NBA mock draft: New top five, rising lottery picks

Where are the top players in the NCAA tournament expected to land in the 2019 NBA draft?

We've got a new mock draft for both rounds, with the latest intel on Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Coby White and more projected first-rounders. There's movement throughout the lottery, including a new top five.

Let's dive in.

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.

Zion Williamson | Duke | No. 1

Mike Schmitz: Though there was basically no doubt Williamson would end up as the No. 1 pick prior to the ACC tournament, his three-game explosion was the latest reminder of just how far ahead of his peers he is. Watching Williamson put on an all-time performance fresh off an injury only confirmed what we already knew -- we've truly never seen a player like him. He's far and away the most impressive collegiate prospect I've ever evaluated.

Williamson willed Duke to a win over Syracuse on a night where the rest of the Blue Devils came out flat, pitching a perfect game in the process. He lifted Duke past rival UNC while scoring the game-winning bucket in a 31-point, 11-rebound outburst. What stood out most was how Williamson handled his return from injury. No minutes restriction. No moving around gingerly in fear of aggravating the injury. Williamson went full force. He is a refreshing superstar whose competitive play and focused style deliver an important message to the world's next crop of athletes. Aspiring players may never be able to dunk like Zion or Giannis Antetokounmpo, but these two are making playing hard and competing cool again.

Quite a bit of Williamson's success over the weekend came with him playing center, his best position long-term in the ever-changing NBA. Williamson really has all the ingredients to be the best 5 in the NBA in time with his ability to switch every screen, protect the rim, rebound, handle, punish switches and space the floor as a lob-catcher -- while continuing to fine-tune his shooting stroke. This is where the game is headed, just in time for the most highly anticipated No. 1 overall pick since LeBron James.

RJ Barrett | Duke | No. 2

Schmitz: Barrett didn't do much to close the gap between Williamson and the rest of the field, despite still finding a way to gather his usual box score stats. Over his past five games, Barrett is shooting only 21.6 percent from 3 and 56.7 percent from the free throw line while posting more turnovers (4.8 per game) than assists (3.6). He sprinkled in some really hard misses in the process, and he's now down to just 30.4 percent from 3 this season.

Because of his lack of consistency from distance, Barrett looked clunky and predictable trying to create in the half court, reverting back to his bully-ball style for stretches. He too often goes into tunnel-vision mode rather than relying on his natural passing instincts; he leads the nation in turnovers via charges by a wide margin. He was also inconsistent on the defensive end, making little effort on or off the ball at times and then locking in and defending with physicality on other possessions.

With that said, Barrett's game is better suited for NBA spacing and volume-scoring opportunities. With Tre Jones (24.7 percent from 3), Zion (31.5), Jack White (28.4) and even a streaky Cam Reddish (32.7), there's not a lot of room for Barrett to unleash his aggressive slashing ability -- his best skill at this stage. Barrett figures to live at the free throw line in the NBA.

But his plummeting shooting numbers are a slight cause for concern, and he certainly hasn't solidified his status as the sure No. 2 pick given Ja Morant's surge. It wouldn't be surprising to see Barrett get back on track in the NCAA tournament, as he's risen to the occasion at every level and this March should be no different.

Cam Reddish | Duke | No. 6

Schmitz: Reddish's ACC tournament no-show was the most alarming of his yearlong disappearing acts. Over his past five games, Reddish is averaging 10.6 points, 0.6 assists and 3.2 turnovers in 30.4 minutes while shooting just 30.4 percent from inside the arc and 25.8 percent from 3. And his struggles with confidence have been even more worrisome from an NBA perspective.

When Reddish isn't making shots, the rest of his game suffers. He'll quickly start to turn down open looks, too often playing with his head down while getting baited into charges or turnovers. He's struggled to play through contact in a crowd and gets too cute with the ball on the perimeter at times, leading to live-ball turnovers. He's also had his defensive blunders, losing shooters or getting beat off the dribble by more physical athletes. He adds little on the defensive glass and simply lacks a degree of toughness overall.

