Ace Bailey is the second half of the elite Rutgers duo that is likely producing two top-five picks in this draft. Bailey is a more raw prospect than his counterpart, Harper, but still should be a good pro.
Knueppel is the third Duke player to be selected in the top ten in this mock, showing the insane depth that the Blue Devils had last season. Knueppel proved himself on the biggest stage in March and should be a good pro.
Carter Bryant is a prototypical NBA wing. He’s great from three, hitting nearly 38% last season, and has good defensive ability. At 6’8″, he can guard any position and will bring value to any NBA franchise.
Noa Essengue is the first international player to be selected in this mock. The 6’10” forward has great scoring ability and is an excellent defender with his elite length. He is slim, only weighing 198 pounds, but if he can fill out his frame, he can become a problem.
Collin Murray-Boyles is built like a brick house, standing at 6’7″ and weighing 247 pounds. He dominated the paint at South Carolina and was great defensively as well. The biggest question about Murray-Boyles is his shooting ability, as he has next to no jump shot.
Liam McNeely projects to be a really solid third or second option on an NBA team. He stands at 6’7″, can score from anywhere on the court, and is an above-average athlete. I don’t think he’ll ever be THE guy on an NBA roster, but he will be a solid starter for any team.
Asa Newell stands at 6’11” and is a good stretch four as he is an elite finisher who can score from the outside as well. Newell has a very high floor, I just question whether his ceiling warrants him being a lottery pick or not.
Thomas Sorber would probably have been a lottery pick if he hadn’t suffered a foot injury last season. He’s an elite defender, averaging two blocks and 1.5 steals last season for the Hoyas.
Will Riley showed off his great shooting ability during his freshman year at Illinois, hitting 46% of his shots and shooting 31% from three. I do worry that his lack of explosiveness will make it so he struggles to create separation in the league, but there’s no doubt that he’s a talented scorer.
Noah Penda is a big question mark in this draft class. He has little production overseas, and yet the NBA seems to love him. I think it stems from his size and two-way ability. He’s not a bad shooter and often hits his open looks, and has great footwork on the defensive side of the ball.
