NBA Draft 2021: Latest 1st-Round Projections and Top Prospects' Stock Watch

The NBA playoffs are underway with the start of the play-in tournament, but most teams are starting to prepare for the draft.

This draft experience will be quite a bit different for executives than it was in 2020. There will be a combine, offering scouts and general managers the chance to get a look at certain prospects and fringe draft hopefuls.

Let's take a closer look at three players primed to be risers this summer, in addition to a full first-round mock draft.

1st-Round Mock

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1. Houston Rockets: PG/SG Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State

2. Detroit Pistons: SG Jalen Green, G League Ignite

3. Orlando Magic: PG/SG Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga

4. Oklahoma City Thunder: C Evan Mobley, USC

5. Cleveland Cavaliers: SF/PF Jonathan Kuminga, G League Ignite

6. Golden State Warriors (via MIN): PF Scottie Barnes, Florida State

7. Toronto Raptors: SG Keon Johnson, Tennessee

8. Orlando Magic (via CHI): PF Jalen Johnson, Duke

9. New Orleans Pelicans: PG/SG Davion Mitchell, Baylor

10. Sacramento Kings: SF/PF Franz Wagner, Michigan

11. Charlotte Hornets: SG/SF Moses Moody, Arkansas

12. San Antonio Spurs: SF Corey Kispert, Gonzaga

13. Indiana Pacers: SG/SF Ziaire Williams, Stanford

14. Memphis Grizzlies: SG James Bouknight, Connecticut

15. Washington Wizards: PG/SG Josh Giddey, Adelaide 36ers

16. Boston Celtics: C Alperen Sengun, Besiktas

17. Golden State Warriors: PG/SG Jared Butler, Baylor

18. Oklahoma City Thunder (via MIA): PG/SG Tre Mann, Florida

19. New York Knicks: SG Cameron Thomas, LSU

20. Atlanta Hawks: PF/C Usman Garuba, Real Madrid

21. Houston Rockets (via POR): SG Josh Primo, Alabama

22. Los Angeles Lakers: PF/C Kai Jones, Texas

23. New York Knicks (via DAL): PG/SG Jaden Springer, Tennessee

24. Houston Rockets (via MIL): PG Sharife Cooper, Auburn

25. Denver Nuggets: PG/SG Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois

26. Brooklyn Nets: PF/C Isaiah Jackson, Kentucky

27. Los Angeles Clippers: SG/SF Josh Christopher, Arizona State

28. Philadelphia 76ers: SG Chris Duarte, Oregon

29. Phoenix Suns: PF Greg Brown, Texas

30. Utah Jazz: PF Roko Prkacin, Ciboba

Jalen Green

Fans not familiar with Jalen Green's prep career might be thinking, where did this dude come from?

Green elected to bypass college ball to head to the G League to play for the Ignite in their debut season. Despite the absence of a national profile, Green was able to hone his skills against aspiring professionals. In fact, he excelled in that arena.

He averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 15 games during the regular season, routinely flashing his tremendous agility and exceptional shot-making ability. Green can be a three-level scorer with upside from the perimeter. He shot 36.5 percent from beyond the arc during the G League season.

There are other reasons to like Green's draft profile. He has good length and can be a defensive playmaker in his ability to disrupt passing lanes. His ball-handling and ability to get downhill seemed to improve as well.

Green will have to take better care of the basketball as he transitions to the pros. But his scoring potential is somewhat reminiscent of that of Chicago Bulls All-Star Zach LaVine.

Keon Johnson

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

Keon Johnson's numbers in his freshman year might not seem all that spectacular.

The combo guard averaged 11.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He shot close to 45 percent from the field, but just 27.1 percent from beyond the arc.

But numbers aren't everything. Isaac Okoro was not the most prolific collegiate player at Auburn, yet that did not stop the Cleveland Cavaliers from making him the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. What matters is the upside, and Johnson appears to have plenty.

Interestingly, Johnson profiles similarly to Okoro. He will need to work on his jumper and handle, but he can get to the cup and finish through contact. The Volunteers standout also has a high motor defensively, constantly hounding opposing ball-handlers and holding his own on ball screens and switches.

Johnson might be a bit of a project. However, is that not what the draft is about? Finding a sure thing is pretty rare.

Davion Mitchell

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Perhaps no player improved their draft stock in the 2021 NCAA men's basketball tournament as much as Baylor's Davion Mitchell.

The high-energy guard was a consistent spark plug for the Bears en route to their first national title in men's program history. What's more, he did it on both ends of the floor.

Mitchell is relentless on the ball. He gets right up in the space of opposing ball-handlers and gives them little room in which to operate. He can rip ball-handlers or make plays via deflections.

But while Mitchell might stand out more on the defensive end, he also displayed some tremendous playmaking upside in more of a point guard role. Mitchell can break down defenders off the dribble, either scoring at the rim or finding shooters and cutters on dribble drives. Oh, he also shot a whopping 44.7 percent from beyond the arc on 4.7 attempts per game.

There are often questions about using such a high pick on guys with longer collegiate careers. Still, those players often bring more of a readiness and knowledge of winning to the pros in a more immediate sense.

Mitchell's track record as a champion and excellent two-way guard make him one of the potential risers to watch this summer.

All stats obtained via Sports Reference and the G League website.