NBA Draft 2021: Cade Cunningham clear No. 1 pick in way-too-early mock draft

Day’Ron Sharpe is the prototypical UNC bigman, offering everything that coach Roy Williams wants in his frontcourt players. He lives at the basket as a rim-runner and putback scorer, shoves children into lockers to grab offensive boards, plays with impressive physicality and passion, and plays a team-friendly style on both offense and defense.

But he’s capable of much more than that, standing as one of the best passers in the freshman class — yes, even as a center — while churning out reads with zero processing delay. He needs to shoot and to actually be 6’11 like he’s listed at, but bigs who can dribble, pass, defend, and maybe shoot are NBA players. He needs to steal the starting gig to have a shot at going one and done, but he’s easily worth a pick in the 20-45 range if he leaves after a year.

Badji is quite rough on the offensive end — he only hit 42.9 percent of his free throws across 29 games with FC Barcelona’s second team last year — but at 7’1 with a 7’8 wingspan and 9’10 standing reach (!!!), the Senegalese center’s physical tools are too special to ignore. Considering he just turned 18 last month and is still pretty raw, landing in a development-focused organization could help him reach his upside as an imposing rim protector.

One of the more unheralded players to pull out of the 2020 draft, Michigan State wing Aaron Henry figures to build off of a solid sophomore campaign (10.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists) this year, perhaps with a larger role following the exits of Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman Sr.

Playoff teams picking in the 20-40 range could view the 6’6 wing as an immediate contributor, due to his strength and quickness defending the point of attack, gradually improving perimeter shot, and sound decision-making when attacking closeouts.