Top Prospects That Could Slide In the 2021 NBA Draft

The 2021 NBA Draft figures to be pretty straightforward. When it comes to the #1 pick, that is.

Even that is somewhat up in the air, seeing as the Detroit Pistons aren’t sure if they want to keep the pick. Whether they do or not, however, few would argue that Oklahoma State phenom Cade Cunningham is the clear-cut option at #1 overall.

It’s after that first pick where things get a bit hazy.

Several players could contend with being picked after Cunningham, and many others will fight to stay in the first round. With so much shuffling, there are a few NBA Draft prospects that are destined to slide in 2021.

Believe it or not, you’ll eventually be able to bet on where they land at the top NBA betting sites.

To project where some guys might wind up, let’s go over some of the biggest names and why they may not go at their current projected pick.

If you’re looking for a better outside shooter from the college ranks, good luck finding him. It’s probably Kispert, who shot from long range at a 44% clip and helped Gonzaga reach the national title game.

Offensively, Kispert is absolutely an NBA player. The kid has ice in his veins, and he was a reliable scorer at 18.6 points per game in his final season.

The problem? His lack of upside.

Kispert’s shooting should undoubtedly translate to the next level, but this is not an elite playmaker, and he’s also not the best athlete. More Joe Harris than Luka Doncic, Kispert is presently being overvalued as a top-10 pick in a lot of mock drafts.

With GMs likely eyeing players that can give them a bit more, I think Kispert could slide back into the bottom half of round one.

Unlike Kispert, Dosunmu does offer considerable upside. He offers excellent size at the point guard position at 6’5” and can play off the ball.

Dosunmu isn’t an amazing athlete, but he’s plenty quick and is far from a poor athlete. He also uses his size and length to his advantage, which off-sets any athletic limitations.

Whether he’s a combo scorer or a pure point guard, Dosunmu looks like a viable prospect close to the lottery. He thinks so, too, as he recently backed his own intangibles.

I don’t disagree, but NBA GMs don’t tend to draft glue guys or balanced prospects near the lottery. They typically take shots on more explosive players that ooze upside.

One of the big issues is that this is a pretty good point guard class up top, and Dosunmu may not have the same level upside a lot of prospects in his draft range possess.

He’s filed under the “good, not great” category in this draft class. There is value in that, but it may see him free-falling outside of the lottery this year.

Kispert may be a bit overrated in terms of what he can actually offer an NBA team, while Dosunmu is just a rock-solid player that might lack the flash needed to keep him from sliding.

Bassey is simply playing outdated basketball.

That isn’t to say the towering Western Kentucky star can’t be something in the NBA. The size, length, explosiveness, and shot-blocking have all been seen in spurts.

Bassey was flat-out dominant in college, but it was largely against weaker competition. He doesn’t come without his warts, either.

There is a place for Bassey’s size and two-way potential, but given the current state of the NBA, how many teams will prioritize this type of player?

The talent is there, but the lack of need for someone like Bassey could have one of the better prospects slide in the 2021 NBA Draft.

One other NBA Draft prospect that could slide this year is UCLA’s Johnny Juzang. He’s another fine example of an elite college basketball star that may not have a seamless transition to the pros.

The big thing Juzang does have going for him, of course, is that he was a bit of a baller during the 2021 NCAA men’s tournament.

Juzang’s season stats didn’t blow anyone away, but he was a solid scorer who could space the floor. His outside shooting didn’t grade out as elite, and he wasn’t an impact playmaker, but a lot of his weaknesses were forgotten when he lit it up during March Madness.

While Juzang picked a pretty great time to blow up offensively, but he’s still limited athletically and doesn’t do a whole lot beyond scoring.

His outside shooting numbers aren’t even elite, so while his stroke and confidence could translate, NBA GMs would be taking a bit of a gamble here.

Juzang was a good college player, and he just may have a role at the next level. I don’t see a potential superstar, though, and NBA teams may need to believe in him more to spend a first-round pick on him.

He’s presently projected to be among the first 30 picks, but I don’t know if I buy it. A mild slide could be in the cards.

There aren’t a lot of ways to bet on the NBA Draft just yet. You can bet on who will be taken with the first pick, but the top sites for betting on the NBA have been slow to push out other props.

That will change in the very near future, so bettors need to think about where players might go in round one.

Part of that is eyeing some top-shelf prospects that might slide in the 2021 NBA Draft.

All four of these players are highly regarded college basketball stars but may not project as well at the next level as some would prefer. They all have question marks or something potentially holding back their draft stock.

Keep that in mind when gearing up to bet on NBA player draft positions. For more NBA Draft betting content, be sure to check out our NBA betting blog.