Reddish's talent level remains tantalizing, and the fact that he's making 3.4 triples per 40 minutes in a variety of ways at his size bodes well for his projection to the next level. He's surely going to benefit from NBA space and style, as there's a degree of ballhandling and facilitating we've yet to see from him. Being able to fire transition 3s in an up-tempo system like that which the Atlanta Hawks run -- where there's little pressure to win and he can play off a guy like Trae Young -- could be perfect for his development. But there's no question Reddish hasn't helped himself lately, and he badly needs a strong showing in the NCAA tournament to solidify his status as a top-five pick. Teams could ultimately opt for safer, high-floor prospects like De'Andre Hunter, Jarrett Culver or Darius Garland.

Coby White | UNC | No. 11

Schmitz: White has emerged as the No. 3 point guard in this class behind Morant and Garland, even earning some top-10 buzz among scouts. Teams are highly intrigued by White's explosive scoring ability, improving floor game and impressive production, as he's averaging 16.3 points and 4.2 assists on 56.9 percent true shooting in just 28.1 minutes per game.

The 6-foot-5 White had his struggles against Duke, looking a bit trigger-happy, over-dribbling at times and failing to find much consistency from the perimeter. There are questions about his lack of length (6-3 wingspan) and reliance on transition. White also has the ultimate green light, which has played a role in his stellar production.

But White's ability to shoot off the dribble and generate offense out of ball screens make him extremely appealing in today's NBA. He's ultra-aggressive and confident, putting pressure on the rim with excellent open-court speed and showing little fear pulling up from deep. He does a great job of splitting screens with burst and changes of direction, and he's showing more comfort finishing with either hand around the rim. He's showed better feet and physicality defensively than we've seen from him in the past, too.

At worst, White projects as a high-level bucket-getting guard. His decision-making can still be head-scratching at times, but White's assist-to-turnover ratio has improved more or less every month this season, and leading the Tar Heels to a deep NCAA tournament run should only strengthen his lottery case in a draft that's lacking consensus.

Kevin Porter Jr. | USC | No. 12

Jonathan Givony: Porter's tumultuous freshman season closed on a fairly positive note, with a first-round win over Arizona and a narrow loss to top seed Washington in the Pac-12 quarterfinals. As he seemingly always does, Porter alternated between highlight-caliber plays and head-scratching decisions, but he more or less showed NBA scouts what makes him an enticing prospect as a powerful 6-foot-6 guard with impressive instincts on both ends of the floor.

He made a number of jumpers both off the dribble and with his feet set. He showed his talent with the ball in his hands, creating space with sharp footwork and an ability to bounce off defenders. Though not a very fundamentally sound defender, Porter can sniff out rebounds, blocks and steals -- a testament to his playmaking savvy that offers a glimpse into his long-term upside.

NBA executives in Las Vegas said they were intrigued by his star potential, even if a lack of polish and concerns about his approach to the game may end up causing him to slide a little on draft night.

Nassir Little | UNC | No. 17

Schmitz: There's no hiding that the UNC freshman has flat-out struggled through 33 regular-season games. Over his past five contests, Little is averaging 7.6 points in 17.2 minutes on 41.3 true shooting while not recording an assist. In Charlotte, he still looked lost on both ends of the floor. Scouts are growing increasingly worried about his lack of feel and how that might hold him back at the next level.

North Carolina is trying to do a better job of putting Little in positions to succeed, giving him occasional elbow touches to attack in the half court while playing with incredible pace in transition. He's playing far more as a small-ball 4 with a spaced floor, but his struggles have continued. He has a hesitant approach at times offensively, driving with his head down or just standing after giving up the ball. Defensively, he too often misses tags in pick-and-roll and is late on rotations.

Little still flashed some of his impressive physical talent. He forced Williamson into a couple tough shots in the paint, using his length and body effectively, and he crashed the glass regularly. He also finished above the rim a few times in space. He still relies on too many 2-point jumpers -- 8-for-35 on the season -- but his mechanics suggest that he'll eventually develop into a passable shooter in the NBA.

He figures to really help himself in workouts -- as he's likely to post Kawhi Leonard-like measurements while showing he has more skill than he flashed in college -- and impress in interviews. A fresh start will be good for Little, who came into the season with sky-high expectations and simply hasn't gotten comfortable. But there's no question that even some of Little's biggest fans in NBA front offices are skeptical of using a high pick on him.

