2021 NBA Draft

2021 NBA Draft Early Entrants List

The NBA announced in March that early entrants who wish to declare for the 2021 NBA draft have until the end of the day on Sunday, May 30 to make that decision official.

In recent years, we’ve generally had over 200 players declare for each draft as early entrants, with fewer than half of those players ultimately keeping their names in the draft and going pro. We can expect that pattern to continue in 2021, with many early entrants declaring before the end of May, and then withdrawing from consideration by the NCAA’s deadline (July 7) or the NBA’s deadline (July 19).

The list of “early” entrants is even bigger than usual this season because the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic. That means seniors who would’ve typically become automatically eligible for the draft now have the option of declaring or remaining in college for an extra year.

We’ll use this post to keep track of reports and announcements on early entrant prospects and their decisions. We’ll archive them all in a running list here, which will be accessible anytime under “Hoops Rumors Features” on the right sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” page found in our mobile menu.

The players below are listed in alphabetical order. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.

Last updated 7-20-21 (8:50pm CT)


College Underclassmen:

Remaining in the draft:

  1. Santi Aldama, F, Loyola Maryland (sophomore)
  2. Joel Ayayi, G, Gonzaga (junior)
  3. Dalano Banton, G, Nebraska (sophomore)
  4. Scottie Barnes, F, Florida State (freshman)
  5. Charles Bassey, C, Western Kentucky (junior)
  6. Giorgi Bezhanishvili, F, Illinois (junior)
  7. Brandon Boston Jr., G/F, Kentucky (freshman)
  8. James Bouknight, G, UConn (sophomore)
  9. Pedro Bradshaw, G/F, Bellarmine (junior)
  10. Greg Brown, F, Texas (freshman)
  11. Jared Butler, G, Baylor (junior)
  12. D.J. Carton, G, Marquette (sophomore)
  13. Justin Champagnie, G/F, Pittsburgh (sophomore)
  14. Josh Christopher, G, Arizona State (freshman)
  15. Sharife Cooper, G, Auburn (freshman)
  16. Derek Culver, F/C, West Virginia (junior)
  17. Sam Cunliffe, G/F, Evansville (junior)
  18. Cade Cunningham, G, Oklahoma State (freshman)
  19. Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois (junior)
  20. David Duke, G, Providence (junior)
  21. Nojel Eastern, G, Howard (junior)
  22. Kessler Edwards, F, Pepperdine (junior)
  23. RaiQuan Gray, F, Florida State (junior)
  24. Alan Griffin, G/F, Syracuse (junior)
  25. Quentin Grimes, G, Houston (junior)
  26. Aaron Henry, G/F, Michigan State (junior)
  27. Feron Hunt, F, SMU (junior)
  28. Matthew Hurt, F, Duke (sophomore)
  29. Nah’Shon Hyland, G, VCU (sophomore)
  30. Isaiah Jackson, F, Kentucky (freshman)
  31. David Johnson, G, Louisville (sophomore)
  32. Jalen Johnson, F, Duke (freshman)
  33. Keon Johnson, G, Tennessee (freshman)
  34. Kai Jones, F, Texas (sophomore)
  35. Balsa Koprivica, C, Florida State (sophomore)
  36. A.J. Lawson, G, South Carolina (junior)
  37. Scottie Lewis, G, Florida (sophomore)
  38. Sterling Manley, F/C, North Carolina (junior)
  39. Tre Mann, G, Florida (sophomore)
  40. Miles McBride, G, West Virginia (sophomore)
  41. Mac McClung, G, Texas Tech (junior)
  42. Davion Mitchell, G, Baylor (junior)
  43. Evan Mobley, F/C, USC (freshman)
  44. Moses Moody, G, Arkansas (freshman)
  45. Trey Murphy III, G, Virginia (junior)
  46. RJ Nembhard, G, TCU (junior)
  47. Joel Ntambwe, F, Texas Tech (sophomore)
  48. Jason Preston, G, Ohio (junior)
  49. Joshua Primo, G, Alabama (freshman)
  50. Neemias Queta, C, Utah State (junior)
  51. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, F, Villanova (sophomore)
  52. Damion Rosser, G, New Orleans (junior)
  53. Day’Ron Sharpe, F/C, North Carolina (freshman)
  54. Javonte Smart, G, LSU (junior)
  55. Jaden Springer, G, Tennessee (freshman)
  56. TJ Starks, G, Cal State Northridge (junior)
  57. DJ Steward, G, Duke (freshman)
  58. D.J. Stewart, G, Mississippi State (sophomore)
  59. Jalen Suggs, G, Gonzaga (freshman)
  60. Cameron Thomas, G, LSU (freshman)
  61. JT Thor, F, Auburn (freshman)
  62. Franz Wagner, G/F, Michigan (sophomore)
  63. Kyree Walker, G/F, Hillcrest Prep Academy (AZ) (post-graduate)
  64. Duane Washington, G, Ohio State (junior)
  65. Trendon Watford, F, LSU (sophomore)
  66. Romeo Weems, F, DePaul (sophomore)
  67. Joe Wieskamp, G/F, Iowa (junior)
  68. Aaron Wiggins, G, Maryland (junior)
  69. Brandon Williams, G, Arizona (sophomore)
  70. Ziaire Williams, F, Stanford (freshman)
  71. Bryce Wills, G/F, Stanford (junior)
  72. Marcus Zegarowski, G, Creighton (junior)

