The 2019 NBA Draft is now less than a month away, and the order of the draft has been decided. Here is my full 60-pick mock draft. I’m not going to delve into every pick, but I’m providing some commentary on the top 10 picks, players that I like and can have potential.
Quick note before I begin: This is barring any trades that come up on draft night, or guys ending up going back to school.
1. New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson, F, Duke
The Pelicans won’t screw this one up. Zion is the best draft prospect in recent memory, and is bound to be one of the most athletic players in the NBA right off the bat.
2. Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
Another extremely dynamic athlete that creates highlight-reel passes and dunks. Personally, one of the best passers that I have ever seen. Plus, it is a golden opportunity for Morant to be the successor to Mike Conley at point guard.
3. New York Knicks: RJ Barrett, SG, Duke
There’s a reason that Barrett was once projected to be the first overall pick this year. He’s a great scorer and is a solid playmaker overall. Honestly, in the long run he may be the best player to come out of this draft.
4. Los Angeles Lakers: DeAndre Hunter, F, Virginia
A fantastic shooter who shot 43% from three last season, he can have an immediate impact on the team to possibly strengthen LeBron’s chance to win another championship.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Cam Reddish, SG/SF, Duke
This might be a little high for a third Duke player, but this is because he did not get a ton of chances at Duke as he was their third scoring option. However, he’s a great shooter and above-average at defense, and should translate quickly to the NBA.
6. Phoenix Suns: Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
A very all-around player but I’m a bit concerned him because he does not really do one thing great. Despite this, I can see him as a role player that the Suns can work on with new coach Monty Williams.
7. Chicago Bulls, Coby White, PG, North Carolina
He can score the ball in bunches and is really fast. White is an elite transition player that can be someone to build around in Chicago.
8. Atlanta Hawks: Nassir Little, F, North Carolina
He was a bit underwhelming with the Tar Heels this year, but the freshman was playing on a team with a ton of upperclassmen, so did not get a ton of touches. Despite this, he is a great athlete that can do a lot with the ball.
9. Washington Wizards: Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt
I would be a little wary of Garland, who only played five games at Vanderbilt before going down with a season-ending injury. However, he was fantastic in those first few games, shooting nearly 50% from three. He’s elite at ball-handling and would be a great complement to Devin Booker in the backcourt.
10. Atlanta Hawks: Sekou Deoumbouya, PF, France
He might be close to five years away, so he’s a serious project. However, if any team can afford that, it’s Atlanta.
11. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
12. Charlotte Hornets: Rui Hachimura, F, Gonzaga
13. Miami Heat: Grant Williams, PF, Tennessee
Williams seems like a Pat Riley type of player. He’ll go under-the-radar on the national spotlight, but he’ll get a lot of respect in the league because of his hard-nosed defense and his ability to play under the basket.
14. Boston Celtics: Brandon Clarke, F, Gonzaga
15. Detroit Pistons: Romeo Langford, SG/SF, Indiana
Langford was one of the best players in the country coming out of high school a year ago, but had some injury trouble in his lone season at Indiana, and his numbers fell off a bit because of that. However, if he is healthy, he can be a great player that can help Detroit.
16. Orlando Magic: Kevin Porter Jr, SG, USC
17. Brooklyn Nets: Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky
A great shooter who can be a really good player for the Nets if he is developed right. He’s not fully ready, but will be soon.
18. Indiana Pacers: Goga Bitadze, C, Rep. of Georgia
19. San Antonio Spurs: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG, Virginia Tech
20. Boston Celtics: PJ Washington, PF, Kentucky
21. Oklahoma City Thunder: Bol Bol, C, Oregon
The case with Bol is a curious one. It’s tough to tell where exactly he’ll go, but this seems right. He stands at 7-2 and weighs 235 pounds, so he’s a good size, but only played nine games before an injury ended his season after averaging 21 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. The injury concerns are there so that may make him slip.
