The NBA has finalized the date for the 2021 NBA Draft.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reports the draft will take place on July 29. Charania also says the Draft Lottery will be on June 22, with the Draft Combine scheduled for June 21-27.
These dates are much closer to the norm for the league after the coronavirus pandemic and NBA restart forced the 2020 draft to be delayed to the fall. It also marks the return of the Draft Combine, which was canceled last year out of an abundance of caution.
Let the Cade Cunningham sweepstakes begin!
The Oklahoma State star is widely considered to be the best prospect in this incoming class. Cunningham dazzled with his shotmaking ability all season, averaging 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists while also shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc. He was named the Big 12 Player of the Year and earned First-Team All-America honors.
How the rest of the draft plays out is anyone's guess. One name to watch will surely be G League Ignite star Jalen Green, who is averaging close to 18 points per game in 15 games with Ignite.
Two of the top prospects are still playing in the NCAA Tournament, with Gonzaga point guard Jalen Suggs pacing the top-seeded Bulldogs and USC center Evan Mobley disrupting everything with his length and versatile skill set.
This class is generally considered to be better and deeper than last year's class, which should make for an interesting buildup in the summer months. Teams will also have the Draft Combine to further evaluate prospects.
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