Note: Kentucky freshman guard Terrence Clarke declared for the draft and signed with an agent, but was killed in a car accident on April 22.

Withdrew from the draft after testing the waters:

  1. Max Abmas, G, Oral Roberts (sophomore)
  2. Ochai Agbaji, G, Kansas (junior)
  3. Josiah Agnew, G, Denmark Technical College (SC) (freshman)
  4. Fardaws Aimaq, F/C, Utah Valley (sophomore)
  5. Warith Alatishe, F, Oregon State (junior)
  6. Keve Aluma, F, Virginia Tech (junior)
  7. Eric Ayala, G, Maryland (junior)
  8. Armando Bacot, F, North Carolina (sophomore)
  9. Marcus Bagley, F, Arizona State (freshman)
  10. Justin Bean, F, Utah State (junior)
  11. Izaiah Brockington, G, Penn State (junior)
  12. Keyshawn Bryant, F, South Carolina (junior)
  13. D.J. Burns Jr., F, Winthrop (sophomore)
  14. Maurice Calloo, F, Oregon State (junior)
  15. Marcus Carr, G, Minnesota (junior)
  16. Colin Castleton, C, Florida (junior)
  17. Julian Champagnie, G/F, St. John’s (sophomore)
  18. Moussa Cisse, C, Memphis (freshman)
  19. Kofi Cockburn, C, Illinois (sophomore)
  20. Jermaine Couisnard, G, South Carolina (sophomore)
  21. Kendric Davis, G, SMU (junior)
  22. Darius Days, F, LSU (junior)
  23. Hunter Dickinson, C, Michigan (freshman)
  24. Tyson Etienne, G, Wichita State (sophomore)
  25. Dawson Garcia, F, Marquette (freshman)
  26. Patrick Greene Jr., G, National Park College (AR) (sophomore)
  27. Quincy Guerrier, F, Syracuse (sophomore)
  28. Jordan Hall, F, St. Joseph’s (freshman)
  29. Bryce Hamilton, G, UNLV (junior)
  30. De’Vion Harmon, G, Oklahoma (sophomore)
  31. Ron Harper Jr., G/F, Rutgers (junior)
  32. Trevor Hudgins, G, NW Missouri State (junior)
  33. DeVante’ Jones, G, Coastal Carolina (junior)
  34. Latrell Jones, G, Portland (junior)
  35. Johnny Juzang, G/F, UCLA (sophomore)
  36. Miller Kopp, F, Northwestern (junior)
  37. E.J. Liddell, F, Ohio State (sophomore)
  38. Makur Maker, C, Howard (freshman)
  39. Matthew Mayer, G/F, Baylor (junior)
  40. Josh Mballa, F, Buffalo (junior)
  41. Sean McNeil, G, West Virginia (junior)
  42. Isaiah Mobley, F, USC (sophomore)
  43. Issa Muhammad, F, Daytona State (FL) (sophomore)
  44. Kevin Obanor, F, Oral Roberts (junior)
  45. Jordan Phillips, G/F, UT Arlington (junior)
  46. Scotty Pippen Jr., G, Vanderbilt (sophomore)
  47. Courtney Ramey, G, Texas (junior)
  48. Antonio Reeves, G, Illinois State (sophomore)
  49. Cody Riley, F, UCLA (junior)
  50. Orlando Robinson, F/C, Fresno State (sophomore)
  51. Shawn Royal Jr., G/F, Victory Rock Prep (FL) (post-graduate)
  52. Kevin Samuel, C, TCU (junior)
  53. Marcus Sasser, G, Houston (sophomore)
  54. Ronaldo Segu, G, Buffalo (junior)
  55. Jaden Shackelford, G, Alabama (sophomore)
  56. Terrence Shannon Jr., G/F, Texas Tech (sophomore)
  57. Deon Stroud, G, Fresno State (sophomore)
  58. C.J. Walker, F, UCF (sophomore)
  59. Sahvir Wheeler, G, Georgia (sophomore)
  60. Jeenathan Williams, G/F, Buffalo (junior)
  61. Trevion Williams, F, Purdue (junior)
  62. Jalen Wilson, F, Kansas (freshman)
  63. Sidney Wilson, G/F, SIU-Edwardsville (junior)
  64. Isaiah Wong, G, Miami (sophomore)

