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With the 2021 NBA Draft ending on Thursday, fans around the world are excited to see the new faces in the NBA. The young prospects sat patiently at the Barclays Center, waiting to hear their names from Commissioner Adam Silver as teams selected their future rookies.
The first overall pick this year was Cade Cunningham of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who was picked up by the Detroit Pistons. He joins an elite list of players who have been selected first overall in the NBA, and there will be serious expectations from the 19-year-old.
Who were the biggest winners and losers in the 2021 NBA Draft?
Just like every year, there are clear winners and losers on draft night 2021. Many teams pass up on elite talent and regret that later such as the famous 2009 NBA Draft debacle by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves drafted three point guards in that draft and still passed on Stephen Curry twice. They will forever regret that decision, and analysts use their screw up as a 'what not to do' example to this day.
Moreover, not every prospect entering the league works out as expected. Several first overall picks have turned out to be busts over the years, such as Anthony Bennett and Kwame Brown. On that note, here's a look at the winners and losers from the 2021 NBA Draft:
Winner - Orlando Magic
![Jalen Suggs gets selected 5th overall by the Orlando Magic [Source: Star Tribune]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/07/3ff9b-16276348990531-800.jpg)
The Orlando Magic lucked out when Jalen Suggs, a star in the NCAA tournament, fell in their lap as the 5th overall pick. He is best known for his game-winning three-pointer from 30 feet out against UCLA in the Final Four game, which sent his Gonzaga Bulldogs to their second-ever championship Finals game.
The Magic are a rebuilding team that got an All-Star caliber player without giving up any assets. Jalen Suggs has an incredibly high upside, and many scouts believe he is NBA-ready and has the potential to make the NBA All-Star team soon.
Moreover, the Magic drafted Franz Wagner 8th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, a player who is considered a great pick-up by the team. That's because he solves a need for the Magic, giving them shooting. He is the brother of Moritz Wagner, so the two should complement each other well on the Magic roster.
The Orlando Magic now have a potential lineup of Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner, Mo Bamba, Dwayne Bacon, James Ennis III, Terrance Ross, RJ Hampton and Wendell Carter Jr. They have a decent roster for their new campaign.
Loser - OKC Thunder
For all the picks the OKC Thunder have collected, one expected them to make major moves on 2021 NBA Draft night. They had a plethora of picks in this year's draft, but made a few questionable choices.
They selected the 6th, 16th, 18th, 34th, 36th and 55th picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, but drafted only guards. They selected talented big man Alperen Sengun from the Turkish League as the 16th overall pick, but traded him to Houston Rockets for two future first-round picks.
The Thunder selected Josh Giddey of the Australian league as the 6th overall pick and Tre Mann of the Florida Gators as the 18th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
They had six guards before the draft, but GM Sam Presti went ahead and drafted three more guards in Tre Mann, Josh Giddey and Aaron Wiggins (55th pick). Moreover, even their 34th and 36th picks were both point guards - Miles McBride and Rokas Jokubaitis.
The expectation from the Thunder fanbase was that they'd select either Alperen Sengun or Kai Jones. Surprisingly, both were available for the OKC Thunder at the 16th and 18th spots in the 2021 NBA Draft, but the front office picked neither.
Now the front office has set up the franchise for another lottery campaign next season, and their stars, Kemba Walker and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, might not be too happy about that.
Winner - Cleveland Cavaliers
![Cleveland Cavaliers select Evan Mobley as the 3rd overall pick [Source: USA Today]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/07/b0aca-16276429377423-800.jpg)
The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted a generational talent in Evan Mobley. He is a versatile two-way big man who is quite easily the best center in the 2021 NBA draft class. Ahead of the 2021 NBA Draft, many analysts weren't convinced that Cade Cunningham was a lock for 1st pick, and Evan Mobley was a key reason for that.
Mobley has go-to scoring potential, as he can get a bucket with a variety of moves. He is also a constant lob threat who can also post up in the paint and finish ambidextrously or pull up for three off the dribble. He can break apart defenses with his ball-handling and get to the rim with authority for finishing or making an accurate pass to an open teammate.
Evan Mobley is also an excellent defender, making him a two-way beast. He can defend smaller forwards and wings and also protect the rim. He averaged three blocks per game in USC. His AAU coach told The Ringer that Mobley has the potential to be a 'generational player in the NBA', and it has been a while since the league has seen a 7-footer with the type of skills he possesses.
A starting lineup of Evan Mobley, Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro is pretty good, and the Cavaliers have certainly got a new face for their franchise.
Loser - James Bouknight / Charlotte Hornets
In what could be another blunder by Michael Jordan as a GM, the Charlotte Hornets selected James Bouknight as the 11th overall pick.
This is a team filled with guards and no viable centers, and yet they passed on several talented big men in the 2021 NBA Draft. Alperen Sengun and Kai Jones both got selected late first round, and the Hornets could have seriously bolstered their roster if they had chosen either of the two.
The Charlotte Hornets are already in trade talks for Jarrett Allen and Myles Turner, making it clear to the league that they are in the market for a big man. Moreover, Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo are simply not good enough for a playoff-contending team. So the Hornets' decision of selecting yet another guard and passing up on a big man is incomprehensible.
Unfortunately for Bouknight, he is going to a team where he might not get enough reps. The Hornets have LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Devonte Graham and Malik Monk. So Bouknight would, at best, be a second or third rotation guard behind Graham and Ball if the Hornets maintain their current roster.
Winner - Scottie Barnes
Out of the top six lottery teams in this year's NBA Draft, only one are in a position to make the playoffs next season, the Toronto Raptors.
That's because the Raptors selected Scottie Barnes as the 4th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft over Jalen Suggs, someone who was widely expected to go fourth. Barnes' stock has gone up in recent weeks, so now the spotlight will be on him to prove that the Raptors made the right decision to choose him over Suggs.
Scottie Barnes got selected by the team up north, so he wouldn't be going to a lottery team in rebuild mode but will rather be in a situation to contribute immediately.
The Toronto Raptors have paired Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam with a Draymond Green-type player. An unselfish playmaker with NBA All-Defensive potential, Scottie Barnes is a hustler and an elite level defender both on and off the ball who fights for rebounds and makes plays for his teammates.
You may also like: NBA Draft Results 2021: Who did the Golden State Warriors pick? Here's the full list of selections.
