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The Brooklyn Nets had multiple selections in the 2021 NBA Draft as general manager Sean Marks welcomed aboard five young players on Thursday night at the Barclays Center.
Originally having four draft picks, the Brooklyn Nets were able to swing a deal with the Phoenix Suns to acquire Jevon Carter and the rights to the 29th pick of the 2021 draft in exchange for guard Landry Shamet.
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Here is the Brooklyn Nets' full list of selections:
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#1 Pick No. 27: Cameron Thomas (LSU)
The Brooklyn Nets’ turn came late in the first round, and they used their 27th pick to nab LSU’s Cameron Thomas. The 6' 4" guard played only one season of college ball, but he made full use of that. Thomas led the Tigers in scoring with 23 points per game and earned All-SEC first-team honors as a freshman.
“I think he has an elite skill,” Marks said. “You watch him play; you watch him find his shot, create his shot, that's at a very, very high level. For him to continue to learn from — as you mentioned — maybe three of the greatest scorers the league has right now will be great for him.
As a shooting guard, Thomas has a natural scoring ability that was showcased by the Tigers as their primary offensive weapon. He had a workout session earlier with the Brooklyn Nets and had a follow-up interview last week, culminating in his selection by the New York-based team.
#2 Pick No. 29: Day'Ron Sharpe (North Carolina)
Putting their second pick in the first round to good use, the Brooklyn Nets chose center Day’Ron Sharpe from North Carolina to add size to their lineup. The 6' 11", 265-pound Sharpe put together averages of 9.5 points and 7.6 rebounds as a freshman for the Tar Heels.
Sharpe played 19.2 minutes a game in 29 appearances, starting in four of them for UNC. His strength lies in the painted area, where he can bully his way to the rim.
Though seemingly limited offensively to within a few feet from the basket, Sharpe appears to have the ability to extend his range when given more time to work on his shot. Nevertheless, he is a premier rebounder who the Brooklyn Nets can use off the bench.
NBA Draft Results 2021: Brooklyn Nets GM reacts to first-round picks
With their two first-round picks, the Brooklyn Nets GM was excited to share his thoughts regarding their selections, saying:
“Ecstatic to have them first and foremost,” Marks said. “We know those guys very, very well, very comfortable with who they are both as pull and how they'll fit in from a system fit and so forth. With Cam first and foremost, incredible scorer, shooter, really enjoyed getting to know him, and I think he's a fit with what we're doing moving forward."
"And Day'Ron, his size, mobility, his ability to stretch the floor, which to be quite frank hasn't been really seen yet, so we're excited to get both these guys in the gym, both continue to develop with our development coaches and go from there.”
#3 Pick No. 44: Kessler Edwards (Pepperdine)
The Brooklyn Nets selected 6' 8" Kessler Edwards with the 44th pick. In his junior year at Pepperdine, he averaged 17.2 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds, which helped earn All-WCC first-team honors last season.
Additionally, Edwards swatted away opposition missiles at the rate of 1.22 blocks per game, finishing third in the WCC. He made 45 3-pointers, which was most among his teammates and had the highest 3-point field-goal percentage (37.8) at Pepperdine last season.
Edwards could learn a lot from playing behind Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant, when given the opportunity.
#4 Pick No. 49: Marcus Zegarowski (Creighton)
In need of more guard help with the possible departure of free agent guard Spencer Dinwiddie, the Brooklyn Nets selected Creighton’s Marcus Zegarowski with the No. 49 pick in Thursday’s draft. Zegarowski is the younger brother of 2013-14 Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams.
In his third year as a starter for Creighton, Zegarowski averaged 15.8 points, 4.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 29 games.
He shot 42.3% from the three-point range, which should translate well at the NBA level, especially as he would be left wide open for threes in the Brooklyn Nets’ offense as defenses focus on Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.
#5 Pick No. 59: RaiQuan Gray (Florida State)
RaiQuan Gray will add size and heft to the Brooklyn Nets as their final pick of the 2021 draft. The 6' 8", 269 pounds,Gray averaged 11.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in 26.3 minutes of playing time while starting in 24 of 25 games last season.
For his exploits, he earned All-ACC third-team honors while helping the Seminoles reach the Sweet Sixteen. Gray will be joining a Brooklyn Nets squad that will benefit from his physicality and defensive prowess.
Having played under head coach Leonard Hamilton’s positionless style of play, Gray should find it easier playing under Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash’s system.
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