Two of the top ten prospects in the 2021 draft faceoff as Evan Mobley’s USC Trojans take on Ziaire Williams Stanford Cardinals. As USC sits comfortably in the field of 68, Stanford needs a signature win to guarantee a tournament birth for the first time since 2014.
As the USC Trojans and Stanford Cardinals faceoff in a PAC-12 matchup with March implications, all eyes are on the prospects within the game. While they won’t faceoff directly, Evan Mobley and Ziaire Williams are both destined for the 2021 NBA Draft lottery and should expect to walk across the stage come November. The impact they have had on their respective teams is one of the main reasons they are both in contention to be featured in the field of 68 and both prospects are looking for a signature win tonight to solidify their spot in the tournament.
USC Trojans:
Evan Mobley: As the NBA continues to move into an era where big men are required to shoot the three to space the floor “unicorns” are becoming more common and Evan Mobley is no exception. In fact, he is the type of player that should have his picture next to unicorn in the dictionary as he it all and at an extremely high level. Starting on the defensive end of the floor, Mobley is an anchor and a future cornerstone to any elite NBA defense. Protecting the rim at an extremely alarming rate (2.9 BPG), he relies on his length and wingspan to protect the basket. As he grows at the next level he should continue to improve on the defensive end, build on his skinny frame and become a more polished rebounder*. Offensively his game continues to grow at a rapid pace. One of his “weaknesses”, that Mobley himself highlighted, is his lack of a polished three point shot. During his time at USC though he has continued to improve as an outside shooter and keeps defenders honest on the perimeter opening up his ability to handle the ball and get to the basket. Complimenting his ability on offensive and defense is his elite athleticism and ability to run the floor. It is not a question of if Evan Mobley will be drafted in the top 5 but a question of when. While Cade Cunningham and Jalen Suggs have seemed to dominate college basketball headlines, don’t be surprised if Mobley jumps one of both come draft day. Projection (1-3)
*Mobley does grab 8.9 rebounds a game but relies heavily on his length to do so. When he gets to the next level and becomes a stronger player he should become an even more dominant rebounder.
Stanford Cardinals:
Oscar Da Silva: Da Silva is a four year senior and NBA draft hopeful. While he is only 22 years of age that is generally considered “too old” to draft at the top of the board, barring a few exceptions. Outside of his age, Da Silva should be able to gain second round confidence in the NBA because of his year over year improvement and and efficiency from the floor. Currently shooting 59%, Da Silva should look to add a more consistent three point shot to keep defenders honest on the perimeter making it easier to get to the basket on the drive. Based on his frame he has no problem taking on contact at the college level and should look to build on that in the NBA. Furthermore, standing at 6-9 he is too small to play the center position at the next level and may not shoot the ball well enough to warrant consistent floor time in the league. Da Silva is a risk vs. reward prospect and, in my opinion, worth a second round pick. If an NBA team can help develop his ability to shoot the ball from outside and continue to build on his current frame he could become a real contributor a few years from now. Projection: Late Second Round/Undrafted
Ziaire Williams: Ziaire Williams has been quietly building his draft stock as many other players in the draft seem to be continually grabbing headlines. Touted as one of the best small forward prospects in the country, Williams stock relies on his upside and flashes of greatness shown at Sierra Canyon and Stanford. At only 19 years old, Williams greatest strength is his age and potential. Over his freshman season he has shown that he is an able passer and can shoot the ball from anywhere on the floor even if the shot is contested. A classic one and done prospect, Williams will be better served in an NBA development system than playing another year at college. As he grows in the NBA his massive upside and potential should begin to translate in to real results and the flashes that have been seen now will become common occurrence. This is not to say that he is a “can’t miss” prospect. One of the major weaknesses that may leave teams hesitant in drafting Williams is how much of his value in the draft relies on his potential. Currently, he is not the most efficient shooter only shooting 36.7% from the field and 32.1% from three. While he is a good passer for his position, he does turn the ball over at a higher rate than he is assisting and his rebounding is not overly exceptional. At the next level he will need to continue to build on his frame, capitalize on his free throw shooting form (which is usually a mark of someone who can be developed into a shooter) and grow as a decision maker. Even with all these caution signs, Williams has shown that he is worth the risk and should come off the board in the mid to late lottery. Projection: Lottery (10-15)
Prediction: USC 73 – Stanford 65