NBA Draft 2021: Final Big Board of top 60 prospects before draft night

31. Sharife Cooper – Auburn

Freshman – 6’1, 180 lbs – June 2001

Cooper played just 12 games in the middle of the season, but they are a fascinating look into a player with so many highs and lows. There’s an argument that he gets into the paint better than anybody in this class. He’s got an elite first step with his dribble and an insane change of pace dribble. When he gets into the paint, he’s masterful at reading and manipulating defenders. He found passing windows that seem almost impossible and was a pretty good finisher despite his size.

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The size is a huge deterrent and I’m skeptical that those windows and that ability to manipulate will be there with bigger defenders. His jumper is also a major concern. He shot 13-57 (22.8%) from deep. His form is correctable (he leans too far back on his shot) but he did shoot free throws proficiently and has soft touch.

If Cooper can’t shoot, teams will go under on screens, increasing the level of difficulty on his drives. But if Cooper does shoot, he’ll have much more space to use his gifts. His size will limit his two-way impact, likely making him a backup guard. However, there’s potential to be a high-end reserve.

32. Quentin Grimes – Houston

Junior – 6’5, 210 lbs – May 2000

Despite a steady, productive season for a Final Four team, Grimes flew under the radar as a prospect. He then was one of the best players at the combine, solidifying himself as a top-35 prospect.

Grimes projects cleanly as a three-and-D wing. He’s a tad undersized but has the body and athleticism to play the two or three. After two uninspiring shooting seasons, Grimes scorched the nets, shooting over 40% from deep on an impressive 8.3 attempts. He’s solid at attacking closeouts and has taken strides as a defender. Grimes should survive in the league as a two-way wing, but he’s probably not elite enough at any one thing to be a plus role player.

33. Jason Preston – Ohio

Junior – 6’4, 185 lbs – August 1999

Despite seeing Preston play well live in November, I was initially hesitant to shoot him up my board. But his impressive showing at the combine, on heels of a good showing at the NCAA Tournament, helped me envision Preston’s role in the league.

https://mobile.twitter.com/BrandonSimberg/status/1406010597251104769

He’s an angular guard, who lacks elite footspeed, but uses a smart understanding of angles to get to his spots. He’s one of the best passers in this class, with a variety of ways to hit passing windows. He reads weakside defenders well in the pick-and-roll. Preston needs to add strength, but he’s never been with an elite strength coach.

Preston will get bumped off his spot early in his career, but as he improves strength and pull-up shooting, he’ll have some equity as a lead ball-handler. His size, shooting potential, and passing make him an intriguing gamble.

34. Ziaire Williams – Stanford

Freshman – 6’9, 185 lbs – September 2001

Williams struggled in his lone college season. He dealt with some COVID issues, as well as a disjointed team. But as a player, he struggled to make a huge impact. Williams was billed as one of the best shooters in the class, and while he had flashes of pull-up shooting, he shot an underwhelming 29% from deep. He has some equity as a passer, but struggled to get downhill and open up said passing lanes. His lack of strength was apparent at the college level and made things more challenging.

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Defensively, Williams is a plus lateral mover, with good instincts. But, the lack of strength reared its ugly head, especially in screen navigation. Williams has moments of brilliance, is skilled, and is still very young, but there needs to be a lot of development across his game for it to work. It’s plausible he’s one of the 15 best players in this class, but it’s also plausible he is never able to stick in a rotation, making him a high-risk swing.

35. Ayo Dosunmu – Illinois

Junior – 6’4, 200 lbs – January 2000

Dosunmu has taken noticeable strides in the past three seasons, en route to becoming one of the most productive guards in college basketball. His passing took a jump, going from 3.3 assists per game in his first two seasons to 5.3. He makes reads better, particularly in pick-and-roll. His handle has improved, but Dosunmu still needs to improve at beating guys in one on one scenarios.

https://mobile.twitter.com/BrandonSimberg/status/1358154036214644738

While his three-point percentage skyrocketed to 39% this past season, the volume is way down. His jumper mechanics have gotten significantly better compared to his high school days, but they still look rigid. He’ll have to shoot it at a high enough volume to warrant legitimate defensive attention.

Dosunmu is a weird tweener guard, where I’m not sure what role he’s best suited for. Nonetheless, overlooking his production and continued growth would be silly and that’s clearly a positive trend. He’s a high-character kid who lives in the gym and should continue to improve his game. With his strong frame and size, that all tied together says “NBA player”. I’m just not sure in what capacity.