NBA Draft 2021: Cade Cunningham clear No. 1 pick in way-too-early mock draft
By Trevor Marks
Roko Prkačin. 15. player. 125. . Forward. Atlanta Hawks
One of the youngest players eligible to get drafted next year (he doesn’t turn 19 until next November), Croatian forward Roko Prkačin is an athletic big wing (6’9) with adventurous passing vision, advanced cutting instincts, and good defense on and off the ball.
The shot is an absolute mess at this juncture — the release is inconsistent and the wrist flexion is hideous — but he’s young and gifted enough to bet on him figuring it out eventually, at least to an extent where his overall goodness outweighs his struggles from beyond the arc.
. Guard. New Orleans Pelicans. Jaden Springer. 14. player. 69
One of two five-star guards set to suit up for Greg Barnes’ Tennessee Volunteers this year, Jaden Springer has seemingly flown under the radar as an elite point-of-attack defender — the 6’4 guard was one of the few defenders to give Cade Cunningham fits at the prep level with his strong, stocky frame and special mirroring ability — and tough shot-maker on pull-ups and forceful drives.
Springer is clearly a combo at this point, liable to miss passing reads and overly fond of mid-range jumpers from the foul line, but he possesses real upside as a secondary creator and should be positioned much higher than the 20s and 30s on mainstream mocks.
13. player. 211. . Wing. Memphis Grizzlies. Moses Moody
Moody may have been relegated to spot-up duties on a stacked Montverde Academy team that featured Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes, but he shouldn’t be overlooked as a legitimate lottery prospect heading into the 2020-21 college season.
Moody fits the billing as a 3-and-D wing, both in his physique — he’s 6’6 with a remarkable 7’0 wingspan — and track record on offense and defense. He’s tenacious at the point of attack, swarms passing lanes as a help defender, and feasted as a spot shooter at Montverde.
He’s much more than a complementary piece, though, evidenced by his effectiveness as an on-ball creator and pull-up shooter (73rd percentile) on the Nike circuit in 2019. Arkansas is a perfect college program to showcase his talents, enough so that the 18-year-old could vault into the top-ten of next year’s draft.