Eleven prospects for Warriors to watch with T-Wolves pick
As the Warriors prepare to start the 2020-21 season, they are in the rare position of planning to contend for a title while also planning to pick high atop next year's NBA draft.The Warriors own the rights to the Minnesota Timberwolves' top-three protected first-round pick in 2021. With the T-Wolves expected to be, well, not good, the Warriors should be able to add an elite talent to their roster.The 2021 draft class is loaded. There are a number of ultra-athletic wings, a franchise center and a do-everything guard in Cade Cunningham who will almost certainly go No. 1 overall.So, who should the Warriors and their fans keep an eye on during the college basketball season? I put together a list of the biggest names to watch. It includes Cunningham and USC's Evan Mobley, even though both are unlikely to be on the board when the Warriors pick. They are future NBA stars, though, so watch them anyway.
Height: 6-foot-7
School: Oklahoma State
Age: 19
Cunningham is on this list not because the Warriors will have a chance at drafting him, but because Warriors fans should watch the likely No. 1 overall pick regardless.
It would take a ridiculous string of events for Cunningham to fall past No. 2 in the draft.
He has got the perfect blend of size, athleticism, vision and scoring ability. He's a walking triple-double. But don't think of him as a Russell Westbrook-type stat-sheet stuffer. His stats also translate to wins.
Cunningham will have to learn to be a little more assertive during his time at Oklahoma State, but that should only benefit him in the long run. He's a surefire NBA stud.
Just pray he doesn't end up with the Knicks.
Height: 7-feet
School: USC
Age: 19
The Warriors probably won't draft another center after drafting James Wiseman, but Mobley is worth the watch.
He's an elite rim protector with a 7-foot-5 wingspan. He has got great hands and is an adept glass cleaner. Mobley can be a five-tool center if he can consistently make his jump shot. He has got a high basketball IQ and is a good and willing passer.
Height: 6-foot-5
School: Gonzaga
Age: 19
Suggs opened his collegiate career by dropping 24 points on No. 6 Kansas. He is a terrific creator and his playmaking ability will be what drives the Bulldogs all season long.
Suggs is a high-assist guy who doesn't turn the ball over and excels as both a facilitator and scorer in the pick-and-roll. He checks every box and would be a nice backcourt fit alongside Steph Curry.
Height: 6-foot-8
Team: G League Ignite
Age: 18
Kuminga decided to forgo his senior season of high school, reclassified and then turned pro by signing a select contract with the G League Ignite.
Size. Check. Athleticism. Check. Skill. You bet.
Kuminga still is improving as a shooter, but he's also only 18 so he has a lot of room to grow. He's a versatile forward who can drive in both directions, pull up and knock down catch-and-shoot jumpers. He's also great at playing through contact.
He likely would have been the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft if he were eligible, so if the Warriors can get their hands on him it would be a massive coup.
Height: 6-foot-5
Team: G League Ignite
Age: 18
Kuminga's teammate, Green, decided to skip college and play one year in the G League before being eligible for the NBA draft.
He's a dynamic slasher with explosive athleticism and a good shooter with a fluid stroke.
Green is expected to be a top-three pick, so he might be out of the Warriors' range, but he'll be high on their draft board anyway.
Height: 6-foot-7
Team: Stanford
Age: 19
The Cardinal's 6-foot-7 star has the size and perimeter skill to suit the modern NBA.
With a 6-foot-11 wingspan and the ability to handle, create separation and knock down pull-up jumpers, it's easy to see why Williams is one of the top-regarded prospects in the class.
Some scouts believe he will end up being the best shooter in this class, which should appeal to the Warriors.
Height: 6-foot-8
Team: Duke
Age: 18
The talented Blue Devil will be out indefinitely with a foot injury, but he's someone to have your eye on when he returns to action.
Johnson is an extremely versatile defender who can defend one through five. He has got great instincts off the ball and is a good rebounder.
He's a crafty passer and an adept ball-handler, making him an absolute force in transition. His jumper still needs work, which likely will be the reason he goes outside the top three.
Height: 6-foot-9
School: Florida State
Age: 19
Barnes projects as a two-way point forward at the NBA level. He's a tenacious defender who can guard one through five and is very active off the ball.
On the offensive end of the court, Barnes is a good facilitator, but has an unnatural shooting stroke and a very limited offensive arsenal.
Height: 6-foot-7
School: Kentucky
Age: 19
Boston is a talented scorer with excellent body control, footwork and shot-making ability. While his jumpshot hasn't been falling early on in his Kentucky career, the numbers should level out as the volume increases.
There are concerns about his slim frame and he has struggled with the physicality of the college game. But he projects to be a shot-making wing at the NBA level.
Height: 6-foot-5
School: Tennessee
Age: 18
Johnson is one of the best athletes in college basketball and maximizes the tools at his disposal. He has an explosive first step and is a load in transition. He's also a versatile defender who can guard wings and smaller players. Good at generating turnovers with his instincts and quickness.
His offensive game still is a work in progress. His ball-handling can get sloppy and his jumper is inaccurate when under duress. But he has shown flashes of playmaking and shot-making ability, which means he has a lot of room to grow.
Height: 6-foot-5
Team: UConn
Age: 20
Bouknight is one of the best scorers in the country. He's an elite finisher who is smooth with the ball in his hands and is a great pull-up shooter. He has got the length to be a plus-defender but will have to work on being more engaged on that end of the floor.
He's a better shooter off the dribble than on the catch-and-shoot, but can improve that this season.
