SI Thunder: 2021 NBA Draft Big Board 4.0

With the 2021 NBA Draft just a week away, SI Thunder releases the fourth edition of their big board.

Nick Crain | Jul 21, 2021

With the 2021 NBA Draft just a week away, we're starting to get a better feel for which prospects teams are most interested in and where these upcoming rookies could be selected.

With new data points, reports and film, SI Thunder has revamped their big board with the fourth iteration.

Keep in mind, this isn't a mock draft or what order we think players will be drafted in. This is a big board of who we think the top prospects are based on their NBA potential.

Let's take a look at our top 20 prospects in the 2021 class with just one month until the draft.

1. Cade Cunningham

Scouting Report:

Cade Cunningham is the safe bet for the top prospect in the entire 2021 class. A 6-foot-8 point guard with the tools to be elite on both ends of the floor isn't something that comes along every day.

Player Comps:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ben Simmons, Luka Doncic

2. Jalen Green

NBA G League — Mary Holt / USA TODAY Sports

Scouting Report:

When it comes to offensive talent, look no further than Jalen Green in this class. He feels like a safe bet to average 20 points a night early in his NBA career, but the development of the rest of his game will determine his ceiling.

Player Comps:

Zach LaVine, Donovan Mitchell

3. Evan Mobley

Evan Mobley, USC Trojans — Marc Lebryk / USA TODAY Sports

Scouting Report:

Evan Mobley is without question the best big man in this class. A 7-footer, he has the versatility to dominate inside but can also bring the ball up the floor and knock down jumpers.

Player Comps:

Chris Bosh, Jaren Jackson Jr.

4. Jonathan Kuminga

Scouting Report:

While he's projected to go fifth or sixth in the 2021 NBA Draft, Jonathan Kuminga has the ceiling to be the second-best player in the class. At 18 years old, the 6-foot-8 wing has the potential to turn into the superstar wing that every championship team needs if he can develop a jump shot.

Player Comps:

Kyle Kuzma, Pascal Siakam, Jeff Green

5. Jalen Suggs

Scouting Report:

Jalen Suggs is a winner that gets things done on both ends of the floor. Making big plays in the spotlight his entire life, Suggs projects to be a do-it-all combo guard in the NBA that truly makes a positive impact.

Player Comps:

Jrue Holiday, Jamal Murray, Jaylen Brown

6. Scottie Barnes

Scouting Report:

In terms of defensive upside, Scottie Barnes jumps off the page. While his offensive game needs quite a bit of work, Barnes could legitimately guard all five positions at the next level with his 6-foot-9 frame. The recent combine was certainly a positive for where he projects to be drafted.

Player Comps:

OG Anunoby, Draymond Green, Justise Winslow.

7. Jalen Johnson

Jalen Johnson, Duke Blue Devils — Charles LeClaire / USA TODAY Sports

Scouting Report:

An absolute force in transition, Jalen Johnson is a walking highlight reel. Cutting his college career short was an interesting move that could affect his draft stock, but he's still the perfect NBA wing prospect if he can polish off his offensive game. His individual team interviews could have a major swing in what part of the first round he is selected in.

Player Comps:

RJ Barrett, Khris Middleton, Aaron Gordon

8. James Bouknight

Scouting Report:

One of the most lethal scorers in this class, James Bouknight is able to create a shot for himself at any time. While he's got quite a bit of work to do outside of scoring the basketball, that offensive upside alone should land him in the top-ten of this draft.

Player Comps:

Jordan Clarkson, CJ McCollum, Devin Booker

9. Josh Giddey

NBA Draft — Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports

Scouting Report:

Josh Giddey should be the first international prospect taken off the board on draft night. Another 6-foot-8 point guard, the 18-year-old is one of the better playmakers in this class. While he is somewhat of an unknown due to playing overseas, playmakers of his size are always have high upside.

Player Comps:

Lonzo Ball, Shake Milton, Joe Ingles

10. Moses Moody

Scouting Report:

A versatile 6-foot-7 wing, Moses Moody seems like a really safe pick to be a solid contributor for a long time in the NBA. With him, it comes down to what type of player he could turn into, with his overall offensive game still being unproven. Moody measured out nearly a 7-foot-1 wingspan last week, which is something that will catch the eyes of many front offices.