College seniors

Remaining in the draft:

  1. Derrick Alston Jr., G/F, Boise State
  2. Jose Alvarado, G, Georgia Tech
  3. Jonah Antonio, G, Wake Forest
  4. Jonathan Baehre, F, Clemson
  5. Mitch Ballock, G, Creighton
  6. Troy Baxter Jr., F, Morgan State
  7. Chudier Bile, F, Georgetown
  8. Jahvon Blair, G, Georgetown
  9. Isaac Bonton, G, Washington State
  10. Chaundee Brown, G, Michigan
  11. Marcus Burk, G, IUPUI
  12. Jordan Burns, G, Colgate
  13. Manny Camper, G/F, Siena
  14. Nahziah Carter, G, Washington
  15. Arinze Chidom, F, UC-Riverside
  16. Matt Coleman III, G, Texas
  17. Trevion Crews, G, Bethel (IN)
  18. T.J. Crockett, G, Lindenwood (MO)
  19. Jalen Crutcher, G, Dayton
  20. Oscar Da Silva, F, Stanford
  21. Ryan Daly, G, St. Joseph’s
  22. Zaccheus Darko-Kelly, G/F, Univ. of Providence (MT)
  23. Cartier Diarra, G, Virginia Tech
  24. Marek Dolezaj, F, Syracuse
  25. Chris Duarte, G, Oregon
  26. Ian DuBose, G, Wake Forest
  27. Juwan Durham, F, Notre Dame
  28. Tahj Eaddy, G, USC
  29. Lydell Elmore, F, High Point
  30. Romeao Ferguson, G, Lipscomb
  31. LJ Figueroa, G, Oregon
  32. Aleem Ford, F, Wisconsin
  33. Blake Francis, G, Richmond
  34. Hasahn French, F, Saint Louis
  35. DJ Funderburk, F, N.C. State
  36. Ty Gadsden, G, UNC Wilmington
  37. Gorjok Gak, C, California Baptist
  38. Marcus Garrett, G, Kansas
  39. Luka Garza, C, Iowa
  40. Samson George, F, Central Arkansas
  41. Asante Gist, G, Iona
  42. Terrell Gomez, G, San Diego State
  43. Jordan Goodwin, G, Saint Louis
  44. Justin Gorham, F, Houston
  45. Elyjah Goss, F, IUPUI
  46. Jayvon Graves, G, Buffalo
  47. Quade Green, G, Washington
  48. Dou Gueye, F, Louisiana
  49. Matt Haarms, C, BYU
  50. Javion Hamlet, G, North Texas
  51. Deion Hammond, G, Monmouth
  52. Amauri Hardy, G, Oregon
  53. Romio Harvey, G, Harding University (AR)
  54. Sam Hauser, F, Virginia
  55. Kashaun Hicks, G/F, Norfolk State
  56. Taveion Hollingsworth, G, Western Kentucky
  57. Jay Huff, F/C, Virginia
  58. Anthony Hughes Jr., G, Millsaps College (MS)
  59. Jhivvan Jackson, G, UTSA
  60. Loren Cristian Jackson, G, Akron
  61. Casdon Jardine, G/F, Hawaii
  62. DeJon Jarreau, G, Houston
  63. Tristan Jarrett, G, Jackson State
  64. Justin Jaworski, G, Lafayette
  65. Damien Jefferson, G/F, Creighton
  66. Bryson Johnson, G, Univ. of The Ozarks (AR)
  67. Carlik Jones, G, Louisville
  68. Herb Jones, F, Alabama
  69. Corey Kispert, F, Gonzaga
  70. Cameron Krutwig, C, Loyola Chicago
