21.Utah Jazz – Jalen Brunson, Villanova
It’s tough to go wrong taking a player like Brunson. He’s not the most athletically gifted guard available, but he had a hand in Villanova winning two national championships. He has good strength for his size and he’s a crafty left-handed guard who finds a way to get the job done. He’ll be able to contribute in the NBA, even if he’s not a star.
22.Chicago Bulls – Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State
At 6’7’’, Bates-Diop is a little small for an NBA power forward, which is why he’ll drop to the late first round. However, he has the wingspan and strength to help make up for it. He has some work to do as a shooter and a scorer, but his ability to defend multiple positions should get him a role on an NBA team.
23.Indiana Pacers – Chandler Hutchison, Boise State
Hutchison is one of the rare players who spent four years in college, giving him a better chance to contribute right away. The Pacers don’t need a ton of help with much of their core intact, but Hutchison will add depth and versatility, making him a nice addition to the Indiana rotation.
24.Portland Trail Blazers – Landry Shamet, Wichita State
The Trail Blazers could go just about any direction with this pick, but don’t be surprised if they settle on Shamet. The former Wichita State point guard has good size and a high basketball IQ. He also has a sweet shooting stroke, so he should be able to contribute right away.
25.Los Angeles Lakers – Mitchell Robinson, Western Kentucky
Robinson didn’t actually play in college at Western Kentucky after things got complicated, to say the least. Nevertheless, the Lakers need to add some size in this draft, and at 6’11’’, Robinson fits the bill. Obviously, there is some risk to this pick after Robinson didn’t play organized basketball last year. But the talent and upside are there, making him worth the risk this late in the first round.
26.Philadelphia 76ers – Khyri Thomas, Creighton
The 76ers boast a slew of burgeoning stars with great offensive upside, but in Thomas, they’ll add a defensive specialist, which is something they may need to take them to the next level. Thomas has developed into a nice shooter as well, but his wingspan and athleticism make him best suited for the defensive end as a player who will do all the dirty work.
27.Boston Celtics – Aaron Holiday, UCLA
The Celtics would be wise to add some backcourt depth in this draft. That’s exactly what they’ll get from Holiday. He’s a gamer and has a lot of the intangibles teams like, something you’d expect from the younger brother of two NBA players. He may not develop into a bonafide starter, but Holiday has a chance to become one of the better backup point guards in the league.
28.Golden State Warriors – De’Anthony Melton, USC
Melton is another player who didn’t play organized basketball this year because of off-court issues, but that makes him a good option for a team like Golden State that doesn’t need him to play significant minutes right away. If he can continue to work on his range and fine-tune his skill set, he can develop into a role player on a loaded Warriors team.
29.Brooklyn Nets – Donte DiVincenzo, Villanova
On the surface, he doesn’t look like an NBA player, but he proved during Villanova’s championship run what he can do. DiVincenzo is a great shooter and an underrated athlete who plays with an edge and buys into the team game. He’s not a star, but he’ll become one of those complementary players that opposing teams hate to play.
30.Atlanta Hawks – Jerome Robinson, Boston College
Robinson was one of the best scorers in the ACC, the best conference in college basketball. His supporting cast wasn’t that impressive, so he got a lot of attention but still managed to score 20 points per game and shoot 42% from the perimeter. He may not be a starter for Atlanta, but he’ll be able to come off the bench and score in bunches.
