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          NBA mock draft: Top five picks for Knicks, Bulls, Hawks

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          What to like about Ja Morant and Cam Reddish (1:30)

          ESPN NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony breaks down what scouts like about Murray State's Ja Morant and Duke's Cam Reddish. (1:30)

          • Jonathan GivonyFeb 12, 2019, 11:44 PM ET
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              NBA draft analyst and writer
              Joined ESPN.com in July 2017
              Founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams
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          The homestretch of the college basketball regular season is upon us, as we're less than a month away from the mad dash of conference tournaments. This is a good opportunity to check in on 10 prospects who have been moving the needle in either direction with NBA scouts.

          Here's our new mock for both rounds, plus the latest on the big risers and fallers.

          ESPN's Basketball Power Index was used to project the draft order. Unlike our top-100 rankings, this mock attempts to project which players will end up entering the draft.

          Tyler Herro | Fr. | SG | Kentucky

          Herro has been inconsistent offensively over the course of the season, but he seems to have settled into his role for Kentucky. A big part of Kentucky's 10-game win streak was due to much-improved defense, in which Herro played a major part. Early in the season, opponents would pick on Herro relentlessly -- he would be back-cut off the ball while being blown by off the dribble all too often. Although Herro isn't a lock-down defender, he's playing with significantly better energy, awareness and focus since the calendar turned to 2019, becoming far from a liability on that end of the floor. His lack of length (6-foot-4½ wingspan) will always be a limiting factor and might make him best suited for guarding point guards in the NBA, but the fact that he plays as hard as he does -- while demonstrating outstanding instincts and IQ -- bodes well.

          The next step in elevating his draft stock into sure first-round territory will be finding more consistency on the offensive end, as he has been very streaky with his jumper (35 percent from 3), even if his scoring sparks are vivid. It wouldn't be surprising to see him ride a couple of big scoring outings in March to the NBA draft if things come together for him at the right time. But he could also look at how much a second season in college benefited his teammate PJ Washington and decide to try to make a run at the lottery in 2020.

          PJ Washington | So. | PF | Kentucky

          Washington got a cold shoulder from the NBA after declaring for last year's draft, considered a likely mid-to-late second-round pick despite a solid showing at the combine. Fast-forward a year and Washington is banging on the door of the lottery. He has shown significant improvement in every facet of the game, particularly his rebounding (11.5 per 40 minutes, up from 8.3), 3-point shooting and overall energy. His ability to play on the perimeter (both as a shooter and ball handler) has improved Kentucky's spacing tremendously, giving him much more versatility projecting forward fitting into the modern game. He's now a potential SEC Player of the Year candidate.

          He has a huge game coming up Saturday against reigning conference Player of the Year Grant Williams and No. 1-ranked Tennessee (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/WatchESPN).

          Ayo Dosunmu | Fr. | PG/SG | Illinois

          Winner of four of its past five conference games, Illinois has revived its season behind excellent play from Dosunmu, including huge upsets over Michigan State and Maryland. Dosunmu has been in the top 30 of the ESPN 100 all season, but he has shown lately that he might factor into the 2019 draft equation, as opposed to being more of a 2020 prospect.

          Dosunmu is rail-thin yet plays with impressive toughness and confidence, unafraid to step up and make big shots. His shooting mechanics are a little unconventional with his low release point, but he gets shots off quickly and has shown impressive touch that suggests he has significant room for growth. The fact that he has been this aggressive offensively, even in Big Ten play, is a great sign considering how young he is. He has ample size and length for either guard spot, good feel for the game and impressive competitiveness defensively.

          Dosunmu will need to decide if he's OK coming into the NBA as a developmental project or if he prefers to try to enter as a potential lottery pick in 2020. It's clear that he isn't ready to help an NBA team win now, but he has a number of ingredients teams look for in prospects long-term, making him intriguing in the latter portions of the first round.

