NBA Mock Drafts 1.0: Did the Bears Stock Rise After the NBA Combine?
The NBA Draft is set for June 26th. Let’s take a look at where all the various media outlets have Baylor’s three stars, Ja'Kobe Walter, Yves Missi, and Jalen Bridges, at this point in the draft process.
Ja’Kobe Walter
ESPN: No. 13 Kings
CBS: No. 9 Hawks, No. 15 Heat, No. 10 Hawks, No. 16 76ers (Four Analyst Projections)
SI: No. 18 Magic
Yahoo: No. 12 Thunder
Sporting News: No. 11 Bulls
NBADraft.net: No. 11 Bulls
The Ringer: No. 14 Trail Blazers
SBNation: No. 21 Pelicans
The Athletic: No. 16 76ers
I really like the position that Ja’Kobe Walter is in here as the range he is going has quite a few interesting teams that might actually be going somewhere instead of rebuilding. That is a great thing. There are three teams in his range I would like him to avoid: Bulls, Hawks, Trail Blazers. I view those teams as sellers and one’s who will tank this year or in the near future. Teams like the Thunder at 12, Kings at 13, Heat at 15, 76ers at 16, Lakers at 17, and Magic at 18 would all provide a good spot for him to grow on decent teams or at least good culture teams. I don’t see him falling into the 20s and his ceiling is likely 9 or 10 but he has a great shot to keep the Bears three year top 16 pick streak alive.
Yves Missi
ESPN: No. 23 Bucks
CBS: No. 13 Pelicans, No. 17 Pelicans, No. 20 Cavs, No. 21 Pelicans (Four Analyst Projections)
SI: No 15. Heat
Yahoo: No. 14 Trail Blazers
Sporting News: No. 23 Bucks
NBADraft.net: No. 22 Suns
The Ringer: No. 22 Suns
SBNation: No. 19 Raptors
The Athletic: No. 19 Raptors
Missi has a pretty wide range of outcomes in this draft as it seems like he will go somewhere in the 13-23 range. I truly think the success of Dereck Lively II will help elevate him as we have all seen how valuable Lively II has been to a Mavs team that is in the Western Conference Finals. Missi can fill that same role at the next level if he is used appropriately. The Suns, Bucks, and Pelicans would be great landing spots for him on potential contenders but I could see teams like the Thunder or Knicks moving to get him as well. He can provide an immediate impact on the right team. I don’t see him going any higher than 12 and the farthest he could fall will likely be the early 20s.
Jalen Bridges
ESPN: No. 56 Nuggets
CBS: 2nd Round
SI: No. 50 Pacers
Yahoo: No. 44 Heat
Sporting News: No. 46 Clippers
NBADraft.net: Undrafted
The Ringer: No. 39 Grizzlies
SBNation: 2nd Round
The Athletic: No. 57 Grizzlies
Bridges certainly helped himself over the course of the NBA Combine with his shooting touch and his performance in the two scrimmages he competed in. He profiles as a 3-and-D wing which is a huge need for just about every team in the NBA plus he should be ready to roll from day one. His age, ball handling, and ability to create for himself and others are holding him back enough to keep him the 2nd round according to every mock draft. I could see him sneaking into the very late 1st but ultimately I expect him to be selected in the 2nd round. He solidified himself as a draft pick over the weekend and gave himself a little momentum to push up the boards.