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

Christopher is chaos personified, a player with dazzling highs and obnoxious lows. The shot selection and decision making are as maddening as they are breathtaking, but few 6’5 guards possess his explosiveness and dexterity as a finisher and knack for taking and making difficult jumpers.

On any given possession, Christopher is capable of knifing his way through an entire defense for a high-percentage look at the basket or breaking out a Penny Hardaway stepback while double-covered. Where his efficiency and consistency settle at Arizona State will determine whether teams view him as a starting two-guard or a bench sparkplug, but he should end up anywhere in the 15-35 range.

Strangely enough, a 6’5, 231-pound wing with a reported 41-inch vertical leap, 6’11 wingspan, potent shooting projection (38.0 3P% and 76.8 FT% as a sophomore), and well-rounded, two-way skill set didn’t gain enough traction to keep his name in the 2020 draft.

Perhaps the most underrated returner, Florida junior Keyontae Johnson has a place in the NBA as a physical 3-and-D wing and should have the opportunity to prove as such with Kerry Blackshear Jr. (graduated) and Andrew Nembhard (transferred) no longer with the program.

Kentucky freshman Isaiah Jackson is an athletic marvel at a lean 6’10, 205 pounds. He is, for a lack of a better word, hyperathletic. As in, he can dunk from the free throw line and throw in a casual windmill for good measure. Functional, impactful athleticism isn’t measured in highlight dunks and awe-inspiring acrobats, but the defensive upside of a slender forward who moves gracefully and gets off the floor instantaneously makes him worthy of a selection in the 15-30 range.

Factor in the bizarre offensive flashes — kickout passing, open-court handling, and perimeter shooting — and the 18-year-old is a very, very interesting target in the first round.