Second Round Sleeper: Jonathan Mogbo

Would the breakout star from the WCC work in Charlotte?

Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader /

If you were to take a look at early 2024 mock drafts from last year, Jonathan Mogbo would be found in almost none of them. Fast forward to today and his name is talked about quite a bit when discussing possible second-round sleepers.

Hailing from West Palm Beach, Florida, the crafty big man switched colleges twice, before transferring from Missouri State to San Francisco in 2023. What followed was one of the biggest breakout seasons in the whole nation, albeit it happening in the West Coast Conference.

Starting all 34 games, Jonathan Mogbo averaged a double-double, finished with the 10th-highest field goal percentage in the country, and led his conference in rebounds and steals per game. Finishing the year with two solid outings at the draft combine further solidified his status as a second-round pick.

Jonathan Mogbo – Age 22.64 – PF – San Francisco – Height 6'7.5'' - Wingspan 7'2 - Weight 217 lbs

Strengths

Jonathan Mogbo is one of the most versatile offensive bigs in this draft class, combining good passing with great finishing ability. When he isn’t able to dunk, he shrugs off any contact on the ground with relative ease, converting 71% of his shots around the rim for SF. The quality that sets him apart from players with a similar skillset is his playmaking. No matter the play or situation, Mogbo has consistently displayed vision and precision when setting up his teammates.

Jonathan Mogbo's passing is remarkable. Manipulates low man with his eyes and then delivers a precise righty dime to cutter. 24.3% assist rate and 2.0 Assist/Turnover ratio. pic.twitter.com/CvlozJCmpB

— Will Morris (@w_a_morris) June 12, 2024

Unlike most bigs who excel on offense, Jonathan Mogbo does not completely fall off on defense and can sometimes hold his own against more agile players. Even when he gets beaten off the dribble, the 22-year-old stays in the play and uses his speed, verticality and timing to swat away shots from behind. Those physical tools mixed with a lot of effort also helped Mogbo be a solid rebounder for San Francisco, despite his lack of size.

Weaknesses

At 6'7.5'' feet, Mogbo is simply not tall enough to play at center, unless he finds a scenario where he can take on a Draymond Green-type role. To function as a power forward in the modern NBA, he would need to add a somewhat respectable three-point shot to his repertoire. In his one year at San Francisco, he only took two three-pointers and missed both. The silver lining is that the midrange attempts he put up didn’t look too uncomfortable and he shot 69% from the charity stripe, which hints at some potential in the outside shot department.

Fit With the Charlotte Hornets

With James Nnaji still seemingly part of Jeff Peterson's plans, it would make no sense to draft Mogbo as a five. Should Mark Williams and Nick Richards continue to form the Hornets' center rotation, there is also no space for another total non-shooter to play the four next to either of them. If Mogbo doesn’t tap into his three-point upside in the early stages of his career, he would be better cut out for a team that can pair him up with a shooting big.