A year after four Minnesotans were taken in the NBA draft, five former state high school players have made themselves eligible.
Five Minnesotans have made themselves eligible for the NBA draft
Jalen Suggs, Jericho Sims, Matthew Hurt, McKinley Wright and Steffon Mitchell hope to hear their names called Thursday.
July 27, 2021 at 9:58PM
Jalen Suggs: The former Minnehaha Academy guard, who is 6-4, is expected to be a lottery pick after helping Gonzaga to the NCAA title game as a freshman.
Matthew Hurt: The 6-9 forward was All-ACC as a sophomore for Duke, and the ex-Rochester John Marshall standout's shooting ability could be tempting for NBA teams in the second round.
Jericho Sims: A 6-10 center, Sims played four seasons at Texas and had eye-opening combine measurements (44.5-inch max vertical, 7-3.5 wingspan). Played at Cristo Rey Jesuit in Minneapolis.
McKinley Wright: Had a tremendous four-year career at Colorado and is the only player in Pac-12 history with 1,800 points, 600 assists and 600 rebounds. A shade under 6 feet, the ex-Champlin Park guard is on the draft bubble.
Steffon Mitchell: The 6-8 Boston College forward from Shakopee made the ACC's All-Defense team and left with a year of eligibility remaining. Likely to go undrafted.
High-profile victims in Minnesota include Mike Conley of the Timberwolves and Twins co-owner Jim Pohlad.
