If the 2021 NBA Draft were done over today, the top of the board would still look familiar - but not exactly the same. Cade Cunningham keeps the No. 1 spot, Scottie Barnes climbs ahead of Evan Mobley, and a few names from deeper in the class crash the Top 10 in a major way.
Cunningham remains the safest bet to anchor a franchise. The 6'6" point guard took time to settle in, but over the last couple of seasons he has turned into an All-NBA-level star.
He finished fifth in MVP voting in 2025-26 and ranked second in the league in assists per game, then helped drive a 60-win No. 1 seed as a solid defender and the offense’s clear conductor. More than anyone else in this class, he looks like the kind of player who can be the best man on a championship team.
Barnes comes next, and that says plenty about how highly the league views his all-around game. He and Mobley have been tied to each other since that tight Rookie of the Year race, but Barnes gets the edge here.
He’s an elite, versatile defender with point-forward ability, and last season he was the best player on both ends for a playoff team. An All-Defense selection and a second All-Star nod only strengthened his case.
The missing piece is still the 3-point shot, which keeps him from challenging Cunningham for No. 1.
Mobley stays at No. 3, exactly where he was selected in 2021, and that feels like a strong statement in itself. The 2025 Defensive Player of the Year is the class’s top defender, with the kind of versatility that lets him erase space inside or survive on the perimeter.
He can handle the 4 or the 5, play in zone or man, switch or stay home. The offense has been less steady, with stretches of interior dominance and playmaking offset by an inconsistent jumper and occasional hesitation.
Cleveland still believes there’s another level coming, and it’s not hard to see why.
The biggest jump in the class belongs to Jalen Johnson, who rockets from No. 20 to No. 4.
He has grown into one of the best passers in the draft and a true point forward for the Atlanta Hawks, earning his first All-NBA selection this year. At 6'8", he has the size to steer an offense, and he’s especially dangerous in transition.
The defense is good rather than great, but the upward trend is real.
Franz Wagner slots in at No. 5, and there’s still room for him to rise if the health breaks his way. Injuries have slowed his climb, but his blend of on-ball playmaking and scoring touch remains difficult to ignore.
He’s a capable defender and rebounder, and the one thing that still holds him back is the shot, at least for now. If that ever comes around, the league may be looking at a perennial All-NBA forward.
Trey Murphy III lands at No. 6, which says everything about the value of a wing who can shoot and defend at a high level. New Orleans may have missed plenty elsewhere, but trading down to get Murphy at No. 17 was the right call.
At 6'8", he brings the kind of floor-spacing and defensive impact teams pay for, even if he isn’t the primary creator or playmaker. He fits almost anywhere and can let it fly from deep.
Alperen Sengun follows at No. 7.
Houston got a steal when it moved in and took him at No. 16, and his résumé is already strong: two-time All-Star, elite rebounder, and a center who can spin, pass and make defenses work. The reason he sits behind Murphy and Wagner is the same reason building around him has been tricky - there are still limitations on both ends.
Jalen Suggs checks in at No. 8, giving Orlando two players in the Top 10. Injuries have kept both Suggs and Wagner from fully taking off, but Suggs remains one of the league’s better guard defenders.
He’s a fast, physical presence on the perimeter, willing as a shooter even if the accuracy isn’t always there, and more useful as a facilitator than a creator off the dribble. Put him beside bigger engines like Paolo Banchero and Wagner, and the fit makes sense.
Ayo Dosunmo is one of the surprise risers, jumping into the Top 10 at No. 9 after his late-season run for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 38th pick five years ago, he made a case for himself with defense that hounds opposing guards and the length to switch onto wings.
His 3-point shooting has improved enough to matter, whether he’s spotting up or shooting off the bounce. He can run bench groups or work off another star like Anthony Edwards, and last year suggested there may be another gear.
At No. 10, Moses Moody edges Herb Jones after a close call with several other names in the mix, including Santi Aldama, Miles McBride and Neemias Queta.
Josh Green takes the biggest tumble, falling from No. 2 to unranked, while Josh Giddey remains a polarizing but talented player after originally going No. 6.
Moody gets the nod because of his fit and versatility. He can play multiple positions, shoot at volume, add some on-ball scoring and playmaking, and contribute on defense.
He’s thrived next to Stephen Curry on the Warriors and, injury aside, is developing into a real two-way piece.
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