NSL mock draft v1.0

Who's the top pick this year? There doesn't seem to be a clear-cut #1 with no Zion or other similar prospect dominating the top of mock drafts.

Author's Notes: this draft order was compiled on March 29th. The order was taken straight from the Standings page.
No trades were added except for the picks that have been moved already. The lottery system wasn't run so the top here is subject to change.
I attempted to draft with the strategy of Best Player Available. If needs happened to intersect with BPA, even better!
With no first round pick in this year's draft, I offer my scouting advice for 5 GM points.

1. Milwaukee Bucks - James Wiseman, Center, Memphis

The 7'1" big man has a great frame for the game, possessing a 7'6" wingspan along with some agility that is rarely seen in someone his size. This allows him the ability to be in the right position defensively to make a block. This was seen with his 5 block game and averaging 3 blocks per game. The biggest knock against him is his lack of minutes. He played 3 games at Memphis before the NCAA ruled him ineligible. Is that enough to make Badwolf look elsewhere?


2. New York Knicks - LaMelo Ball, Point Guard, Australia

Smokey and the Knicks could go in a few directions here so they're not unhappy that Wiseman is off the board. With DJ Augustin and DeAnthony Melton both free agents, the Knicks look to secure the 6'6" younger brother of Lonzo Ball, LaMelo! He played internationally after his father LaVar pulled him out of high school early. Ball's game has matured tremendously while playing professionally, becoming a playmaker averaging 17 points, 6.8 assists and 7.6 rebounds a game. A great selection for the Knicks to continue their growth.


3. Boston Celtics (via Minnesota Twolves) - Anthony Edwards, Shooting Guard, Georgia

Armed with the 3rd and 6th picks in this mock draft, Toby is in a great position to be the one to shake this draft up. He can move up or down with ease but maybe staying put is the answer? In a draft with no true #1, value can be had throughout the top of the round. With that said, the Celtics select Anthony Edwards! Edwards has a case to go #1 so Toby is thrilled to turn this card in. He put up 19.1 ppg due to his elite athleticism and uses his strength well to get to the rim. The kid is just a bulldog, maybe that's why he went to Georgia? He's still 18 years old which is great. He needs to work on his shot as he averaged only 40% from the field and 29% from deep.


4. Denver Nuggets - Obi Toppin, Power Forward, Dayton

If there's one player/team that COVID really affected, it's Obi Toppin and Dayton. This is their best team ever and with no tournament, we'll never know what might have been. For Obi, he'll miss out on a chance at a National Championship. However, his great year has turned him into a top 4 pick in this year's draft! His age might have played a factor in him slipping in this mock but once things shake out, I wouldn't be surprised if he went even higher. He's ultra-athletic and compares to Amare Stoudemire. That's not the worst comparison in the world.


5. Indiana Pacers- Cole Anthony, Point Guard, North Carolina

GM Spudspace has his team positioned to make a run next year. To help with this, the Pacers select Cole Anthony! He's not afraid to shoot it and that's shown with some low percentage shots. With Anthony playing next to Oladipo, those should be limited. The injury is a concern but he looks to be healed up and should be ready to go for the fall. With better players around him on the Pacers, look for him to make an immediate impact and provide scoring relief.



6. Boston Celtics - Onyeka Okongwu, Center, USC

What a luxury it is to have two top 6 picks. With this, Toby can sit back and see who falls to him. In this case, it's Onyeka Okongwu! This pick helps the Celtics two-fold. It'll provide a big body down low ready to do the dirty work on both sides of the court and it also helps shift guys like Tatum and Collins back to their more natural positions. His blocking will also provide great benefits to this squad, things look exciting in Boston!



7. New Orleans Pelicans - Deni Avdija, Small Forward, Israel

Leeroy has a dynamic duo in Ja and Donovan but he needs more help at the forward position. Luckily, Avdija is available! The 6'9" forward provides the flexibilty to play both the small and power forward positions. He is a former MVP of the FIBA Under-20 European Championships. He's averaging 9.3 points across the various leagues he's played in this year with solid shooting percentages. Could he come over and be another sensation?



8. Orlando Magic - Isaac Okoro, Small Forward, Auburn

The Magic have a solid starting guard combination and Wiggins as a great 3 man group. They might look for a big but they see Isaac Okoro on the board and fall in love with his two-way abilities. Okoro has great defensive instincts and helped to shut down opposing wings while at Auburn. He was efficient shooting the ball when it wasn't from deep. Could his upside be similar to a Paul George? That's enough to warrant taking him here!



9. Houston Rockets - Killian Hayes, Point Guard, France

If I'm looking for a guy who I think has the star potential, I'm looking at Killian Hayes. He's got great size at 6'5", he can shoot, he's a playmaker with nearly 7 dimes per game. He was co-MVP in thte 2017 Jordan Brand Classic so he's got the recognition already. He needs to improve his 3pt shot but Vitt has shooters around him to help offset that. Look for this kid to rise up draft boards.



