Mock Draft: Raptors Select Real Madrid's Usman Garuba & 2 Other Names to Know

With March Madness quickly approaching, here are a few prospects for Toronto Raptors fans to keep an eye on both overseas and in the tournament

Aaron Rose | Mar 17, 2021

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

With March Madness fast approaching, NBA Draft scouts are getting ready for crunch time and eventually mock draft season. We still have a while to go before the draft season, but thanks to The Athletic's Sam Vecenie we can take a quick peek at a pre-March Madness mock draft and some prospects the Toronto Raptors might be looking at.

At 17-22, the Raptors currently have the 10th-worst record in the NBA and, according to Tankathon, have a 13.9% chance at a top-five pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and an 84.9% at landing either the 10th or 11th pick in the draft. That, however, is likely to change as Toronto gets back some of its missing players and starts to string together a few wins. Basketball-Reference, for example, has the Raptors most-likely draft outcome being the 15th pick in the draft.

That is where Vecenie had the Raptors pegged in his latest mock draft.

And... with the 15th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select... Usman Garuba from Madrid, Spain, and Real Madrid, according to Vecenie's mock draft.

Garuba is an 18-year-old, 6-foot-8 small-ball big who has played in 24 Liga ACB games with Real Madrid this season. He's averaging 4.5 points on 45.4% shooting to go with 4.8 rebounds per game this season.

"Garuba’s minutes and productivity appear to have plateaued this season, but he remains an interesting long-term bet due to his defensive skills, frame, and past productivity against his own age group," Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo wrote late last month. "He’s spent the last two years facing senior competition with Madrid, but in a limited role capacity. Athletically, Garuba has the length and strength to fit the NBA. On the flipside, he has yet to come around skill-wise, as a non-threatening jump shooter lacking a varied offensive game. He’s a solid finisher and passer, but there are concerns he may have been an early-bloomer. Garuba has shown dynamic ability as as a rim protector and switchable defender, possessing unusual degrees of lateral movement, change of direction and vertical explosiveness. He has a chance to anchor lineups defensively and add value as a rim-runner and roller."

If not Garuba, there are a few players playing in March Madness to keep an eye on, according to Canadian basketball scout Wesley Brown.

At the top of that list is Illinois' Ayo Dosunmu, a 6-foot-5 junior guard who has led the Fighting Illini to their best record in over 15 years.

"Ayo is not projected as a high lottery pick, but he has an elite motor and is a winner," Brown said. "Even though his shot needs work, he can get his own bucket, make plays for teammates, and rebounds really well for a guard. He could really fill a need for the Raptors and might be available in their range"

Dosunmu is averaging 20.7 points on 48.8% shooting and 38.8% shooting to go with 5.3 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game this season.

Another prospect to watch this month is Texas' Kai Jones, a 6-foot-11 forward averaging 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game this season.

“Jones is a unicorn, a lot like Pascal Siakam," Brown said. "He has the athletic ability, he can handle, his shooting is pretty good, and he has a high motor.”

Both Jones and Dosunmu are in the late lottery mix and could go a little bit too early for Toronto if the Raptors turn things around over the next few months.

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