2021 NBA Draft: Jared Butler, UCLA’s Chris Smith/Cody Riley entering draft

Moses Wright stays in the draft

This is not a surprise, but Moses Wright made it official that he was remaining in the 2021 draft this past, according to Yellow Jackets head coach Josh Pastner.

“He’s all in,” Pastner told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday. “Moses is going to stay in the draft.”

“I wanted him to have an opportunity to realize his dream, so I’m excited for him,” Pastner said. “We’re going to help him as much as he can. But there was no surprise on this.”

Wright is a very athletic big man who plays hard and has shown improvement each year at Georgia Tech. The 6-9, 233-pound forward is a good scorer in the post, although he also can put the ball on the floor, and runs the floor extremely well. He is an adequate rebounder, an outstanding defender, decent playmaker, and solid shot-blocker.

The 2020-21 ACC Defensive Player of the Year had the best season of his collegiate career, producing 17.4 points to go along with 8.0 rebounds (3.2 offensive), 2.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.6 blocks. He shot 53.2% from the field, 41.4% from the 3-point line, as well as 65.8% from the charity stripe.

While Wright has made his NBA draft decision official, Pastner is still waiting to hear what point guard Jose Alvarado and guard Michael DeVoe will decide what to do.

Prediction: Wright will likely not hear his name called when the draft occurs on July 29. While the 22-year-old is coming off a strong season, he really didn’t become an NBA prospect until this year, and he still has some work to do t prove he is an NBA player.  Low-post defense, athleticism, and work around the rim are his strengths.

Free throw shooting and perimeter shooting are the biggest areas of concern. Wright will likely get a training camp invite and is a strong candidate to earn a two-way deal with an NBA team.