10. Oklahoma City Thunder - Precious Achiuwa, Power Forward, Memphis

Wiz and the Thunder are in a bit of an interesting spot. They're set at the guards with Fox, Graham, and Hield but that seems to be where the value is at. Taking a closer look, there's a kid named Precious that might catch his eye. Precious Achiuwa averaged 15.8/10.8 while at Memphis as he stepped up when Wiseman left. The Thunder add valuable depth at the forward position and that's never a bad thing. Precious oozes athleticism and looks to run in transition, this should mesh well with the current makeup of the Thunder.



11. Brooklyn Nets - R.J. Hampton, Shooting Guard, New Zealand

R.J. Hampton chose to play overseas instead of playing for Kansas. He's another point guard with good size standing at 6'5" with a 6'7" wingspan. He's varied in how he can score and just needs to work on hitting his shot more consistently. This is another pick based on potential. Defensively, he has room to improve. Give him time to grow with Kemba and you might have something special!



12. Indiana Pacers (via Philadelphia 76ers) - Saddiq Bey, Forward, Villanova

Spud is back on the clock again! After selecting Anthony earlier, he turns in the card and selects Saddiq Bey out of Villanova. Bey is a hard worker and improved dramatically between his freshman and sophomore seasons. He's listed as 6'8" but might not be done growing. He's a multi-dimensional defender and he shoots 45% from deep. There's a lot to like about Bey and he'll fit in well with the Pacers.



13. Utah Jazz - Tyrese Haliburton, Point Guard, Iowa State

While the Jazz currently have Kyle Lowry running the show, he's 34 so it's not a bad idea to find a replacement for him. Standing at 6'5" with a rumored 7' wingspan, Haliburton might have some scouts drooling. Known for his high basketball IQ and impressive assist to turnover ratio, Tyrese could be an excellent fit next to Kennard. Before his wrist injury, he averaged 15.2 points, 6.5 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals. Look for him to rise up draft boards this summer if teams get a chance to look at him.



14. Dallas Mavericks - Aleksej Pokusevski, Power Forward/Center, Olympiacos

With the last pick in the lottery, LJMav and the Dallas Mavericks select Aleksej Pokusevski. He's a legit 7 footer and has been a bit of a sleeper but looks to sneak into the lottery in this mock. He's a playmaking 4 that also provides plenty of help on defense with a IQ and 1.7 blocks per game. He's a bit light at 205 pounds so adding muscle weight will be key to his success next to Porzingis.



15. Charlotte Hornets - Jaden McDaniels, Small Forward/Power Forward, Washington

The Hornets have their franchise foundation set with Luka Doncic and then his supporting cast with solid players like WCJ and LeVert. With this pick, Nick selects Jaden McDaniels, a combo forward out of Washington. McDaniels is another player that has major potential if he can continue to work on his game. His shooting needs to improve as he only shot 40% from the field and 33% from 3. It’s his efficiency that needs refined because he does get his points in. He should be a nice piece to slot into the Charlotte lineup.



16. Washington Wizards - Tyrese Maxey, Shooting Guard, Kentucky

The Wizards are a well rounded bunch led by Devin Booker, Clint Capela and everyone’s favorite Brandon Clarke. Joshua goes the BPA route and selects Tyrese Maxey! Maxey looks to backup fellow Wildcat Devin Booker. He scored 14 points per game but his stat that is causing him to drop is his 3pt shooting. He shot a woeful 29% from deep. This is something that he can improve on at the next level and he can learn from one of the best.



17. Memphis Grizzlies - Devin Vassell, Shooting Guard, Florida State

When you think of Memphis, you think of defense. Rootsey has put together a formidable defensive squad. He’ll continue to add to that by choosing Devin Vassell from Florida State. He’s got great size standing at 6’7” and looks to be the truest ‘3 &D’ player in this draft. He’s not the best on offense but he makes up for it with 1.5 steals and 1 block per game. That’s a good get at this point in the draft.



18. Philadelphia 76ers (via Detroit Pistons) - Aaron Nesmith, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Vanderbilt

Ben is smiling from ear to ear as he sees Nesmith fall down draft boards due to his injury. He was having one of the best shooting seasons in college before his injury. He shot 52% from 3 with shooting more than 8 of them a game. He showed that he can improve his game from his freshman to sophomore season where he shot 33%. Will his shooting be enough to see him successfully translate to the NSL? Definitely worth a shot at 18 to find out.



