2021 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: How the picks should fall

2021 NBA Mock Draft — 16. Jalen Johnson, Oklahoma City Thunder

OKC chases upside once again, this time in the form of oft-lambasted Duke product Jalen Johnson. After leaving the Blue Devils midseason, there have been rumblings of spotty background checks. That means absolutely nothing to me unless there’s something substantial reported, and his decision to leave Duke was perfectly justifiable. He’s a good player, and one who could thrive in OKC.

Johnson has lottery talent on paper. He’s an electric 6-foot-9 athlete with tantalizing open-court playmaking chops. He is unselfish in nature, with a game geared toward the benefit of others. He can also score with finesse at the rim. The one concern, of course, is his jumper. Defenses will sit back and dare him to shoot, but OKC can afford to let him grow over time.

If Johnson can get the jumper in tune, he has All-Star upside. His defense should also look even better in the NBA than it did at Duke. He moves his feet on the perimeter, has the strength to battle bigs in the post, and possesses above-average instincts when playing free safety. He will need to get better as a scorer, but OKC will put him in a position to run-and-gun.