NBA Mock Draft 2019: 1st-Round Projections and Stock Watch for Top Prospects
The NCAA tournament did more than crown Virginia king of men's college basketball.
It also added some fluidity to NBA draft boards, as draft stocks climbed or tumbled depending on the prospects' performance.
After taking a look at our latest first-round mock, we'll look at three draft stocks on the move after March Madness.
2019 NBA Mock Draft
1. New York Knicks: Zion Williamson, PF/C, Duke
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3. Phoenix Suns: RJ Barrett, SG/SF, Duke
4. Chicago Bulls: Coby White, PG/SG, North Carolina
5. Atlanta Hawks: De'Andre Hunter, SF/PF, Virginia
6. Washington Wizards: Cam Reddish, SG/SF, Duke
7. Memphis Grizzlies: Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
8. New Orleans Pelicans: Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt
9. Atlanta Hawks (via Dallas Mavericks): Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
10. Minnesota Timberwolves: PJ Washington, PF/C, Kentucky
11. Los Angeles Lakers: Bol Bol, C, Oregon
12. Boston Celtics (via Sacramento Kings): Brandon Clarke, PF/C, Gonzaga
13. Miami Heat: Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana
14. Charlotte Hornets: Kevin Porter Jr., SG, USC
15. Detroit Pistons: Sekou Doumbouya, SF/PF, France
16. Brooklyn Nets: Goga Bitadze, C, Georgia
17. Orlando Magic: Keldon Johnson, SG/SF, Kentucky
18. Boston Celtics (via Los Angeles Clippers): Talen Horton-Tucker, SG/SF, Boston Celtics
19. Indiana Pacers: Cameron Johnson, SF, North Carolina
20. San Antonio Spurs: Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga
21. Oklahoma City Thunder: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG, Virginia Tech
22. Boston Celtics: KZ Okpala, SF/PF, Stanford
23. Philadelphia 76ers: Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky
24. Utah Jazz: Nassir Little, SF/PF, North Carolina
25. Portland Trail Blazers: Matisse Thybulle, SF, Washington
26. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Houston Rockets): Daniel Gafford, C, Arkansas
27. Brooklyn Nets (via Denver Nuggets): Luguentz Dort, SG/SF, Arizona State
28. Golden State Warriors: Grant Williams, PF/C, Tennessee
29. San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto Raptors): Dylan Windler, SF, Belmont
30. Milwaukee Bucks: Carsen Edwards, PG, Purdue
Draft order via Tankathon.com
Stock Watch for Top Prospects
De'Andre Hunter: Stock Up
If you find yourself doing a pros and cons breakdown of Hunter in the coming weeks, make sure to put "seizes opportunity" on the plus side.
With all eyes of the hoops world upon him on championship Monday, Hunter engineered a second-half surge that sent his Cavaliers to the title and his draft stock into orbit.
After a choppy 1-of-8 showing in the opening half, Hunter erupted for 22 of his career-high 27 points after intermission, sending the contest to overtime with a three-pointer at the 14-second mark and adding five points in the extra session.
Oh, and did we mention he also blanketed fellow lottery prospect Jarrett Culver, who shot just 5-of-22 and misfired on all six of his three-point attempts? Or that Hunter snared a team-high nine rebounds? Or that his final shooting line of 8-of-16 overall, 4-of-5 from distance and 7-of-9 at the line showed zero signs of his first-half woes?
"He was unbelievable in all areas of the game," teammate Ty Jerome said. "He was a beast on the glass. He was a beast on the defensive end, guarding the ball. He hit threes. He got and-ones at the rim. Every single thing someone can do on the court, he did."
That's the NBA sales pitch for Hunter—relentless, versatile defense and a little bit of everything else. He won't always make his presence felt so dramatically, but he's a high-floor prospect who clearly isn't bothered by bright lights.
Jarrett Culver: Stock Down
Culver was the top scorer, rebounder and distributor on a national finalist. He steered the Red Raiders further than they had gone in program history. So, let's make clear we're not saying the tournament was remotely disastrous to his draft stock.
But he finished on a low enough note to think his performance may cost him a few spots on NBA draft boards.
He only shot above 36 percent in two of his six outings. In the Elite 8, he needed 19 shots and eight free-throw attempts to net 19 points. Against Michigan State and Virginia, he shot a combined 8-of-34 overall, went just 1-of-9 from range and had nearly as many turnovers (six) as assists (seven).
There's too much to like about his game to move him outside of the top 10, but his shooting form needs work, and his inability to separate from Hunter may create questions with his shot-creation ability.
PJ Washington: Stock Up
It wouldn't be an NBA draft without a Wildcat in the top 10, right?
Washington might be right on the bubble, but he's trending up after the Big Dance.
While a foot injury limited him to two tournament games, he squeezed as much out of those contests as he could. He scored 44 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked three shots while hitting 16-of-26 field goals (61.5 percent) and 2-of-4 from distance.
That put an appropriate bow on a breakout season for the sophomore. His numbers jumped across the board (in volume and efficiency), and he became a more decisive post scorer, a capable outside shooter (33 threes at a 42.3-percent clip) and a stronger interior presence.
He offers more safety than upside, but it isn't hard to fall in love with a plug-and-play 20-year-old offering frontcourt versatility and an expanding skill set. In this draft, that might be worth a top-10 investment.
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