          Paul Reed | So. | PF | DePaul

          Relatively anonymous upon committing to DePaul out of high school, Reed has exploded against Big East competition this season, looking like one of the most improved players in the country. He has firmly established himself as a NBA prospect thanks not only to his impressive productivity but also his outstanding physical tools and budding versatility.

          Standing 6-foot-9 with a long wingspan, a body that should fill out and good athletic ability, Reed has a nice framework for a power forward prospect. He has a pretty long leash at DePaul to try different things offensively, which has likely contributed to his rapid development. You regularly see him grabbing and going off the defensive glass, taking open jumpers and creating his own shot with long strides and rangy footwork. He's not the most polished player -- his decision-making and overall feel can look a little shaky at times -- but it's tough not to be impressed with his productivity. He's also making 95 percent of his free throw attempts in conference play.

          Reed's mobility, length and instincts really shine through on the defensive end, as he's often tasked with defending guards and wings. He shows impressive ability to cover ground, slide his feet and contest shots on the perimeter. The next step for him will be to improve his awareness and focus. He isn't always consistent on defense, which is surprising considering his excellent rebounding numbers.

          Reed has done a nice job of putting himself on the NBA radar and could be on the verge of emerging as a potential first-round prospect in 2020 if he has a good summer in the weight room, continues to improve his shooting range and is able to help DePaul win some games.

          Jalen McDaniels | So. | PF | San Diego State

          After an up-and-down showing at the Maui Invitational and disappointing blowout losses to Brown, Air Force and Boise State, it looked like McDaniels' sophomore season wasn't going to be the breakout year scouts hoped for when he removed his name from the 2018 NBA draft. Things are starting to look a bit better lately, as San Diego State has won four of its past five games, with McDaniels shooting a scorching 9-for-16 (56 percent) from beyond the arc, a major outlier relative to the rest of his college career (12-for-51 in 49 games).

          Because of McDaniels' thin frame, his ability to make outside shots is of utmost importance for his draft stock since it's unlikely that he'll be able to play the same type of 4/5 role in the NBA that he does in college, projecting as more of a wing. NBA scouts love his defensive versatility, long strides attacking the rim and willingness to be physical and embrace contact despite weighing less than 200 pounds. His size, length and fluidity give him a lot more upside to tap into than most 21-year-olds. If his jumper continues to show signs of progress, he'll have a much stronger case as a first-rounder come June.

          Matisse Thybulle | Sr. | SF | Washington

          Washington is in the midst of an outstanding season, at 10-1 in the Pac-12 (19-5 overall) thanks in large part to its defense, which is one of the best in college basketball. The key to Mike Hopkins' 2-3 zone is Thybulle, who is in the midst of a statistical feat that has never been accomplished in college basketball. Thybulle is averaging a ridiculous 4.4 steals and three blocks per 40 minutes, pace adjusted, which blows away any mark in our database dating to the early 1980s. The closest mark we can find among drafted players is Ron Harper's senior season at Miami (Ohio) in 1986, in which he averaged 3.5 steals and 2.5 blocks per 40. Shawn Marion averaged 3.1 steals and 2.3 blocks per 40 at UNLV in 1999, impressive numbers but nothing close to what Thybulle is doing at the moment.

          Naysayers will argue that Thybulle's freedom to roam around Washington's zone plays a key role in his accumulating these defensive stats, and there might be some truth to that. He averaged 2.8 steals and 0.9 blocks as a sophomore under a different coach and defensive scheme, though, and he put his incredible versatility as a man-to-man defender on full display this past summer at the Nike Skills Academy, where he drew praise for his play. A couple of possessions in which he made things difficult for Kevin Durant stood out in particular.

          The more pressing question is whether Thybulle can score enough at the NBA level to stay on the floor. His 13.2 points per 40 is the second-lowest total among collegiate players projected to be drafted, behind only that of Duke freshman Tre Jones. Thybulle hasn't made significant strides in this area since arriving at Washington, and he's shooting a career low from deep (33 percent). Scouts will be watching how aggressive Thybulle is offensively for Washington from here on out. With strong workouts, he might be able to earn some first-round buzz.

