NBA Draft 2021: Updated mock 1st Round draft as deadline approaches

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 12: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys controls the ball as Davion Mitchell #45 of the Baylor Bears defends during the Big 12 basketball tournament semifinal game at the T-Mobile Center on March 12, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

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NBA Draft Jalen Suggs Gonzaga Bulldogs (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

The NBA Draft is still pushed back later than normal this year due to COVID-19. This year’s draft will be held in July instead of June. As the NBA season will end in July as well. This means the draft will be held before free agency which will affect what some teams will do for next season.

The 2021 class is headlined by Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham, USC’s Evan Mobley, Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs, and Jalen Green who spent this year playing in the G-league.

There are multiple teams who will be in contention for the picks. As the Timberwolves who took Anthony Edwards last year with the first pick, have been plagued by injuries and are tied with Houston for the worst record in the league. Houston who traded franchise player James Harden earlier this year has also had injury issues this year. We have Detroit who has just been bad this year and then there’s Orlando who had a fire sale as the trade deadline stripping down their roster.

These teams are all three games within each other for the worst record in the league. And with the season far from over a lot could change standings-wise. For this mock draft, the lottery gave the Minnesota Timberwolves the first pick in the draft for the second consecutive year.

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