19. Milwaukee Bucks (via Golden State Warriors) - Theo Maledon, Point Guard, France

After going big with Wiseman at #1, the Bucks shore up the guard position by taking a guy who’s fairly similar to one of their own, SGA. Maledon has a quick first step and looks to have all of the physical tools you’d want to see in the NSL. As a teenager playing in the Euroleague, he’s got plenty of room for growth and that will fit very well with this team’s timeline.



20. LA Lakers - Jalen Smith, Power Forward, Maryland

The Lakers have a great core and are catching fire right now. With the success they’ve been having, it almost seems unfair to have them add Smith to the mix. As a sophomore, he improved his stats across the board over his freshman season. That kind of growth is very tantalizing at this stage in the round and the Laker’s GM will be happy to pounce. Smith’s ability to play the 4 or the 5 will offer great flexibility next to Valanciunas.



21. Boston Celtics (via San Antonio Spurs) - Tre Jones, Point Guard, Duke

With their 3rd dart to throw, Toby and the Celtics grab a guy who doesn’t have an elite skill but is solid all-around. He’s a guy like a Jalen Brunson who can run the team, defend, and create shots for other guys on the court. He’s your classic low-ceiling, high-floor pick who averaged 16 points and 6 assists.



22. New Orleans Pelicans (via Cleveland Cavaliers) - Isaiah Stewart, Center, Washington

The Pelicans are back on the clock and look to shore up their center position. They find an old-school undersized center in Stewart. He was very productive and showcased his physicality down low and a bruising frame. As mentioned, he’s a little shorter than most teams would like at 6’9” but he makes up for it in his work ethic. He led his team in points (17.0), rebounds (8.8) and blocks (2.1). Could he be the next Montrezl Harrell? Definitely worth the shot here at 22.



23. Denver Nuggets (via Atlanta Hawks) - Patrick Williams, Forward, Florida State

Back on the clock, digeze and the Nuggets select Patrick Williams, one of the enigmas of this draft class. He’s a guy that might not help much this season but if he grows into what most scouts think he can become, this could be a steal. He’s still only 18 and scored in double figures 5 of the last 7 games for Florida State. He can defend multiple positions with his length while shooting 32% from deep (on only 50 attempts) but 83% from the FT line. He’s quite the prospect.



24. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Miami Heat) - Zeke Nnaji, Power Forward, Arizona

The first of the three Arizona freshman gets taken off the board here by Minnesota. Nnaji was the most productive player on the team with a team-high 16.1 points and 8.6 rebounds. He’s not much of a rim protector so if he can create space as a stretch big he’ll be very valuable as Robinson can work down low. He’s worth a look down here.



25. Miami Heat (via Toronto Raptors) - Vernon Carey Jr., Center, Duke

Pete and the Heat might be looking for a possible replacement for DeAndre Jordan as he’s been getting older. Enter Carey, a bruising big with great quickness and agility. At 6’10” he might be too short for the ultra-long team that Miami currently rosters. Other than that, he was quite effective offensively with some defensive shortcomings to work on as a pro. Can’t go wrong with 17.8 points and 8.8 rebounds a game though.



26. Golden State Warriors (via Sacramento Kings) - Kira Lewis Jr., Guard, Alabama

The sophomore will only be 19 when he’s drafted so his age is still a plus at this stage. He was very productive, getting 18.5 point, 5.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds. He shot 48% from 3 in the last 7 games of the season so there’s some serious upside here if he can come close to that as pro. Titles is ecstatic to turn in this card!



27. LA Clippers - Nico Mannion, Point Guard, Arizona

Mannion is a polarizing prospect. He’s not the best 3 pt shooter but still put up 14 point a game and he can run an offense. His athleticism could be concerning but he’ll be relegated as a backup to start his career in LA and his competitiveness will help drive him to succeed at the next level.



28. Washington Wizards (via Phoenix Suns) - Daniel Oturu, Center, Minnesota

At this point in the draft, nabbing center depth is exactly what the Wizards need. With Oturu, they got a highly productive big man who is strong and can work down low. At 6’10”, some might say he’s undersized but he’s a hustler. He averaged 20.1 points a game and 11.3 rebounds a game and a great 2.5 blocks a game. This is a value pick.



29. New York Knicks (via Chicago Bulls) - Cassius Stanley, Shooting Guard, Duke

Stanley is one of the best athletes in this draft who can jump out of the building. He’s great in transition and can shoot the ball well. He’s not much of a playmaker so he’ll rely on teammates to get him open. It never hurts to add wing depth at this stage.



30. New Orleans Pelicans (via Portland Trailblazers) - Josh Green, Shooting Guard, Arizona

The last of the big three Arizona freshmen is taken with the final pick in this first round. He's a great defender and needs to work on his shooting. If he can hone that skill at the next level, he’ll be a long term 3 & D prospect. He’s an upside pick.