MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 01: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils drives to the basket against the Nysier Brooks #3 of the Miami Hurricanes during the first half at Watsco Center on February 01, 2021 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
5 picks from the 2021 NBA Draft that could surprise us
NBA draft Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The 2021 NBA Draft class could well go down in history as one of the best of all time.
It would not be at all surprising to see multiple members of the class go on and play in at least one All-Star game, such was the overall quality of the players selected.
All of the top five picks have a great opportunity of achieving greatness, but what is equally as intriguing is the number of potentially high-quality talent selected later in the first round and in the second round.
This draft didn’t just have quality at the very top, it was also extremely deep. There does not appear to be a huge gulf in class between those taken towards the end of the lottery and some of those taken later in the first round.
The 2021 NBA Draft has the potential to be historic, not just because of the players at the top but also those that fell further down the order.
And while Summer League is hardly an accurate representation of the regular season, it nonetheless has offered some hugely encouraging signs when it comes to some of those that fell outside of the lottery.
A few teams hopeful of contending next season were seemingly able to add excellent young talent to their rosters that will provide value off the bench to start with, and quite possibly more in the future.
But among all the players selected in the draft, these five stand out as those that could surprise plenty of people next season and in the years to come by outperforming where they were selected…
!["NBA](https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/25/nba-draft-2021-5-picks-surprise/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fimagn-images%2F2017%2F07%2F16476723.jpeg")
it was also extremely deep</a>. There does not appear to be a huge gulf in class between those taken towards the end of the lottery and some of those taken later in the first round.</p>
<h2>The 2021 NBA Draft has the potential to be historic, not just because of the players at the top but also those that fell further down the order.</h2>
<p>And while Summer League is hardly an accurate representation of the regular season, it nonetheless has offered some hugely encouraging signs when it comes to some of those that fell outside of the lottery.</p>
<p>A few teams hopeful of contending next season were seemingly able to add excellent young talent to their rosters that will provide value off the bench to start with, and quite possibly more in the future.</p>
<p>But among all the players selected in the draft, these five stand out as those that could surprise plenty of people next season and in the years to come by outperforming where they were selected…</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/25/nba-draft-2021-5-picks-surprise/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Jalen Johnson </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NBA draft (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2021 NBA draft picks with potential to surprise: 5. Jalen Johnson</h2>
<p><a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/25/nba-draft-2021-5-picks-surprise/"https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/jalen-johnson-24.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Jalen Johnson</a> was forecast as a high lottery pick for some time leading up to the draft, but fell away towards the end and ended up being picked 20th by the Atlanta Hawks.</p>
<p>The 19-year-old lit up Summer League with some incredible displays of athleticism. One of the player comparisons draft experts and reporters drew to Johnson prior to the draft was Aaron Gordon, and it’s not hard to see why.</p>
<p>Like Gordon, Johnson possesses an incredible vertical and ability to dunk. He also has the speed to get out in transition and catch lob passes and, on top of that, flashes potential as a solid playmaker and defender. If it all comes together, the Hawks may well have got themselves the steal of the draft.</p>
<p>Johnson falling as far as 20th was a surprise. Leading up to the draft, some had predicted he might fall out of the lottery, but to go as low down the order as he didn’t seem like a fair reflection on his ability.</p>
<p>The knocks on him were his shooting, which can be described as inconsistent at best, and the fact he suffered a foot injury and ended up leaving Duke early, only playing 22 games in college.</p>
<p>But Johnson has all the physical tools to be a really good player in the NBA. He has landed in a great spot in Atlanta where he can play without too much pressure to start his career, while his versatility means he can plug in at different spots. He’s also got a great creator behind him in the backcourt in Trae Young, who is the perfect lob partner.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/25/nba-draft-2021-5-picks-surprise/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Cam Thomas </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-434810" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/25/nba-draft-2021-5-picks-surprise/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1334199414.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1334199414.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1334199414-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NBA draft (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2021 NBA draft picks with potential to surprise: 4. Cameron Thomas</h2>
<p>There are not many players taken in this draft that have a higher offensive skillset than Cameron Thomas, as he demonstrated at Summer League.</p>
<p>Thomas has the invaluable ability to create his own shot and has a broad toolkit of moves he can go to, including the much sought-after stepback three.</p>
<p>It’s unusual to see a college player enter the league with such a complete offensive game as Thomas has. Like most offensive-oriented players entering the league, he still needs to work on his shot selection and decision making but if he can polish his game there’s a good chance he’ll massively outperform that 27th spot.</p>
<p>And what better place to learn his craft than in Brooklyn? A team that has some of the best shot creators to ever play the game in James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Thomas has an incredible opportunity to learn from these guys while contributing to a winning team at this early stage in his career.</p>
