NBA Draft 2021: Final Big Board of top 60 prospects before draft night
46. Aaron Henry – Michigan State
Junior – 6’6, 210 lbs – August 1999
Defense is where Henry will bring the most value. He should be able to defend 1-3 with his combination of strength, quickness, and natural instincts. He graded out well analytically with a block rate of 4.1 and steal rate of 2.4 He did improve from an offensive production standpoint last season, but the jump-shot remains a large concern. On similar volume, he dropped 5 percent this season to 29%. The mechanics are wonky. It’s a slow, lefty, set-shot with weird wrist action and a low release. He does have some useful skills like his strength, leaping ability, and ambidextrous finishing ability.
https://mobile.twitter.com/BrandonSimberg/status/1364371311343067137
Henry’s positive ancillary skills will only be useful if he can create gravity as a shooter. But with three years of evidence that the shooting is suboptimal, I’m not buying he becomes a shooter. There’s enough of a floor with the defense to have faith he’ll find a role, but the offensive concerns would make me cautious about using a first-round pick on him.
47. Charles Bassey – Western Kentucky
Junior – 6’11, 235 lbs – October 2000
An old-school big, Bassey overwhelmed Conference USA opponents with his sheer size. He’s a good finisher inside, although I’m curious to see how it translates against NBA bigs. He’s not an elite athlete, making it hard to picture him in the lob-threat mold. While he’s a one-position defender, Bassey should be able to bang with fives and offer some semblance of rim protection,
Without elite movement skills or a reliable jumper, Bassey’s upside is capped. But for teams looking to patch up holes on their bench, he can get you minutes at the five.
48. Daishen Nix – G League Ignite
6’4, 225 lbs – February 2002
Nix struggled with the aftereffects of COVID, looking out of shape in the G-League bubble. A bigger guard, his lack of footspeed, and a jumper made it hard for him to create advantages. Those struggles continued at the combine. Nix does have an NBA-level feel and is a creative passer with his size. Those angles just might not be there without the quickness. If he shoots, then Nix becomes a different player. But it’s hard to project that level of shooting or at least being a good enough shooter to create a ton of gravity.
https://mobile.twitter.com/BrandonSimberg/status/1282872958118232066
49. Herb Jones- Alabama
Senior – 6’8, 210 lbs – October 1998
The reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Jones is a hard-nosed dude who makes winning plays. He played a large chunk of his season with a broken hand. Offensively, he’s good at a few things but not great at any one. His shooting got better his last season, but it’s not quite passable. He’s a good passer on designed reads, but I’m unsure of the level he can read defenders at on the fly.
He’ll be able to guard multiple positions. It’s just his offensive role that is in question. Put in in the right system (next to a stretch five), then there are ways to optimize Jones’ unique skill set. He’s close to being a finished product, but he’s such a warrior I wouldn’t bet against him making it.
50. Filip Petrusev – Mega Basket (Serbia)
6’11, 235 lbs – April 2000
A known commodity at Gonzaga, Petrusev played overseas for a year and helped himself by showing an improved jumper. He’s a good post player, with creative footwork and soft touch. He projects more as a stretch five though, given his lack of athleticism. Defense will be the battle for Petrusev. I question his toughness a bit when it comes to banging with fives and his lack of footspeed will hurt him on the perimeter on switches. Teams looking for an offensive-orientated five should have interest, but his ceiling isn’t that high. He’s another player who may just be better suited for overseas.