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We spend a lot of time following all of the top NBA Draft analysts for months as they post and tweet about intel and update their big boards and mock drafts leading up to draft day. But once that day comes and goes, it’s easy to shift focus to how the rookies will fit on their new rosters, summer league, and the next draft, so I thought it might be nice to compile all of the final versions of these mock drafts and compare them to the actual 2021 draft picks for easy reference in the future.
After all the hard work this year, even the mock draft accuracy from the top shelf analysts was obliterated early in the 1st round with the trifecta of Toronto choosing Scottie Barnes over Jalen Suggs at #4, OKC going with Josh Giddey at #6 instead of James Bouknight or Jonathan Kuminga, and (the grand finale) the Spurs pick of Josh Primo at #12, who was projected to go in the 25-40 range. All of that, plus a Russell Westbrook trade to the Lakers made for a wild night of twists and turns that surpassed what we have come to expect.
Here is the actual 2021 NBA Draft from July 29th versus the final mock drafts from Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, ESPN’s Mike Schmitz and Jonathan Givony, NBA Big Board’s Chad Ford, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, and The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, and Tankathon.com:
Pick/Team | Draft Trades | ACTUAL DRAFT ORDER | B/R (7/29) | NBA Big Board (7/29) | The Ringer (7/29) | ESPN (7/29) | SI (7/29) | The Athletic (7/29) | Tankathon (7/25) |
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1. DET | Cade Cunningham | Cade Cunningham | Cade Cunningham | Cade Cunningham | Cade Cunningham | Cade Cunningham | Cade Cunningham | Cade Cunningham |
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2. HOU | Jalen Green | Jalen Green | Jalen Green | Jalen Green | Jalen Green | Jalen Green | Jalen Green | Jalen Green |
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3. CLE | Evan Mobley | Evan Mobley | Evan Mobley | Evan Mobley | Evan Mobley | Evan Mobley | Evan Mobley | Evan Mobley |
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4. TOR | Scottie Barnes | Jalen Suggs | Jalen Suggs | Jalen Suggs | Jalen Suggs | Jalen Suggs | Jalen Suggs | Jalen Suggs |
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5. ORL | Jalen Suggs | Scottie Barnes | Scottie Barnes | Scottie Barnes | Scottie Barnes | Scottie Barnes | Scottie Barnes | Scottie Barnes |
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6. OKC | Josh Giddey | James Bouknight | James Bouknight | James Bouknight | Jonathan Kuminga | James Bouknight | James Bouknight | Jonathan Kuminga |
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7. GSW | Jonathan Kuminga | Jonathan Kuminga | Franz Wagner | Franz Wagner | James Bouknight | Jonathan Kuminga | Franz Wagner | James Bouknight |
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8. ORL | Franz Wagner | Franz Wagner | Jonathan Kuminga | Jonathan Kuminga | Moses Moody | Franz Wagner | Jonathan Kuminga | Franz Wagner |
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9. SAC | Davion Mitchell | Alperen Sengun | Alperen Sengun | Alperen Sengun | Franz Wagner | Alperen Sengun | Alperen Sengun | Alperen Sengun |
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10. MEM | MEM to NOP | Ziaire Williams | Josh Giddey | Josh Giddey | Josh Giddey | Josh Giddey | Josh Giddey | Josh Giddey | Josh Giddey |
11. CHA | James Bouknight | Moses Moody | Corey Kispert | Moses Moody | Corey Kispert | Kai Jones | Moses Moody | Moses Moody |
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12. SAN | Joshua Primo | Kai Jones | Trey Murphy | Corey Kispert | Alperen Sengun | Moses Moody | Corey Kispert | Keon Johnson |
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13. IND | Chris Duarte | Chris Duarte | Chris Duarte | Davion Mitchell | Chris Duarte | Davion Mitchell | Davion Mitchell | Davion Mitchell |
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14. GSW | Moses Moody | Davion Mitchell | Davion Mitchell | Chris Duarte | Davion Mitchell | Chris Duarte | Chris Duarte | Jalen Johnson |
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15. WAS | Corey Kispert | Trey Murphy | Moses Moody | Usman Garuba | Trey Murphy | Corey Kispert | Trey Murphy | Corey Kispert |
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16. OKC | BOS to OKC OKC to HOU | Alperen Åžengun | Jalen Johnson | Ziaire Williams | Jalen Johnson | Keon Johnson | Ziaire Williams | Ziaire Williams | Usman Garuba |
