Scouting Reports: Mitchell, Wagner & Johnson
2021 NBA Scouting Reports on Davion Mitchell, Franz Wagner & Keon Johnson
Every week I will be rolling out in-depth scouting reports on the top prospects in the 2021 NBA Draft.
I’ll go in-depth on player strengths, weaknesses, statistical strengths and weaknesses, and rank key player attributes for each player.
This week I tackle picks No. 6, 7 and 8 on my Big Board: Baylor’s Davion Mitchell, Michigan’s Franz Wagner and Tennessee’s Keon Johnson.
DAVION MITCHELL
PG, BAYLOR, JUNIOR
Age 22.6 | 6'2" | 205 | Wingspan 6’5”
Birthdate: Sept. 5, 1998
Bottom line: No one this year has skyrocketed up draft boards the way Mitchell has the past few months. We had him as a late first-round pick in Big Board 2.0 and a mid-first rounder in Big Board 3.0. Now, after a strong NCAA Tournament run, he’s No. 6 on our Board. Compared to the other players in his draft range of 6-14, Mitchell is the surest thing. He has all the physical tools to succeed in the NBA, plays with an aggressive mentality and has translatable skills as an on-the-ball defender, ball-handler and shooter. Some GMs, wanting more upside, might pass on him, but he has one of the highest floors of anyone in the draft.
Read the FULL SCOUTING REPORT on Davion Mitchell here
FRANZ WAGNER
F, MICHIGAN, SOPHOMORE
Age 19.6 | 6'9" | 205 |
Birthdate: Aug 27, 2001
Bottom line: Wagner’s versatility, on both the offensive and defensive ends, is what makes him a standout prospect. He’s been a bit of an analytics darling in NBA circles, ticking many of the statistical boxes that point to being an effective NBA player. But as a prospect, he can be polarizing. Some NBA scouts worry that his lack of shot creation will make it tough for him to live up to his draft projection. Others think his role at Michigan -- where Hunter Dickinson controlled the paint and Mike Smith dominated the ball -- wasn’t ideal for a player with his skill set and he’ll fare much better offensively in the NBA. With this projection, I am betting on the latter.
Read the FULL SCOUTING REPORT on Franz Wagner here
KEON JOHNSON
SG, TENNESSEE, FRESHMAN
Age 19.1 | 6'5" | 186 |
Birthdate: March 10, 2002
Bottom line: Johnson’s combination of explosive athleticism, motor and defensive instincts makes him an intriguing prospect. He’s one of the younger players in the draft and he clearly improved with experience: Scouts were impressed by his progression from sixth man at the beginning of the season to impact starter at the end. He has a long way to go to be the offensive player his potential implies, but scouts see him as a hard worker who will, with time, be a difference maker on both ends of the floor.
Read the FULL SCOUTING REPORT on Keon Johnson here
You can find the full collection of 2021 NBA Draft Scouting Reports here