Aaron Beard
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, center, poses for a photo with players projected to be first-round draft picks before the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, July 29, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin) July 29, 2021 - 7:06 PM
Cade Cunningham sure looked like the No. 1 overall draft pick all year at Oklahoma State with his fluid game, scoring ability and passing â all in a 6-foot-8 frame.
So it was no surprise the Detroit Pistons would grab the freshman All-American with the top pick as they did to open the draft Thursday night in New York. And it was the start of multiple teams spending high picks on playmakers with size, including Florida State forward Scottie Barnes and Australian teenager Josh Giddey climbing a bit higher than expected as top-six picks.
2021 NBA draft: Winners, losers, surprises and bold predictions
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Cunningham nearly speechless after being picked No. 1 by Pistons (2:11)
The Pistons select Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, and Cunningham goes through all kinds of emotions afterward. (2:11)
The first three picks of the 2021 NBA draft went as planned: Cade Cunningham to the Detroit Pistons, Jalen Green to the Houston Rockets and Evan Mobley to the Cleveland Cavaliers. But then, starting with the fourth pick, chaos ensued, with intriguing selections and draft-night trades taking over the spotlight.
The Toronto Raptors surprised many by selecting Florida State s Scottie Barnes with the No. 4 pick, and the Oklahoma City Thunder used their high lottery pick, No. 6, to make the first international selection of the draft, selecting Australia s Josh Giddey.
Detroit Pistons grab Cade Cunningham at No. 1 in NBA draft
AARON BEARD, AP Basketball Writer
July 29, 2021
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1of14NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, center, poses for a photo with players projected to be first-round draft picks before the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, July 29, 2021, in New York.Corey Sipkin/APShow MoreShow Less
2of14Evan Mobley, right, poses for a photo with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being selected third overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers during the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, July 29, 2021, in New York.Corey Sipkin/APShow MoreShow Less
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4of14NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, center, poses for a photo with players projected to be first-round draft picks before the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, July 29, 2021, in New York.Corey Sipkin/APShow MoreShow Less
Originally posted on Hoops Rumors | By Arthur Hill | Last updated 7/29/21
Jalen Green, the dynamic shooting guard from G League Ignite, is headed to the Rockets with the second pick in this year’s draft. The 19-year-old bypassed college basketball to get a year of seasoning in the G League while waiting to become eligible for the draft.
He was the first high school prospect to join the new developmental team, and he quickly established himself as an offensive force. In 15 games in the Orlando bubble, he averaged 17.9 points per game while shooting 46.1% from the floor and 36.5% from three-point range. He had a 30-point effort in a playoff loss to Raptors 905.
USA TODAY
The NBA welcomed its newest class of rookies to the league Thursday night during the 2021 draft from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Draft night is always a time for trades, and this year featured plenty of picks on the move. After the draft was fairly predictable at the top, things really got wild in the middle of the lottery through the first round. Several teams had multiple first-round picks and additional draft capital to swing deals that could significantly alter the league s landscape entering the 2021-22 season.
USA TODAY Sports recaps the entire 2021 NBA draft with all 60 picks, plus pick-by-pick analysis from Jeff Zillgitt and Mark Medina on each of the first-round selections.