NBA Mock Draft 2018: SI projects all 60 picks

We’re now just over a week away from the deadline to withdraw from the 2018 NBA Draft.

The Kentucky Wildcats have six players currently in the draft process, and three of them have already signed with agents. That includes Kevin Knox and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who may find a way to land on the same team in this year’s draft.

The latest NBA Mock Draft from Sports Illustrated has both Wildcats going to the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 12 and 13 picks. The Clippers need help all throughout their roster, and it’s very possible that Knox and Shai are the best players available with those picks.

The other Cat who’s signed with an agent is Hamidou Diallo, who goes 43rd to the Denver Nuggets, who already have Trey Lyles and Jamal Murray. Diallo is hoping to sneak into the very end of Round 1, but it’s possible he slips into the middle of Round 2. His stock is down a bit after skipping most of the NBA Draft Combine workouts.

The most interesting part of this mock draft is the suddenly-rising stock of Jarred Vanderbilt and PJ Washington. After his big outing at the combine, Washington is now up to No. 48 in this projection to the Timberwolves, where he would team up with former UK star Karl-Anthony Towns.

SI’s Jeremy Woo actually wrote about Washington’s big outing at the combine and how his stock is rising:

Rising: PJ Washington, F/C, Kentucky

Two strong combine days makes Washington’s draft decision a bit more interesting. He’s said publicly he wants to turn pro only if he’s a first-round pick, and while that deal is far from sealed, he at least gave teams more to think about this week. Washington is a unique player, standing 6’7” but utilizing long arms and plus athletic ability to bang on the inside. He showed a good understanding of the floor, rebounded aggressively, and notably hit three mid-range jumpers in a row early in Friday’s scrimmage. Washington’s unique skill set will only fit with certain lineups as a small-ball big, but he certainly does enough to get drafted. If he really wants to be a first-rounder it may help his case to go back, but he’s at least turned some heads.

While Washington had a nice outing, Vanderbilt did not participate. Yet somehow, his stock is rising enough that he’s now projected to go 52nd to the Utah Jazz in this mock draft. As talented as he is, Vanderbilt has been far too injury prone to think he’ll be drafted this year, but someone may be willing to take that chance.

And as usual, Wenyen Gabriel is not in this projection.