          JaKeenan Gant | Sr. | PF | Louisiana

          No player in college basketball has caught fire more in his past 10 games than Gant, who is averaging an excellent 27.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 35 MPG while shooting 62 percent from 2 and 50 percent from 3. Gant's perimeter shooting is notable considering he's a 6-foot-8 bouncy, long-armed, versatile forward who defends centers but can also switch onto guards. This season, he has made 41 percent of his 3s on a decent number of attempts and 79 percent of his free throws.

          With his team only 14-10 and a postseason run to the NCAA tournament looking somewhat improbable, Gant is most likely a strong candidate for the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in April, an all-NCAA senior event that has provided a significant platform for plenty of players in his mold over the years.

          Kevin Porter Jr. | Fr. | SG | USC

          Injuries and off-court issues made Porter somewhat of a mystery man outside of a five-game stretch in November in which he showed tremendous scoring instincts and overall talent that earned him lottery buzz. Since returning to action a month ago, he has been underwhelming against Pac-12 competition, averaging a paltry 6.4 points, shooting 32 percent from 2 and 42 percent from the free throw line (yet hitting 47 percent from 3), and turning the ball over at an incredibly high rate (27 percent).

          Porter's role at USC isn't ideal for evaluation. He comes off the bench, stands in the corner and then catches, holds and dances with the ball incessantly upon mercifully getting a touch. But it's easy to understand why the coaching staff has been slow to trust him and take off the training wheels. His lack of experience and head-scratching decisions on both ends of the floor have contributed to this situation. Poor background intel might keep Porter's stock grounded until he's able to fully show what he can do -- perhaps in the pre-draft process -- but scouts are still hopeful that they'll see more growth from Porter at the college level before USC's season ends.

          Jarrett Culver | So. | SG | Texas Tech

          In our last mock draft update in early January, we noted that Culver's hot shooting was bound to drop against tougher competition. Indeed, we've seen a significant regression to the mean in his 3-point shooting (5-for-39 over 11 conference games). As we pointed out then, his jumper and confidence in it is still a work in progress, so there's no need to overreact.

          Texas Tech has figured out how to keep its head above water despite Culver's prolonged shooting slump, winning four of its past five games with a manageable schedule going forward. Culver has still contributed as a passer, defender and slasher, which is why his draft stock hasn't taken too much of a hit. It will be interesting to see which version of Culver we get for the last six weeks of the season, as his team will likely need him to make shots to finish the season strongly.

          Quentin Grimes | Fr. | SG | Kansas

          Grimes hasn't been able to come close to replicating his exhilarating performance from the opening night of the season in a win over Michigan State. Just when you think he's about to turn the corner, he follows it with more lackluster performances. His past 10-game stretch hasn't been encouraging, as he's averaging six points in 27 MPG while shooting 22 percent from 2, 37 percent from 3 and a combined 2-for-6 from the free throw line.

          Grimes has essentially turned into a (fairly streaky) spot-up shooter, seemingly lacking any type of confidence in his once-promising shot-creation ability and pick-and-roll prowess. Grimes looked like a completely different player on the high school all-star circuit and at the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship last June, when he won tournament MVP honors. He hasn't come close to replicating that level of play at Kansas, sporting a highly disappointing 7.4 PER thus far, which has caused him to drop out of the top 50 of the ESPN 100. Barring something unexpected, Grimes is looking like a clear multiyear college player.

          His teammate, Ochai Agbaji, has been one of the bigger revelations of conference play. Agbaji was originally slated to redshirt but was forced into action in January due to Kansas' shrinking rotation. He has scored 20 or more points in three of the past five games, giving Kansas tremendous energy and intensity while shooting the ball much better than expected. His offensive skill level and overall polish still need work, but his physical tools and versatility have been impressive, considering his lack of experience. Agbaji is starting to gain some attention from NBA scouts, likely as a prospect for 2020 or beyond.