but assuming it isn't going to require surgery, he’s still a first-round talent. Christopher scored 28 points vs. Villanova in his best performance, but as is the case with other wings in this range, shooting is a question (30% on 3-pointers). 

23. Houston – Corey Kispert, wing/forward, Gonzaga

He’s fifth in the country in true shooting percentage (70%), which is obscene for someone with the volume of shots that he takes. He’s shooting 46% on 3-pointers. What we will hear as the draft draws closer: Is he that good or just surrounded by excellent players? (Answer: Yes.) Can he create his own shot, or is he more in the Duncan Robinson catch-and-shoot mold?

24. Milwaukee Bucks – Isaiah Jackson, forward/center, Kentucky

Brook Lopez has two seasons left, and Antetokounmpo is going to need a rim protector as Lopez ages. Jackson is seventh in the country in block percentage, but he’s a pure big, not a stretch five like Lopez. Jackson is top-100 in offensive and defensive rebound rate – a real throwback center.

25. LA Clippers – Kai Jones, forward/center, Texas

The Clippers went from title favorites before the bubble to a team with glaring holes in 2021. They lack a point guard and a rim protector, and the 6-foot-11 Jones fills the latter void. Jones has grown and added weight to his slender frame, going from a project as a freshman to a first-round pick as a sophomore.

26. Los Angeles Lakers – David Duke, guard, Providence

A sleeper to crack the top 20, Duke has become one of the best floor generals in the Big East, scoring 17.2 PPG, shooting 40% on 3-pointers and ranking 123rd in the country in assist rate. The red flag is his 38% on 2-pointers, far too low for a player of his caliber.

27. Brooklyn Nets – Luka Garza, forward/center, Iowa

This one is a polarizing talent when it comes to NBA projections. Too slow. Couldn’t defend a chair. Garza, who is shooting 45% on 3-pointers this season, projects as a stretch-5 in the pros. He leads the country in offensive rating and is also tops in Player Efficiency Rating. His ceiling is probably Frank Kaminsky’s best year (11.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG) so far in the pros.

28. Philadelphia 76ers – Matthew Mayer, forward, Baylor

Barely playing 15 minutes a night, there’s a chance that Mayer returns to Waco to improve his draft stock, but when you’re shooting 43% from 3 and 55% on 2-pointers, and you remind people of Adam Morrison, you’re going to attract attention. 

29. Phoenix Suns – Daishen Nix, combo, G League Ignite

Nix showed up out of shape to the G League, and the stats aren’t there yet – or even close. He's shooting 17% on 3-pointers, but this is an upside play. The Suns are loaded and legit contenders in the West, so Nix might not be needed for a year or two. Nix was a point guard in high school, but he seems like a combo guard in the pros, with his defense of point guards coming into question. 

30. Utah Jazz – Bennedict Mathurin, wing, Arizona

Remember last year, when Pat Williams shot up draft boards because he was a 3-and-D wing from FSU, despite playing 22 minutes a game and starting zero games? Mathurin plays only 25 minutes a night and has started just 12 games, but from his build (6-foot-7, 195 pounds) to his age (18!) to his shooting (47/41/84), if he enters the draft, he’ll go in the first round.

Jason McIntyre is a FOX Sports gambling analyst, and he also writes about the NFL and NBA Draft. He joined FS1 in 2016 and has appeared on every show on the network. In 2017, McIntyre began producing gambling content on the NFL, college football and NBA for FOX Sports. He had a gambling podcast for FOX, "Coming Up Winners," in 2018 and 2019. Before arriving at FOX, he created the website The Big Lead, which he sold in 2010.

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Jason McIntyre