NBA Draft 2019: 1st-Round Mock Draft, Landing Spots for Coveted Prospects
The 2019 NBA playoffs are getting more competitive and exciting, and fans are busy cheering on their respective teams hoping they will win a championship.
But the league also has other basketball business to attend to on the schedule, namely getting ready for the draft lottery and the draft.
With May 14's lottery less than two weeks away and June 20's draft not far behind, teams are diving head first into game tapes and scouting reports to determine what prospects they want to select.
For some teams, especially those in the lottery, there are players on the board who could be franchise cornerstones for years to come, and for others, quality players that could make an impact immediately.
Here's the latest mock with a few predictions on where players will land.
2019 NBA Mock Draft
1. New York Knicks: Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2. Phoenix Suns: Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3. Cleveland Cavaliers: RJ Barrett, SG, Duke
4. Chicago Bulls: Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
5. Atlanta Hawks: Cam Reddish, SF, Duke
6. Washington Wizards: De'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia
7. Memphis Grizzlies: Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
8. Atlanta Hawks (from Dallas): Rui Hachimura, SF/PF, Gonzaga
9. New Orleans Pelicans: Sekou Doumbouya, PF/SF, Limoges CSP (France)
10. Minnesota Timberwolves: Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt
11. Los Angeles Lakers: Coby White, PG/SG, North Carolina
12. Charlotte Hornets: PJ Washington, PF, Kentucky
13. Miami Heat: Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga
14. Boston Celtics (from Sacramento): Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana
15. Detroit Pistons: Bol Bol, C, Oregon
16. Brooklyn Nets: Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina
17. Orlando Magic: Kevin Porter Jr., SG, USC
18. Indiana Pacers: Keldon Johnson, SG/SF, Kentucky
19. Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers): Goga Bitadze, C, Buducnost (Montenegro)
20. San Antonio Spurs: Grant Williams, PF, Tennesse
21. Boston Celtics: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG, Virginia Tech
22. Oklahoma City Thunder: Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky
23. Utah Jazz: Matisse Thybulle, SF, Washington
24. Philadelphia 76ers: Cameron Johnson, SF, North Carolina
25. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Houston): Talen Horton-Tucker, SF, Iowa State
26. Portland Trailblazers: Bruno Fernando, C, Maryland
27. Brooklyn Nets (from Denver): KZ Okpala, SF, Stanford
28. Golden State Warriors: Carsen Edwards, PG, Purdue
29. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto): Luguentz Dort, SG, Arizona State
30. Milwaukee Bucks: Ty Jerome, PG, Virginia
Prospects to Watch
RJ Barrett, SG, Duke
Zion Williamson gets all of the attention from Duke's trio of freshman draft prospects, and rightfully so, but RJ Barrett also has the potential to be the kind of player that changes a team's fortunes.
The 6'7", 202-pound shooting guard won the Jerry West award, was an AP first-team All-America selection and was the Blue Devils' most consistent scorer, averaging 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in his freshman year.
Projections have him falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are in desperate need of his versatility, athleticism and competitive fire.
The Cavs' 2018 first-round pick, Collin Sexton, hasn't been stellar at the point guard position in his rookie season, but Barrett, who has been hailed as the most NBA-ready player in the lottery, would take some of the pressure off the former Alabama standout.
Barrett will bring leadership intangibles with him, setting the stage for Cleveland to potentially have the backcourt duo they need to compete with the league's top-tier guards.
And depending on where the other young talents get picked, Barrett could be a leading contender for next year's Rookie of the Year award.
Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
Jarrett Culver may have come up short in the national championship game against Virginia, but he won't play second fiddle in the NBA.
The Lubbock, Texas, native padded his resume this postseason by leading Texas Tech to its first-ever Final Four and title game with his impressive two-way play.
At 6'6", he's got an explosive first step, excellent footwork and has above-average instincts in the open court.
He's also a great playmaker and is a natural in the pick-and-roll.
Culver, who averaged 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists as a sophomore, thrives on isolation plays, which will come in handy on a team like the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls have a strong need at the point since Kris Dunn hasn't panned out, but Culver is too good to pass on at the No. 4 spot.
They'll likely look to the free agent market for a floor general and select the Red Raiders star.
Chicago is in rebuild mode, but they've got a talented young core led by Wendell Carter Jr., Chandler Hutchison, Lauri Markkanen and leading scorer Zach LaVine.
Culver will have to develop a more reliable three-point shot, but he'll get plenty of opportunities to show what he can do in the Windy City.
Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana
Coming out of New Albany High School, Romeo Langford was ranked No. 5 on the ESPN 100.
The former Indiana Mr. Basketball was expected to make a big splash in Bloomington after earning McDonald's All American honors and pouring in 35.5 points per game as a senior.
But things didn't go as planned for the 6'6" two guard since suiting up for the Indiana Hoosiers.
Langford injured his thumb back in November, and that took some of the sizzle out of freshman season. He still finished with respectable numbers (16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists), but he never quite lived up to the expectations he had coming into the year.
"I think it's fair to say that we never got a chance to see me at my best at the college level, especially since I've been playing with basically a cast on my thumb the whole season," Langford told ESPN's Jonathan Givony. "Obviously that throws off your shot. Even though I didn't shoot as well as I'm capable of, I feel like I shot the ball pretty well in the second half of the season."
Still, Langford is a projected first-round pick and could be a steal for the Boston Celtics.
His scoring ability and defensive acumen would mesh perfectly in head coach Brad Stevens' system, and he'll get a chance to develop his game while practicing against Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown and Kyrie Irving, if he stays.
Langford had surgery to repair the torn ligament in his right thumb, so he won't be hampered by the cast moving forward and should have a solid rookie season for the Celtics.
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