  71. Matt Lewis, G, James Madison
  72. Spencer Littleson, G, Toledo
  73. Isaiah Livers, F, Michigan
  74. Denzel Mahoney, G/F, Creighton
  75. Makuach Maluach, G/F, New Mexico
  76. Sandro Mamukelashvili, F/C, Seton Hall
  77. Kyle Mangas, G, Indiana Wesleyan
  78. JaQuori McLaughlin, G, UCSB
  79. Jadyn Michael, F, Colorado Christian
  80. Asbjorn Midtgaard, C, Grand Canyon
  81. Isaiah Miller, G, UNC Greensboro
  82. Damek Mitchell, G, Lewis-Clark State College (ID)
  83. Matt Mitchell, F, San Diego State
  84. Steffon Mitchell, F, Boston College
  85. Ruot Monyyong, F/C, Little Rock
  86. Clay Mounce, F, Furman
  87. Matthew Moyer, F, George Washington
  88. Obadiah Noel, G, UMass-Lowell
  89. Kobi Nwandu, F, Niagara
  90. Eugene Omoruyi, F, Oregon
  91. EJ Onu, F, Shawnee State (OH)
  92. Chris Parker, G, Liberty
  93. Jock Perry, C, UC-Riverside
  94. John Petty Jr., G, Alabama
  95. Jamorko Pickett, F, Georgetown
  96. Danny Pippen, F, Kent State
  97. Yves Pons, G/F, Tennessee
  98. Micah Potter, F/C, Wisconsin
  99. Brandon Rachal, G/F, Tulsa
  100. Austin Reaves, G, Oklahoma
  101. Alex Reese, F, Alabama
  102. Nate Reuvers, F, Wisconsin
  103. Elvin Rodriguez, G, Science & Arts of Oklahoma
  104. Colbey Ross, G, Pepperdine
  105. Olivier Sarr, C, Kentucky
  106. Jordan Schakel, G, San Diego State
  107. Taz Sherman, G, West Virginia
  108. Devontae Shuler, G, Ole Miss
  109. Aamir Simms, F, Clemson
  110. Jericho Sims, F/C, Texas
  111. Chris Smith, F, UCLA
  112. Dru Smith, G, Missouri
  113. Justin Smith, F, Arkansas
  114. Mike Smith, G, Michigan
  115. Anthony Tarke, G/F, Coppin State
  116. Jalen Tate, G, Arkansas
  117. Terry Taylor, G/F, Austin Peay
  118. MaCio Teague, G, Baylor
  119. Christian Terrell, G, Sacramento State
  120. Koby Thomas, G/F, Coppin State
  121. Ethan Thompson, G, Oregon State
  122. Jeremiah Tilmon, C, Missouri
  123. D’Mitrik Trice, G, Wisconsin
  124. Jordy Tshimanga, C, Dayton
  125. Justin Turner, G, Bowling Green
  126. Chandler Vaudrin, F, Winthrop
  127. Eric Vila, F, UTEP
  128. Mark Vital, G/F, Baylor
  129. M.J. Walker, G, Florida State
  130. Keaton Wallace, G, UTSA
  131. Josh Washburn, G, Carthage (WI)
  132. Isaiah Washington, G, Long Beach State
  133. Ibi Watson, G, Dayton
  134. Romello White, F, Mississippi
  135. Devin Whitfield, G, Lincoln Memorial Univ. (TN)
  136. McKinley Wright IV, G, Colorado
  137. Moses Wright, F, Georgia Tech

Withdrew from the draft after testing the waters:

