2021 NBA Mock Draft: Top 5 predicted picks

NBA scouts are beginning to hunker down to determine who the top prospects will be for the upcoming 2021 NBA draft, as there are just two months left in the college basketball season and the NBA G-league began playing earlier this week.

With a large number of players deciding to return to school for another year this season, due to last year's pre-draft complications as a result of the global pandemic, front offices are expecting one of the best drafts in years.

Another thing that makes the 2021 NBA draft so special is that it will be the first year where prospects who went to the NBA G-league will be eligible for the draft.

NBA Draft: Top 5 projected picks

Below you will find a mock draft that shows the top-five players that have stood out on the court this year and will likely see themselves playing on the big stage against their idols, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, next season.

*Note that this mock draft does not take into account individual team needs.

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#1 Cade Cunningham

Averaging 18.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, Cade Cunningham currently holds the number one spot in our NBA mock draft due to his impressive all-round play.

The freshman guard will be able to go into any NBA franchise and make an immediate impact. He has a strong basketball IQ and is a highly capable defender out on the perimeter.

One of Cunningham's best traits is his immaculate vision coming out of the pick and roll. His patience and playmaking ability have similarities to what we have seen from Luka Doncic during his first NBA years.

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#2 Evan Mobley

Mobley has been a dominating presence during the college basketball season but has mostly gone under the radar due to the late start times of the PAC-12 conference.

Mobley is currently averaging 16.3 points and nine rebounds on 58.3% shooting during his freshman year with the USC Trojans.

USC Center Evan Mobley has been named to the Naismith Trophy Mid-Season Team for Men's Player of the Year❕🏀The list is comprised of 30 student-athletes who are the current front-runners for the Player of the Year @USCScoop #FightOn✌🏼️ pic.twitter.com/dTarvZsUG8

— Scott Schrader (@Scott_Schrader) February 11, 2021

NBA scouts are excited about the potential defender Mobley will be at the next level. He has a 9.4% block rate and impressive foot quickness that allows him to hold his own out on the perimeter against smaller guards. Going along with Mobley's on-court attributes, he is also physically gifted, listing at seven-feet tall with a 7.5" wingspan.

Depending on how the lottery falls, Evan Mobley could more than likely be the first pick in this year's draft.

#3 Jalen Suggs

Jalen Suggs #1 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs

Jalen Suggs is the number three pick in our NBA mock draft. He is the primary ball-handler on the best college basketball team in the nation, the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Suggs is the second-best point guard in the draft this year behind Cade Cunningham. One of his most significant developments this season was his improved shooting ability. The freshman guard is averaging 14.4 points while shooting 51.7% from the field.

Great showing from Jalen Suggs in a win over BYU: 24 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL in just 26 MIN. Awesome player who impacts winning all over the floor. pic.twitter.com/z26rieVHUq

— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) February 9, 2021

Suggs' top attribute is his open court passing. He can easily pick out the best teammate and create early fast-break points. His passing ability can be credited to when he played quarterback back in high school.

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#4 Jalen Green

Jalen Green is taking an unconventional route to the NBA. The high school sensation, who averaged 31.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in his senior year, decided to bypass college and head to the NBA G league's new development program.

Green has elite athleticism and is the best pure scorer coming out of this year's NBA draft. When Yahoo Sports asked Jalen Green if he believed he was the best player in the draft, here is what he had to say:

Of course. You always have to put money on yourself. I do think I’m No. 1, but that’s just saying I know I have to keep working.

Jalen Green finished with 11 points and five rebounds in his first NBA G League game this season.

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#5 David Duke

David Duke #3 of the Providence Friars

David Duke closes out the list at number five for our NBA mock draft. He will likely be the first upperclassman selected in the 2021 NBA Draft.

The junior guard has shown impressive development each season during his time at Providence. He is a complete player that can play on or off the ball. He has great shooting mechanics allowing him to consistently knock down shots from the perimeter.

Duke's great body control allows him to make up for the lack of acceleration in his first step. His ability to play at his own pace and get a bucket from anywhere on the court is similar to Kawhi Leonard's play style.

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