2021 NBA draft: How to watch, storylines and key intel
From projections to expert analysis, we’ll get you prepared for Thursday’s draft….
The 2021 NBA draft has finally arrived! Who’s rising? Who’s falling? Will the Detroit Pistons take Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham at No. 1? Is Cunningham more Khris Middleton … or Luka Doncic? Where will USC big man Evan Mobley get selected? Will the Oklahoma City Thunder begin to spend its considerable draft capital? Who is this year’s Draymond Green or Nikola Jokic? What last-minute offer could turn every draft board upside down? (Could happen!)
So many questions. So many answers to come.
Here is everything you need to know, from how to watch the draft-night festivities to the full draft order, from scouting reports of all the top prospects and their likely landing spots to the latest intel, trade rumors, analysis and projections. Our experts will reveal the draft’s most NBA-ready prospects, as well as the players with the highest ceilings and highest bust factors.
All the action is set to go down at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Thursday night at 8 ET. Watch on ABC/ESPN/ESPN+.
Bookmark this page: Get live coverage of the NBA draft, including pick-by-pick analysis, here.
How to watch the 2021 NBA draft
Who are the top NBA draft prospects?
This class features a four-player top tier that includes 6-foot-8 point guard Cade Cunningham, G League Ignite shooting guard Jalen Green, USC center Evan Mobley and Gonzaga star Jalen Suggs.
Rounding out the top 10, per Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz’s top 100 prospects:
Jonathan Kuminga | PF | G League Ignite
Scottie Barnes | F | Florida State
Davion Mitchell | PG | Baylor
James Bouknight | SG | UConn
Keon Johnson | SG | Tennessee
Franz Wagner | SF | Michigan
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Where are the top NBA draft prospects expected to land?
Cunningham spent Monday and Tuesday in Detroit, per Givony, and though it was a light workout, the former Cowboys star did nothing to diminish his standing within the Pistons organization.
Get the latest intel in Givony’s mock draft, which will be continuously updated until the start of the draft.
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What are the big NBA trades to watch?
On Monday, NBA trade season officially began, with a deal that will send Memphis center Jonas Valanciunas and the 17th pick in this year’s draft to New Orleans in exchange for Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe and two future first-rounds picks, including the 10th pick on Thursday.
Kevin Pelton grades the trade here.
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