Final 2021 NBA Mock Draft: Full First-Round Projections

2021 NBA Mock Draft
NBA Analysis Network
Keon Johnson, Tennessee Volunteers, 2021 NBA Draft
Albert Cesare/IndyStar via USA TODAY Sports

#16 Oklahoma City Thunder – G Keon Johnson – Tennessee

The Thunder not only own the No. 6 pick in the draft, but they also own this No. 16 pick and the No. 18 pick. They are most definitely going to look to trade at least one of these picks and they could very well look to trade this one, but I have them taking Keon Johnson from Tennessee here, a lottery-projected player who has seemed to fall a bit in draft talks. 

The Pelicans with the No. 17 pick now are a team who has been linked to Johnson and have shown interest in him, which is another reason why Oklahoma City and GM Sam Presti could be motivated to select Keon Johnson here. 

They did take James Bouknight earlier in this mock draft at the shooting guard position, so they may not look to go back-to-back shooting guards, but Keon Johnson is an extremely athletic and young player who set a new max vertical leap record at the combine with a 48 inch jump. 

Keon Johnson flies way above rims and is explosive as they come from the perimeter to the paint, which is why Oklahoma City could gamble on him. Johnson is one of my biggest “boom or bust” guys in this year’s draft and at 19-years-old, he has plenty of room to still grow. 

READ MORE: NBA Rumors: 3 trade scenarios we’d like to see during 2021 NBA Draft

#17 New Orleans Pelicans – F Corey Kispert – Gonzaga

One of the nation’s best players this past year in college basketball was Corey Kispert and while he has been projected to be a lottery-pick for some time now, he has been overtaken by other guys like Duarte and Murphy. 

Kispert is the best perimeter shooter in this year’s draft class, shooting 44% from three-point range this past year at Gonzaga and shooting 40.8% from deep over the course of his four-year collegiate playing career. 

New Orleans shot just 34.8% from deep as a team last year, fifth worst in the league, which is why Kispert could be a no-brainer choice for them if he is available. The Pelicans traded down from 10th overall and Corey Kispert could absolutely be the guy they have been targeting throughout this pre-draft process. 

#18 Oklahoma City Thunder – F Jalen Johnson – Duke

One of the other “boom or bust” players in this year’s draft class is Jalen Johnson. He played at Duke for 13 games before withdrawing from school after suffering a foot injury to focus on the NBA Draft, which has drawn some concerns about his character and work ethic. 

Standing about 6’9”, Johnson has the ability to play on the wing or in the low-post and is a big bodied forward who is thought to stop in the open court because of how athletic he is. Johnson is another one of those lottery-projected players who seems to be slipping the draft, but could very well end up being one of the “steals” of the draft. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder have time to devote to unpolished guys like Jalen Johnson and definitely have a need for a versatile forward like him, which is why this is a smart choice for them if he is available. Stacking up on “boom or bust” players at No. 16 and No. 18 really is not that bad of an idea for the Thunder, especially since they have a chance to be a young team on the rise in the league. 

#19 New York Knicks – F/C Isaiah Jackson – Kentucky

It is about time we see a Kentucky player come off the board! Last year was the first draft in 11 years that a Kentucky player was not selected in the lottery and this year will be the first-time in 12 years that one of their players has not gone in the lottery in back-to-back years, 2008-09 being the last time this happened. 

Nonetheless, Isaiah Jackson is the top draft prospect out of Kentucky this year and almost seems like a “lock” for the Knicks at this point. They do have Mitchell Robinson and have interest in bringing back former Wildcat Nerlens Noel, but Jackson is the best shot-blocking big in this year’s draft class, which puts a smile on head coach Tom Thibodeau’s face. 

Defense is all that the New York Knicks are about and they could definitely utilize another young frontcourt talent like Jackson. He is a little unpolished in terms of shooting on offense, but Isaiah Jackson has great footwork in the low-post and really could turn into a reliable two-way threat at the center position, something Nerlens Noel was supposed to be coming out of Kentucky in 2013. 

Offensively, he has shown flashes of being like a Bam Adebayo/DeAndre Ayton type of big man that can finish around the rim and excel at playing pick-and-roll basketball. Kai Jones is another big man who could be of interest to the Knicks, but Isaiah Jackson seems to fit their system better. 

READ MORE: NBA Rumors: 3 trade scenarios we’d like to see during 2021 NBA Draft

#20 Atlanta Hawks – F/C Kai Jones – Texas

Speaking of Kai Jones, I have the Atlanta Hawks taking him with their No. 20 overall pick. Atlanta could look to trade this pick or look to draft another backcourt talent to pair with Trae Young, but last year’s first-round pick Onyeka Okongwu underwent right shoulder surgery for a torn labrum on July 21 and is expected to miss approximately six months. 

Not to mention, John Collins is a restricted free agent that will be drawing a lot of interest on the open market when free agency begins. The Hawks will need someone other than Clint Capela to play minutes in their frontcourt next season, which is why they could zero in on Kai Jones. 

Guys like Sharife Cooper, Cameron Thomas, Jared Butler and others are also potential targets for the Hawks, especially since they are expected to shop some of their young guys like Cam Reddish during the draft to try and potentially cut salary by gaining another first-round pick/rookie contract. 

If he is there, Kai Jones is one of the best players available for the Hawks with this No. 20 pick and they should not hesitate to draft him, even though this would give them three talented big men in their frontcourt when all are healthy. 

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