Player Comps:

Mikal Bridges, Khris Middleton

11. Keon Johnson

Scouting Report:

One of the most athletic guards in the upcoming draft, Keon Johnson has moved up draft boards quietly over the past six months. While he projects to be a solid defender, he will need to put more work on his offensive game to make it more well-rounded. Johnson posted a 48-inch vertical jump at the combine, which was 2.5 inches more the record previously set in 2001.

Player Comps:

Miles Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Malik Beasley

12. JT Thor

Scouting Report:

Thor is a smooth left-handed forward, standing at 6-foot-10. He started all 27 games he played as a freshman, averaging 9.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per contest. The recent combine was excellent for Thor, who has skyrocketed his draft stock over the past week.

Player Comps:

Domantas Sabonis, Jaren Jackson Jr.

13. Davion Mitchell

Scouting Report:

For the majority of the last college basketball season, Davion Mitchell was projected to be a late first-round pick. However, after leading Baylor to a National Championship, his lockdown defense and improved offensive game have allowed him to skyrocket up boards. With Mitchell, it will come down to age and which team is willing to take a 22 year old in the lottery.

Player Comps:

Marcus Smart, Patrick Beverly, Kemba Walker

14. Sharife Cooper

Scouting Report:

If Sharife Cooper wasn't undersized, he might be a clear top-ten pick. Nonetheless, he absolutely stuffs the stat sheet and has the chance to generate a ton of offense for whoever picks him up in the draft. While he was listed as 6-foot-1 at Auburn, Cooper was measured as 6-foot-3.5 without shoes and 6-4.75 with shoes at the combine, which will be something to monitor.

Player Comps:

Trey Burke, Rajon Rondo, Jalen Brunson

15. Isaiah Todd

Adam Silver 2019 NBA Draft — Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports

Scouting Report:

Overshadowed by all of the talent on the G League Ignite, Isaiah Todd could be a huge sleeper in the first round. One of the best players in the country coming out of high school, he showed the ability to score from all over the floor and rebound well at 6-foot-10 against professionals last season.

Player Comps:

Marvin Bagley, Zach Randolph, Chris Bosh

16. Kai Jones

Kai Jones, Texas Longhorns — Kevin Jairaj / USA TODAY Sports

Scouting Report:

While he's still a pretty raw prospect, Kai Jones has the defensive versatility to make an NBA All-Defense team one day. While he came off the bench in both of his college seasons, his potential upside as a prospect will earn him a first-round selection in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Player Comps:

Pascal Siakam, Christian Wood

17. Ziaire Williams

Scouting Report:

Standing at 6-foot-9, Williams is the prototypical NBA wing. Weighing just 188 pounds right now, he could be a boom-or-bust prospect depending on how he fills out over the next few years.

Player Comps:

Brandon Ingram, Khris Middleton

18. Usman Garuba

Scouting Report:

Garuba is certainly a project, but could be worth the investment for a team who has time to develop him. Playing in a tough league overseas, the 6-foot-8 forward has experience playing against premier talent at age 19, but still has a relatively raw game.

Player Comps:

OG Anunoby, Aaron Gordon

19. Cameron Thomas

Scouting Report:

Thomas is a walking bucket, standing at 6-foot-4 with the ability to play both guard positions. The 19-year-old will make an impact immediately at the next level, but his ceiling may not be as high as other prospects in his range if he can't contribute more than just instant offense.

Player Comps:

Terrence Ross, Lou Williams

20. Josh Christopher

Scouting Report:

Christopher was the highest recruit since James Harden to attend Arizona State as one of the top-15 players in the country coming out of high school. While his freshman season didn't live up to expectations, he’s got so much upside as a playmaker and has the ability to play on or off the ball, making him a plug-and-play prospect

Player Comps:

Zach LaVine, Donovan Mitchell

Published Jul 21, 2021

NICK CRAIN

Nick has spent the last four seasons covering the Oklahoma City Thunder and has grown quickly in the media since starting. He’s continued to produce Thunder content through writing for Forbes.com and podcasting with The Uncontested Podcast, as well as branching out to cover the NBA as a whole for SLAM Online.