The Toronto Raptors’ newfound success may take them out of consideration for the Jalen Greens, Cade Cunninghams, and Evan Mobleys of the world, but when it comes to mid first-round picks, remember that team president Masai Ujiri has been able to spin gold out of less. The Raptors draft board will likely focus on mid-round prospects because of this
It’s still too early to think where the Raptors’ team record will find itself by the end of this crazy season, but if this past month was any indication the Raps should be picking anywhere from 15-25.
Those worried about the lack of star power to be found later in this draft clearly have not been paying attention. 2021 is a loaded year for NBA prospects whether they’re slated to go in the lottery or not. Not to mention the growing list of deep draft talent that’s taking over the NBA.
Since 2016, non-lottery draft picks have made up 35% of All-Rookie team selections. This combined with the 8 non-lottery all-stars that were voted in last season proves imperially that there is certainly top-level talent in the Raptors’ draft range. Toronto should look to the mighty Big East Conference to find some help.
These 3 Raptors draft targets from the Big East could help Toronto
James Bouknight, SG, UConn
This sophomore from UConn may be slight in stature, but he has great length at the point guard position standing 6’5 with extendo-arms. As an athlete he’s not incredibly fast, he doesn’t really erupt to the rim but more glides and floats in mid-air. The potential for a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander style finishing game is there.
His greatest strength? This man is one of the best scorers in the nation. He’s got nice soft hands which are elevated by slithery finishing style.
This score-first mentality could help the Raptors, whose offense has been known to come and go throughout the game. Picking Bouknight would also be great Lowry insurance if K-Low decided to leave Toronto in free agency. With or without Lowry, Bouknight would inject a little juice into the offense.
There aren’t a lot of guys every year who can create the way he can, but the key to Bouknight’s NBA success might be this; can he learn to facilitate for others at the point, or can he put on enough weight to play the two?
As it stands now he’s sort of caught in the middle of the two positions, and while the NBA is always moving away from those positional designations, he has to give a team more options. Bouknight will need to round out his game, or his body, to be effective.
On defense, he suffers from a lot of the woes that plague slighter guards, like getting pushed around, bullied on switches, etc. When it comes to pure perimeter scoring he may be the best prospect this year.
The jumper’s great, the creation is great, the weird twisting, slithering, squeezing, dribble style is great, it’s all great. He just needs some footnotes to go along with his strong core talents.
Projected: 9-18
Player comp: Shake Milton, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
David Duke, SG, Providence
Duke is a strong, athletic combo-guard at 6’5 with a 6’8 wingspan, an off-ball switchblade who can really get moving on the break. The jumper drops, despite its slightly unorthodox motion. He’s been at around 39% from deep and 80% from the line this year so the production is there.
He’s got great strength and speed in space, all the athletic tools coaches want from a 2-guard, but he’s not so comfortable with the ball in his hands yet. Like a young OG Anunoby (and sometimes an old OG Anunoby), Duke’s athleticism disappears with the ball in his hands. His acceleration is nixed, he turns the ball over, and he becomes much more predictable scoring.
Already at 22 years old, Duke’s lack of polish might turn some GMs off from drafting him come July. Duke may seem raw, and at 22 some might begin to think a lack of refinement means a lack of ability, but that’s not the case here.
Duke only starting taking basketball seriously during his junior year of high school. Until then he was a 3-sport athlete focusing primarily on soccer, football, and track and field. Raw draft prospects with a similar story have become stars before, with Joel Embiid a prime example.
With that in mind, Duke’s developmental pace starts to look a lot more promising. From his freshman year to his junior year, Duke has more than doubled his scoring, rebounding, and assist numbers, and despite being a little older than his fellow draftmates, he has far fewer years of experience under his belt.
Projected: 23-33
Player comp: Norman Powell
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, PF, Villanova
This sophomore power forward from Villanova doesn’t have a lot of wow factor going for him, but he is one of the most intelligent players in his draft class and is getting nowhere near the hype he deserves.
Every year there are a handful of draft prospects who “will not fail”. Guys who no-matter how they progress at the highest level will always have a baseline of ability to give themselves a place in the league. Prospects like Tyrese Haliburton, Malcolm Brogdon, and Brandon Clarke fit that description. So does Robinson-Earl.
As a big, he has moves in the lane, nice soft hands, and a beautiful shooting stroke. He’s around 79% from the free-throw line, he’s been able to hit threes in catch-and-shoot situations, and he does the majority of his scoring from the midrange. He is able to take dribble pullups, faceup in the high post, and shoot over defenders with his high release point.
His weaknesses are more to do with potential upside than his actual play. At 6’8 with a modest wingspan, Robinson-Earl’s shot blocking leaves a lot to be desired. He’s always in the right position defensively, but he lacks the size or vertical to intimidate around the rim.
He’s a decent athlete overall. Not great, not terrible. He’s strong with a low center of gravity, but he doesn’t have an overpowering physicality. He’s not that fast end-to-end, but he does have solid acceleration, able to blow by other bigs off the dribble or from the triple threat. He has a strange mix of athletic strengths and weaknesses to be sure.
His intelligence is why he’s such a lock for the NBA.
The jump shot provides spacing on the floor, but this Wildcat has more effective off-ball skills than just standing in the corner and waiting. He plays the dunker spot, clears out the paint when his teammates’ drive, runs the high pick-&-roll to perfection, and knows how to use his body to seal men out in the paint. He sees the game at a higher level than most of his peers.
He has that Al Horford-esque knack for always being in the right place at the right time, and that’s what sets him apart. That’s why he fits so well with the Toronto Raptors. Our team has always valued IQ over raw power. Who you are, not who you may or may not become.
Think about the team Masai Ujiri’s assembled over the years.
Pascal Siakam was a weird, stringy, forward who didn’t really have one major skill coming into the league besides his energy. Fred VanVleet, a tiny point guard who is’t even that fast, but was a leader, a dog, and a winner. OG Anunobywas a defensive specialist who spent most of his one college season injured. Why did Ujiri take him? Because he was willing to do all the little things.
The Raptors need a big, they should be thinking about the kind of player who’ll fit their roster yes, but also the kind of guy who’ll fit their culture. In the Raptors draft range, there is no better fit for them than Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.
Projected: 16-26
Player comp: David West, Al Horford