  1. Geo Baker, G, Rutgers
  2. Dalonte Brown, F, Miami (Ohio)
  3. Navar Elmore, F, Livingstone (NC)
  4. David Jean-Baptiste, G, Chattanooga
  5. Jalen Johnson, F, Mississippi State
  6. Christiaan Jones, G, Stetson
  7. John Knight III, G, Southern Utah
  8. Kameron Langley, G, North Carolina A&T
  9. Jaizec Lottie, G, Flagler (FL)
  10. Loudon Love, F, Wright State
  11. Remy Martin, G, Arizona State
  12. Kameron McGusty, G, Miami
  13. Davion Mintz, G, Kentucky
  14. Alex Morales, G, Wagner
  15. Darius Perry, G, UCF
  16. Quentin Scott, F, Texas State
  17. Roman Silva, C, Oregon State
  18. Maleek Taylor, F, Allen University (SC)
  19. Clyde Trapp, G, Clemson
  20. Stanley Umude, G, South Dakota
  21. Alonzo Verge Jr., G, Arizona State
  22. Richard Washington Jr., G/F, San Jose State
  23. Fabian White Jr., F, Houston
  24. Keith Williams, G, Cincinnati
  25. Jacob Young, G, Rutgers

International players

Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.

Remaining in the draft:

  1. Juhann Begarin, G/F, France (born 2002)
  2. Vrenz Bleijenbergh, G/F, Belgium (born 2000)
  3. Biram Faye, F/C, Spain (born 2000)
  4. Usman Garuba, F/C, Spain (born 2002)
  5. Josh Giddey, G, Australia (born 2002)
  6. Rokas Jokubaitis, G, Lithuania (born 2000)
  7. Alperen Sengun, C, Turkey (born 2002)
  8. Amar Sylla, F/C, Belgium (born 2001)

Withdrew from the draft after testing the waters:

  1. Carlos Alocen, G, Spain (born 2000)
  2. Mert Akay, G, Serbia (born 2000)
  3. Ibou Badji, C, Spain (born 2002)
  4. Aleksander Balcerowski, C, Spain (born 2000)
  5. Kenny Baptiste, F, France (born 2000)
  6. Hugo Besson, G, France (born 2001)
  7. Tarik Biberovic, G/F, Turkey (born 2001)
  8. Danko Brankovic, C, Croatia (born 2000)
  9. Gora Camara, C, Italy (born 2001)
  10. Malcolm Cazalon, G, Serbia (born 2001)
  11. Vinicius Da Silva, C, Spain (born 2001)
  12. Tom Digbeu, G/F, Lithuania (born 2001)
  13. Ousmane Diop, F, Italy (born 2000)
  14. Mouhamet Diouf, F, Italy (born 2001)
  15. Matthieu Gauzin, G, France (born 2001)
  16. Gregor Glas, G, Serbia (born 2001)
  17. Haowen Guo, F, China (born 2000)
  18. Justus Hollatz, G, Germany (born 2001)
  19. Ariel Hukporti, C, Lithuania (born 2002)
  20. Dalibor Ilic, F, Bosnia (born 2000)
  21. Kenan Kamenjas, C, Bosnia (born 2000)
  22. Jovan Kljajic, G, Spain (born 2001)
  23. Yoan Makoundou, F, France (born 2000)
  24. Zsombor Maronka, F/C, Spain (born 2002)
  25. Karlo Matkovic, F/C, Serbia (born 2001)
  26. Nikita Mikhailovskii, F, Russia (born 2000)
  27. Aristide Mouaha, G, Italy (born 2000)
  28. Mario Nakic, F, Belgium (born 2001)
  29. Barra Njie, G, Sweden (born 2001)
  30. Vladislav Odinokov, F/C, Russia (born 2000)
  31. Joel Parra, F, Spain (born 2000)
  32. Tomas Pavelka, C, Spain (born 2000)
  33. Marko Pecarski, F/C, Serbia (born 2000)
  34. Ivan Perasovic, F, Croatia (born 2002)
  35. Franger Pirela, G, Spain (born 2002)
  36. Nemanja Popovic, F, Serbia (born 2001)
  37. Jaime Pradilla, F/C, Spain (born 2001)
  38. Roko Prkacin, F, Croatia (born 2002)
  39. Gabriele Procida, G/F, Italy (born 2002)
  40. Sitraka Raharimanantoanina, F, France (born 2001)
  41. Hugo Robineau, G, France (born 2000)
  42. Nikos Rogavopoulos, F, Greece (born 2001)
  43. Ziga Samar, G, Spain (born 2001)
  44. Gui Santos, F, Brazil (born 2002)
  45. Pavel Savkov, G/F, Spain (born 2002)
  46. Alexander Shashkov, C, Russia (born 2000)
  47. Boris Tisma, F, Spain (born 2002)
  48. Bojan Tomasevic, F, Serbia (born 2001)
  49. Uros Trifunovic, G, Serbia (born 2000)
  50. Luc van Slooten, F, Germany (born 2002)