17. NOP | NOP to MEM | Trey Murphy | Corey Kispert | Cameron Thomas | Cameron Thomas | Ziaire Williams | Trey Murphy | Jared Butler | Chris Duarte |
18. OKC | Tre Mann | Jared Butler | Isaiah Jackson | Keon Johnson | Jalen Johnson | Day'Ron Sharpe | Kai Jones | Jaden Springer |
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19. NYK | NYK to CHA | Kai Jones | Ziaire Williams | Usman Garuba | Trey Murphy | Kai Jones | Isaiah Jackson | Usman Garuba | Isaiah Jackson |
20. ATL | Jalen Johnson | Cameron Thomas | Keon Johnson | Day'Ron Sharpe | Cameron Thomas | Josh Primo | Keon Johnson | Trey Murphy |
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21. NYK | NYK to LAC | Keon Johnson | Nah'shon Hyland | Jaden Springer | Kai Jones | Nah'shon Hyland | Keon Johnson | Jaden Springer | Ziaire Williams |
22. LAL | LAL to WAS WAS to IND | Isaiah Jackson | Keon Johnson | Kai Jones | Ziaire Williams | Usman Garuba | Usman Garuba | Sharife Cooper | Sharife Cooper |
23. HOU | Usman Garuba | Isaiah Jackson | Sharife Cooper | Sharife Cooper | Sharife Cooper | Brandon Boston | Isaiah Jackson | Kai Jones |
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24. HOU | Josh Christopher | Sharife Cooper | Isaiah Todd | Isaiah Jackson | Isaiah Jackson | Jalen Johnson | Jalen Johnson | Jared Butler |
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25. LAC | LAC to NYK | Quentin Grimes | Usman Garuba | Josh Christopher | Jared Butler | Jared Butler | Nah'shon Hyland | Miles McBride | Day'Ron Sharpe |
26. DEN | Bones Hyland | Josh Primo | Josh Primo | Isaiah Todd | Quentin Grimes | Cameron Thomas | Josh Primo | Cameron Thomas |
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27. BKN | Cameron Thomas | Day'Ron Sharpe | Day'Ron Sharpe | Jaden Springer | Day'Ron Sharpe | Miles McBride | Cameron Thomas | Ayo Dosunmu |
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28. PHI | Jaden Springer | Jaden Springer | Brandon Boston | Josh Primo | Josh Primo | JT Thor | Nah'shon Hyland | Quentin Grimes |
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29. PHX | PHX to BKN | Day'Ron Sharpe | Ayo Dosonmu | Miles McBride | Miles McBride | Tre Mann | Kessler Edwards | Joel Ayayi | Joel Ayayi |
30. UTA | UTA to MEM | Santi Aldama | Miles McBride | Ayo Dosunmu | Tre Mann | Miles McBride | Quentin Grimes | Ayo Dosonmu | Tre Mann |
31. MIL | MIL to IND | Isaiah Todd | JT Thor | Quentin Grimes | Ayo Dosunmu | Jaden Springer | Ayo Dosunmu | Herbert Jones | Rokas Jokubaitis |
32. NYK | NYK to OKC | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | Quentin Grimes | Jalen Johnson | Jason Preston | Ayo Dosonmu | Sharife Cooper | Quentin Grimes | Jason Preston |
33. ORL | ORL to LAC | Jason Preston | Josh Christopher | JT Thor | Rokas Jokubaitis | JT Thor | Jaden Springer | Tre Mann | Josh Christopher |
34. OKC | OKC to NYK | Rokas Jokubaitis | Tre Mann | Brandon Boston | Nah'shon Hyland | Josh Christopher | Jared Butler | Day'Ron Sharpe | Brandon Boston |
35. NOP | Herbert Jones | Isaiah Todd | Tre Mann | Josh Christopher | Isaiah Todd | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | Joe Wieskamp | Nah'shon Hyland |
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36. OKC | OKC to NYK | Miles McBride | Brandon Boston | Vrenz Bleijenbergh | Brandon Boston | Joel Ayayi | Joel Ayayi | JT Thor | Filip Petrusev |
37. DET | DET to CHA | JT Thor | Joel Ayayi | Greg Brown | Charles Bassey | Brandon Boston | Tre Mann | Austin Reaves | Josh Primo |
38. CHI | Ayo Dosunmu | Charles Bassey | Nah'shon Hyland | Joel Ayayi | Kessler Edwards | Jason Preston | Brandon Boston | Juhann Begarin |
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39. SAC | Neemias Queta | Herbert Jones | Herbert Jones | Austin Reaves | Charles Bassey | Isaiah Todd | Rokas Jokubaitis | Herbert Jones |
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40. MEM | MEM to UTA | Jared Butler | Joe Wieskamp | Rokas Jokubaitis | JT Thor | Juhann Begarin | Josh Christopher | Santi Aldama | JT Thor |
41. SAN | Joe Wieskamp | Kessler Edwards | Neemias Queta | Juhann Begarin | David Johnson | Rokas Jokubaitis | Isaiah Todd | Neemias Queta |
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42. DET | Isaiah Livers | Jason Preston | Jason Preston | Quentin Grimes | Filip Petrusev | Juhann Begarin | Josh Christopher | Greg Brown |
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43. NOP | NOP to POR | Greg Brown | Juhann Begarin | Joe Wieskamp | Aaron Henry | Jason Preston | Joe Wieskamp | Filip Petrusev | Miles McBride |
