2021 NBA Draft Big Board: Top 60 prospects

2021 NBA Draft Big Board — 58. Jericho Sims, Texas

Not many players tested better than Jericho Sims at the NBA Combine. He’s a freak athlete, listed at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and unearthly leaping ability. It was easy for him to get lost in the shuffle of bigs at Texas, even as a starter, but he’s a good enough athlete to warrant (and likely earn) a second-round selection.

Sims is not very gifted in the skill department, but he can run and jump with the best of them. He provides immediate value as a play finisher and rim protractor. He fights hard on the glass, has no shortage of muscle on his frame, and should compete for a roster spot in the NBA.

2021 NBA Draft Big Board — 57. Jose Alvarado, Georgia Tech

The heart and soul of Georgia Tech, Jose Alvarado has the makings of a bench guard who can stick around. He’s not a particularly impressive athlete at 6-foot, and he’s already 23 years old, but he’s an elite point-of-attack defender who can pester ball-handlers and throw offenses out of rhyhthm.

He averaged a respectable 15.2 points and 4.1 assists in Tech’s run to the NCAA tournament, and hit 39.0 percent of his 3s as a senior. In a league where small defensive guards have found purchase before — T.J. McConnell, Patrick Beverley, Jevon Carter — Alvarado has a chance to make a roster.