Draft Notes: Cooper, Guerrier, Bryant, NCAA Tournament

Eligibility issues and an ankle injury limited Sharife Cooper to just 12 games during his first year at Auburn, but the freshman guard still may be prepared to go pro. Sources tell Adam Zagoria of Forbes (Twitter link) that Cooper is expected to declare for the 2021 NBA draft.

While Cooper hasn’t confirmed that decision yet, it won’t be a surprise if he decides to forgo his remaining college eligibility. After averaging 20.2 PPG and 8.1 APG in his 12 games with the Tigers, he’s currently the No. 17 player on ESPN’s big board of 2021 prospects, making him a strong candidate to be a first-round pick this summer.

Here’s more on the draft:

  • Syracuse sophomore forward Quincy Guerrier will test the draft waters this spring, his former coach and longtime advisor Ibrahim Appiah told Donna Ditota of Syracuse.com. Guerrier, who averaged 13.7 PPG and 8.4 RPG in 28 games in 2020/21, could return to the Orange for at least one more year, depending on the feedback he receives.
  • South Carolina junior forward Keyshawn Bryant is declaring for the draft without hiring an agent, he announced on Twitter. Bryant averaged 14.4 PPG and 5.4 RPG in 18 games (27.0 MPG) in 2020/21.
  • Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of ESPN (Insider link) take a closer look at some of this year’s top prospects fared during the second weekend of the NCAA tournament, examining the play of Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, and Franz Wagner, among others.

Cade Cunningham Declares For 2021 NBA Draft

Oklahoma State star and potential No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham formally announced on Thursday that he will enter the 2021 NBA draft, writes Cliff Brunt of The Associated Press.

The 6’8″ freshman guard was one of the most dynamic players in the nation during his first and only college season, averaging a conference-best 20.1 PPG to go along with 6.2 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.6 SPG. He had a shooting line of .438/.400/.846 in his 27 games with the Cowboys (35.4 MPG), winning the Wayman Tisdale Award as the NCAA’s top freshman.

Although Oklahoma State had a relatively early exit from the NCAA tournament, falling in the second round to Oregon State, that 80-70 defeat didn’t reflect poorly on Cunningham, who scored 24 points in the losing effort.

There are a handful of impressive young players expected to join Cunningham at the top of draft boards this year, including Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, Jalen Green, and Jonathan Kuminga. However, Cunningham has long been considered by draft experts to be the top prospect in the 2021 class and is the strong favorite to be the first player off the board on July 29.

As Jonathan Givony of ESPN notes in his scouting report of Cunningham, there are still some questions about whether the 19-year-old can be the go-to offensive creator for an NBA team. However, Cunningham’s size, physical tools, improved shooting touch, and defensive versatility make him a potential two-way force, says Givony.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Charles Bassey Entering 2021 NBA Draft

Western Kentucky center Charles Bassey has decided to enter the 2021 NBA draft following his junior season and fully intends to go pro, he told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

“I’m declaring for the draft and hiring an agent,” said Bassey, who nearly went pro after his freshman year in 2019. “I’m completely going into this one for sure.”

As Givony details, Bassey was this season’s Conference USA Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, returning from a left leg fracture that sidelined him for the majority of the 2019/20 season.

The No. 25 prospect on ESPN’s big board, Bassey averaged a double-double in 28 games for Western Kentucky in 2020/21, posting 17.6 PPG, 11.6 RPG, and an impressive 3.1 BPG.

Givony writes that the big man has “significant potential” as a defender at the NBA level, and is developing an outside shot to go along with his impressive above-the-rim finishes.

Draft Updates: Christopher, Liddell, Akinjo, More

Arizona State shooting guard Josh Christopher is entering the 2021 NBA draft, he announced late last night on Twitter.

The 6’5″ freshman played just 15 games for the Sun Devils, having missed 10 due to leg and back issues. When he played, he averaged 14.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 1.5 SPG on .432/.305/.800 shooting. Despite his limited résumé at the college level, Christopher looks like a good bet to be drafted, currently ranking 37th overall on ESPN’s big board.