44. BKN | Kessler Edwards | Aaron Henry | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | Herbert Jones | Rokas Jokubaitis | Charles Bassey | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | Isaiah Livers |
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45. BOS | Juhann Begarin | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | Aaron Henry | David Johnson | Austin Reaves | Austin Reaves | Jason Preston | Daishen Nix |
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46. TOR | Dalano Banton | Filip Petrusev | Raiquan Gray | Joe Wieskamp | Herbert Jones | Aaron Wiggins | Juhann Begarin | Kessler Edwards |
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47. TOR | David Johnson | David Johnson | Charles Bassey | Greg Brown | Aaron Wiggins | Herbert Jones | Isaiah Livers | Aaron Wiggins |
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48. ATL | Sharife Cooper | Rokas Jokubaitis | Juhann Begarin | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | Jericho Sims | David Johnson | Greg Brown | Isaiah Todd |
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49. BKN | Marcus Zegarowski | Jericho Sims | Sandro Mamukelashvili | Kessler Edwards | Joe Wieskamp | AJ Lawson | Sandro Mamukelashvili | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl |
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50. PHI | Filip Petrusev | Austin Reaves | Filip Petrusev | Sam Hauser | Aaron Henry | Aaron Henry | David Johnson | Vrenz Bleijenbergh |
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51. NOP | NOP to LAC | Brandon Boston | Vrenz Bleijenbergh | Amar Sylla | Luka Garza | Isaiah Livers | Duane Washington | Kessler Edwards | Joe Wieskamp |
52. DET | Luka Garza | Isaiah Livers | Jericho Sims | Aaron Wiggins | Daishen Nix | RaiQuan Gray | Vrenz Bleijenbergh | Aaron Henry |
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53. PHI | Charles Bassey | Aaron Wiggins | Santi Aldama | Vrenz Bleijenbergh | Greg Brown | Jericho Sims | Aaron Henry | Luka Garza |
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54. IND | IND to MIL | Sandro Mamukelashvili | Greg Brown | Luka Garza | Isaiah Livers | Luka Garza | Amar Sylla | Charles Bassey | Raiquan Gray |
55. OKC | Aaron Wiggins | Santi Aldama | David Johnson | Filip Petrusev | Santi Aldama | Santi Aldama | Neemias Queta | McKinley Wright |
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56. CHA | Scottie Lewis | Luka Garza | Isaiah Livers | McKinley Wright | Vrenz Bleijenbergh | Filip Petrusev | Justin Champagnie | Charles Bassey |
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57. CHA | CHA to DET | Balša Koprivica | Neemias Queta | Joel Ayayi | Sandro Mamukelashvili | McKinley Wright | Greg Brown | Jericho Sims | Matthew Hurt |
58. NYK | Jericho Sims | McKinley Wright | Justin Champagnie | Daishen Nix | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | Neemias Queta | Luka Garza | Jay Huff |
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59. BKN | RaiQuan Gray | Sam Hauser | Daishen Nix | Neemias Queta | Sandro Mamukelashvili | Vrenz Bleijenbergh | Moses Wright | David Johnson |
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60. IND | IND to MIL | Georgios Kalaitzakis | Sandro Mamukelashvili | Chris Smith | Santi Aldama | Neemias Queta | Sam Hauser | Matthew Hurt | Austin Reaves |
Summary of all transactions leading up to and during the Draft:
References:
ESPN/Draft Express [Jonathan Givony/Mike Schmitz]
The Ringer [Kevin O’Connor]
Bleacher Report [Jonathan Wasserman]
The Athletic [Sam Vecenie]
Sport Illustrated [Jeremy Woo]
NBA Big Board [Chad Ford]
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Some other NBA Draft consumables for your reading pleasure:
[NBA Draft]: 2024 Mock Draft Comparison, November 2023
After a few weeks of digesting college and international games we have a fresh batch of mock drafts to compare, including The Athletic, Bleacher Report, ESPN, and Tankathon, Still lots of disagreement across the lottery with some injuries and underwhelming play from top prospects.
[NBA Draft]: 2024 Big Board Comparison, November 2023
Here’s our second big board comparison for 2024 . We have new picks from Jonathan Givony/ESPN, Keandre/Hoop Intellect and Tankathon with the college basketball and the G League season starting up this week.
[NBA Draft]: 2024 Mock Draft Comparison, October 2023 (updated 11/13)
As the NBA season gets rolling we have a new batch of mock drafts to compare from The Athletic, Bleacher Report, ESPN, Hoop Intellect, Tankathon, and yours truly, Hoops Distillery. Lots of disagreement in the lottery to soak in!