22. Boston Celtics: Keldon Johnson, SF, Kentucky
23. Utah Jazz: Bruno Fernando, C, Maryland
An elite rebounder with a wingspan of 7-4, but he’s a major project, because of a lot of careless mistakes, that could go either way in the NBA.
24. Philadelphia 76ers: KZ Okpala, SF, Stanford
25. Portland Trail Blazers: Mfiondu Kabengele, C, Florida State
26. Cleveland Cavaliers: Matisse Thybulle, SF, Washington
27. Brooklyn Nets: Cameron Johnson, PF, North Carolina
28. Golden State Warriors: Daniel Gafford, C, Arkansas
29. San Antonio Spurs: Carsen Edwards, PG, Purdue
Call me crazy, but I think Edwards is a major sleeper in this draft after having a breakout NCAA Tournament, including two games with over 40 points against Villanova and Virginia, which obviously you can’t do every night. I think the potential is there, though. He’s a great pull-up shooter, which helps in today’s NBA. If the Spurs do indeed take him, it can be another situation where a non-top pick turns out to work wonders.
30. Milwaukee Bucks: Charles Bassey, C, Western Kentucky
Round 2
31. Brooklyn Nets: Jordan Nwora, PF, Louisville
32. Phoenix Suns: Louis King, SF, Oregon
33. Philadelphia 76ers: Nic Claxton, C, Georgia
Claxton improved his stock wildly with a great combine. I have him in the early parts of the second round for now, but he could sneak into the first.
34. Philadelphia 76ers: Admiral Schofield, SF, Tennessee
35. Atlanta Hawks: Ty Jerome, G, Virginia
36. Charlotte Hornets: Jontay Porter, C, Missouri
37. New Orleans Pelicans: Jalen Lecque, PG, Brewster Academy (New Hampshire)
38. Chicago Bulls: Talen Horton-Tucker, SG, Iowa State
39. Dallas Mavericks: Luka Samanic, PF, Croatia
He would be a great fit in Dallas with all of the European talent that they bring in.
40. Sacramento Kings: Jalen McDaniels, PF, San Diego State
41. Atlanta Hawks: Dylan Windler, SF, Belmont
42. Atlanta Hawks: Chuma Okeke, PF, Auburn
43. Minnesota Timberwolves: Kris Wilkes, SF, UCLA
44. Philadelphia 76ers: Tacko Fall, C, UCF
And there it is. The 7-7 center finally goes mid-second round. He held his own against Zion Williamson in the NCAA Tournament, but I don’t see him being a dynamic NBA talent, but someone will take a chance on him.
45. Detroit Pistons: Ky Bowman, PG, Boston College
46. Orlando Magic: Luguentz Dort, SG, Arizona State
47. Sacramento Kings: Isaiah Roby, PF, Nebraska
48. Los Angeles Clippers: Adam Mokoka, SG, France
49. San Antonio Spurs: Ignas Brazdeikis, PF, Michigan
50. Indiana Pacers: Jaylen Nowell, SG, Washington
51. Boston Celtics: Eric Paschall, PF, Villanova
52. Charlotte Hornets, Cody Martin, SF, Nevada
I’ve said this a couple times before, but I’ll say it again. Nevada, Martin being part of that, could have been a top-10 team in the country, and Martin could have been a real draft prospect. However, they ruined it by playing hero ball with a bunch of selfish players.
53. Utah Jazz: Tremont Waters, PG, LSU
54. Philadelphia 76ers: Darius Bazley, PG, Princeton HS (Ohio)
55. New York Knicks: Miye Oni, SG, Yale
56. Los Angeles Clippers: Brian Bowen, SF, Australia
57. New Orleans Pelicans: Aubrey Dawkins, SG, UCF
58. Golden State Warriors: Jordan Bone, PG, Tennessee
59. Toronto Raptors: Oshae Brissett, PF, Syracuse
60. Sacramento Kings: Jaylen Hoard, PF, Wake Forest
AJ Hoops 