Here are a few more updates on early entrants declaring for the 2021 draft:

  • On the heels of Ohio State’s early exit from the NCAA tournament, sophomore forward E.J. Liddell will enter the draft while leaving the door open to return to the Buckeyes, he announced on Twitter. Liddell enjoyed a breakout year in 2020/21, increasing his scoring average from 6.7 PPG as a freshman reserve to 16.2 PPG as a full-time starter.
  • Junior guard James Akinjo announced on Instagram that he’ll test the draft waters this spring. After spending his first two college seasons at Georgetown, Akinjo transferred to Arizona and averaged 15.6 PPG and 5.4 APG in 26 games (34.9 MPG) this year.
  • North Texas guard Javion Hamlet has opted to enter the draft pool, he announced on Twitter. In two college seasons, Hamlet averaged 15.1 PPG on .461/.396/.878 shooting in 59 games (31.7 MPG), earning Conference USA Player of the Year honors in 2019/20.
  • UNLV guard Bryce Hamilton is testing the draft waters, according to an announcement on Twitter. Hamilton averaged 17.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 3.0 APG in 24 games (32.6 MPG) as a junior this season.

James Bouknight, Ziaire Williams Entering 2021 Draft

UConn sophomore guard James Bouknight is entering the 2021 NBA draft pool and intends to hire an agent, he told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

In his second season with the Huskies in 2020/21, Bouknight increased his averages to 18.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in 15 contests (31.7 MPG). He currently ranks 18th on ESPN’s big board of 2021 prospects and is viewed as a potential lottery pick.

Another one of ESPN’s top 25 prospects for 2021, Stanford freshman forward Ziaire Williams, also plans to enter the draft, announcing his intentions today on Instagram. While Williams didn’t explicitly say that he’ll forgo his remaining college eligibility, the wording in his post suggests that’s the plan.

Williams had an up-and-down freshman season, averaging 10.7 PPG on an underwhelming .374/.291/.796 shooting line in 20 games (27.9 MPG).

However, ESPN draft guru Mike Schmitz notes that the 6’8″ forward has good size and length for a wing, is a strong off-ball defender, and has shown “major shotmaking potential.” Williams ranks 23rd on ESPN’s board.

Southeast Notes: Williams, Reddish, Zeller, Magic

Having announced last week on Instagram that he contemplated retirement after being traded to the Hawks, Lou Williams expanded on that subject during his Tuesday media availability, explaining that it “hurts” to have been traded by the Clippers.

“I had a lot of investment there. We had some success,” Williams said, per Paul Newberry of The Associated Press. “We were gearing up for another deep run, a championship run. That was my mentality. I thought I would finish the season there.

“… (But) I don’t want to look back and say I retired prematurely, be asking myself what could have been or what I could’ve done. This is an opportunity to finish out the season with this team (Atlanta) and go from there.”

Williams was cleared to play on Tuesday night, but didn’t take the court. Having just met most of his teammates, he wanted to take a game to get his bearings before entering the fray, Newberry writes.

“I want to get an understanding of how they play,” Williams said. “See their sets, get a feel for their rotations, understand how this group of guys mesh, see where I might fit. It would be unfair to this group of guys to just throw me out there.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

  • The Hawks provided a minor update on Cam Reddish (Achilles) on Tuesday night, announcing in a press release that he has increased his lower limb weight room work and will add limited low level impact work. Reddish isn’t close to returning and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
  • After falling out of the Hornets‘ starting lineup and seeing his minutes dip, Cody Zeller resolved to try to earn back those minutes rather than sulking, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “My high school coach used to say, ‘If you want to play more, play better,'” said Zeller, who had 16 points and 13 rebounds in just 24 minutes on Tuesday. The big man has assured head coach James Borrego that he’ll remain engaged regardless of how much playing time he gets, Bonnell adds.
  • With the Magic in position to get a high lottery pick in this year’s draft, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic identifies Cade Cunningham, Jalen Suggs, and Jalen Green as the top prospects the team should target if given the opportunity. Evan Mobley has positional overlap with Wendell Carter and Mohamed Bamba, but he and Jonathan Kuminga would both be good fallback options too if Orlando gets a top-five pick and those first three prospects aren’t available, Vecenie says.

