NBA Draft 2021: Cade Cunningham clear No. 1 pick in way-too-early mock draft
By Trevor Marks
118. . Guard. Utah Jazz. Daishen Nix. 18. player
A big-bodied point guard at 6’5, 225 pounds, Daishen Nix plays with incredible flare and freedom as a passer and uses his size and strength well to finish at the basket despite being a so-so athlete. It’ll be interesting to see how effective his driving and playmaking will be on a G League Ignite team that is lacking in perimeter shooting and optimal spacing, so that’ll be a storyline worth monitoring throughout the 2021 NBA Draft cycle.
100. . Wing. Indiana Pacers. Terrence Clarke. 17. player
After reclassifying to the 2020 high school class last fall, Clarke became the latest five-star prospect to commit to John Calipari and Kentucky, forming the No. 1 freshman class in the country. A 6’7 wing out of Brewster Academy (N.H.), Clarke’s status atop recruiting boards is based on his talents as a shot creator and slasher, where his physicality and strength help him power his way through weaker defenders.
It should be noted that he is getting a bit overhyped as an athlete and scorer, based on concerning struggles with efficiency (.409/.264/.680) and shot selection on the EYBL circuit last year. Clarke is talented, but if the shooting and decision-making concerns carry over into his freshman season, don’t be surprised if the 19-year-old slides down draft boards.
player. 66. . Guard. Phoenix Suns. Caleb Love. 16
UNC’s Caleb Love isn’t a natural floor general by any means and wasn’t tasked with handling such a role in high school — 5’9 Rob Martin ran point for CBC instead — but he’s one of the more prolific space creators and pull-up shooters in the class, liable to break an opponent’s ankles before firing from 30 feet.
He might not be a primary, depending on where his decision-making and passing vision end up (they’re currently lackluster), but he’s adept at setting up ball screens to get into his pull-up and is more than comfortable operating without the ball, so his fit in an NBA offense is easy to project. The defense waxes and wanes, but his evident helpside instincts and strong physical tools (he’s a good athlete with a 6’9 wingspan) lend some hope that he won’t be too harmful on that end.