<p>He does have a tendency to take too many difficult shots, and his opportunity to shoot will be lessened on a team with the amount of quality the Nets have, meaning it will be vital to make smart decisions.</p>
<p>But it looks like the Nets just added another fine scorer to the wealth of offensive talent already on the roster.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/25/nba-draft-2021-5-picks-surprise/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Luka Garza </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-434811" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/25/nba-draft-2021-5-picks-surprise/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1295374459.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1295374459.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1295374459-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">NBA draft (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2021 NBA draft picks with potential to surprise: 3. Luka Garza</h2>
<p>Luka Garza is one of the more intriguing stories of this draft. Named the Naismith Player of the Year for his performances at Iowa, he was taken 52nd by the Detroit Pistons with teams seemingly not willing to gamble on his lack of speed and mobility which could be exposed in the NBA.</p>
<p>But one thing is clear, the center can get a bucket. He averaged a fantastic 24.1 points per game last season and can score from both inside and outside, knocking down 44 percent of his 3-point attempts too last year.</p>
<p>It’s unusual not to see a team higher up the order take a punt on the best player in college last year. The lack of athleticism is a concern, but the combination of footwork and finishing in the paint and a confident 3-point stroke makes him a highly dangerous offensive weapon.</p>
<p>His lack of mobility means he will likely never be a big star, which is perhaps what led teams to take their chances on other options, along with his age, but for a team like the Pistons, Garza could get an opportunity to play a limited role off the bench which aims to maximize his offense to start with.</p>
<p>And, in time, he could well become a really good option off the bench should he be able to survive on defense and not cost his team too many points. Teams always need an offensive boost off the bench, and Garza can do just that.</p>
<p>Following his selection, he signed a two-way deal with Detroit which should allow him to develop in the G-League while, hopefully, also getting some minutes in the NBA on a young team that is still developing.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/25/nba-draft-2021-5-picks-surprise/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Miles McBride </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NBA draft (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2021 NBA draft picks with potential to surprise: 4. Miles McBride</h2>
<p>Another player that shone at Summer League, McBride showcased his talent as a shooter from beyond the arc and from mid-range, including off the dribble.</p>
<p>Draft night was underwhelming for the New York Knicks. The team ended up moving down from the 19th pick and used the 36th overall selection to take McBride.</p>
<p>But the early signs suggest the Knicks have got a good talent on their hands. He possesses two skills that are bound to earn him time on the court — shooting and an ability to defend.</p>
<p>The 20-year-old shot 41.4 percent from three last season at West Virginia, while also establishing his credentials as a pesky on-ball defender that can take on difficult assignments. If he can shoot at a decent rate and continue to grow as a playmaker while defending well, New York got tremendous value in the second round and bolstered its backcourt in the process.</p>
<p>Tom Thibodeau might not be renowned as a development coach, but McBride can bring something to this team right now. He will provide another good option off the bench at the one, or possibly the two spot, and his solid defense no doubt played a part in the selection process for a coach who prides himself on making his teams hard to beat.</p>
<p>McBride could someday be an important player on a good team. He has the speed and shot creation to be effective and his two-way potential adds plenty of intrigue as to how high this young guard can go. Watch this space.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/25/nba-draft-2021-5-picks-surprise/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Sharife Cooper </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-434813" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/25/nba-draft-2021-5-picks-surprise/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2120,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1301989687.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2120" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1301989687.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1301989687-768x509.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NBA draft (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2021 NBA draft picks with potential to surprise: 5. Sharife Cooper</h2>
<p>One of the big shocks of NBA draft night was how low Sharife Cooper fell.</p>
<p>Cooper was widely forecast as a first-round pick, or at the least a high second-round pick, but ended up going 48th to the Atlanta Hawks, who, like with the Johnson pick, snatched another talent that went lower than expected.</p>
<p>While undersized, Cooper showed he could score and create in college. He averaged 20.2 points at Auburn last year, along with 8.1 assists too. He demonstrated this ability at Summer League with some eye-catching passes and a memorable 3-point winner against the Indiana Pacers.</p>
<p>Cooper is someone that, given enough time, could develop into a nice second-string point guard off the bench when Trae Young needs a rest. He can learn a lot from Young, a similarly undersized player that thrives off his ability to create and score.</p>
<p>There is a long way to go when it comes to his jump shot and he does have a tendency to be a bit loose with the ball, but having signed with Atlanta on a to-way contract he will be able to hone his skills in the G-League while potentially getting some minutes in the NBA too.</p>
<p>While notable concerns around Cooper’s game remain, he has the tools to be a solid NBA point guard, much better than his draft spot suggests. It will take a lot of patience, but Atlanta came out of this draft with two intriguing prospects.</p>
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