2020/21 NBA Reverse Standings Update

Throughout the 2020/21 NBA season, Hoops Rumors is maintaining a feature that allows you to keep an eye on the tentative 2021 draft order. Our 2020/21 Reverse Standings tool, which lists the NBA’s 30 teams from worst to first, is updated daily to reflect the outcomes of the previous night’s games.

Our Reverse Standings are essentially a reflection of what 2021’s draft order would look like with no changes to lottery position. We’ve noted each club’s odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick, based on the league’s current lottery format.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Draft Lottery]

In instances where two non-playoff teams or two playoff teams have identical records, the order in our standings isn’t necessarily definitive — for draft purposes, the NBA breaks ties via random drawings, so those drawings would happen at the end of the year.

Of course, the 14 non-playoff teams all draft before the 16 playoff teams, even if some non-playoff teams have better records than those that made the postseason. Our reverse standings account for playoff seeding, though for now they assume that the Nos. 7 and 8 teams in each conference will earn those final two postseason spots. Since the NBA’s new play-in format opens the door for the Nos. 9 and 10 seeds to sneak into the postseason, we may have to account for a little movement in the draft order at season’s end.

Traded first-round picks are included via footnotes. For example, the note next to Golden State’s pick says the Warriors will send their pick to the Thunder if it’s not in the top 20. As of today, the Warriors’ pick projects to be exactly 13th, meaning the Dubs would hang onto it.

The Timberwolves are currently in the driver’s seat at the “top” of our reverse standings — their 11-36 record giving them a 2.5-game cushion on the league’s next-worst teams, the 13-33 Rockets and Pistons.

The league’s bottom three teams will all have an equal chance at the No. 1 overall pick (14.0%) and a top-four selection (52.1%), and the Wolves and Rockets are likely especially invested in claiming one of those top lottery positions. Minnesota will send its first-round pick to Golden State if it falls outside of the top three, while Houston will have to swap its pick for a lesser first-rounder (likely Miami’s) if it lands outside of the top four.

Our Reverse Standings tracker can be found at anytime on the right sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features” on our desktop site, or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu. It’s a great resource not just for monitoring a team’s draft position, but also for keeping an eye on whether or not traded picks with protections will be changing hands in 2021. So be sure to check back often as the season progresses!

Note: Mobile users are advised to turn their phones sideways when viewing the Reverse Standings in order to see team records and lottery odds.

Draft Notes: Queta, Davis, Hunt, Harmon, Devoe

Utah State center Neemias Queta will enter the draft, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. The seven-foot Queta averaged 14.9 PPG, 10.1 RPG, and 3.3 BPG as a junior this season. The Mountain West Player of the Year is ranked No. 75 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list and 10th among center prospects.

We have more draft decisions:

  • SMU’s duo of Kendric Davis and Feron Hunt are declaring for the draft, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein (Twitter links). Hunt is also signing with an agent, while Davis will maintain his eligibility. Davis, a junior guard, averaging 19.0 PPG and 7.6 APG this season. Hunt, a junior forward, averaging 11.1 PPG and 7.9 RPG.
  • Oklahoma sophomore guard De’Vion Harmon plans on entering the draft, he declared on his Instagram page. He averaged 12.9 PPG, 2.1 APG and 1.1 SPG this season.
  • Georgia Tech 6”5” junior Michael Devoe will also test the draft waters, according to Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. He averaged 15.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 3.3 APG and made 40% of his 3-pointers this season.
  • Florida big man Colin Castleton is testing the draft waters, he announced on Twitter. As a junior for the Gators, Castleton averaged 12.4 PPG and 6.4 RPG in 24 games (25.7 MPG).

Jaden Springer Declares For Draft

Projected first-round pick Jaden Springer has declared for the draft and will sign with an agent, he said on his Twitter page.

“Playing in the NBA has always been my dream,” Springer said, in part.

The Tennessee point guard is currently rated No. 27 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list and No. 6 at his position. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic and Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer are higher on the 6’4” freshman, as both have Springer ranked as a late lottery pick.

Springer started 15 of 25 games with the Vols this season, posting averages of 12.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.9 APG and 1.2 SPG while making 43.5% of his 3-point attempts. He had a 30-point game against Georgia last month. He scored 12 points in Tennessee’s first-round loss to Oregon State in the NCAA Tournament.