Brandon Clarke | Gonzaga | No. 22

Givony: Gonzaga laid an egg in the WCC championship game against Saint Mary's with a huge contingent of high-level NBA decision makers on hand. Still, Clarke was able to show some of the things that make him an intriguing long-term prospect. He shot the ball extremely well in pregame in front of an important audience, and then proceeded to demonstrate his impressive instincts and athleticism on both ends of the floor. He was everywhere defensively, switching onto guards, rotating to challenge shots around the paint and playing extremely quickly on his feet to keep balls alive on the glass. He also showed his impressive touch finishing around the basket, as well as his ability to create offense for both himself and others inside the arc with terrific footwork and body control.

NBA scouts sound split on Clarke. While many appreciate his energy, athleticism and versatility, others question his lack of size, length and bulk as a center, plus his limited shooting range as a power forward. It's difficult for scouts to find an ideal comparison for him, and the fact that he'll turn 23 prior to playing his first game in the NBA will likely to be held against him as well. That he's only hit two 3s in 27 games since his breakout at the Maui Invitational hasn't helped matters, though he might be able to show off his touch more in pre-draft workouts.

KZ Okpala | Stanford | No. 23

Givony: Stanford's season ended on a disappointing note with a first-round loss to UCLA in the Pac-12 tourney, where Okpala had one of his worst games of the season -- nine points on 13 field goal attempts with three rebounds, zero assists and three turnovers -- in front of a big group of NBA execs. His body language and decision-making on both ends left a lot to be desired, and the questions about his below-average feel only became more pronounced. He looked out of control with wild forays to the rim and was out of position defensively.

Okpala's late starting point as a prospect has to be considered in any evaluation. So does the lack of shooting and playmaking around him at Stanford. NBA scouts still like his positional size, length, versatility, slashing and ability to make spot-up jumpers, but they were a bit disappointed by his inability to be a difference-maker in the weak Pac-12. He has a big decision in front of him now regarding his next move.

Matisse Thybulle | Washington | No. 26

Givony: Thybulle had a relatively quiet weekend in Vegas, scoring 20 points in 94 minutes over three contests and looking fairly passive while his team got blown out in the Pac-12 championship game. Thybulle being a non-factor offensively is a pretty normal occurrence at this stage, as he's hoping to become just the fourth college senior since 1991 to be drafted in the first round after averaging under 10 points per game.

Despite his shortcomings as a scorer, Thybulle still showed the same tremendous defensive instincts that make him such an intriguing prospect. He was a menace in the passing lanes, sealing a win over USC by coming up with a steal at half court and finishing with a windmill slam. He also blocked five shots in his three games -- some of them coming on jumpers from beyond the arc -- demonstrating just how impactful his 7-foot-plus wingspan and outstanding agility can be when paired with incredible awareness.

If Thybulle can find a way to be even an average 3-point shooter (his career marks from 3 and the foul line bode well there), that should be enough to keep him on the floor at the NBA level. Finding a way to remind scouts of his shooting prowess in the NCAA tournament would likely help his case to be a first-round pick.

Jalen McDaniels | SDSU | No. 36

Givony: San Diego State made a run to the Mountain West championship game, giving NBA scouts three opportunities to watch McDaniels. Their overall impression from the weekend likely depended heavily on which game they saw; McDaniels went from being spectacular in the quarterfinal to solid in the semis before having one of his worst games of the season in the final.

Overall, McDaniels showed what makes him intriguing long-term with his positional size, fluidity, tremendous motor, flashes of shot-making ability and defensive versatility as a 6-foot-10 forward. The big question is his 3-point shooting, as he's just 22-for-72 on the season (31 percent). But his 77 percent career free throw shooting, as well as his midrange prowess, offer some hope in that regard. If that part of his game comes around, it's easy to envision a role for him in the NBA, and there's likely still some long-term upside left to tap into as his frame continues to fill out.

Nic Claxton | Georgia

Schmitz: Several scouts and a few high-level NBA execs traveled to Nashville for the first round of the SEC tournament to get eyes on the Georgia sophomore, who is garnering some first-round buzz.

The 19-year-old, 6-foot-11 agile center wowed for stretches with his defensive versatility, rim protection and budding offensive skill set, yet he faded into the background before eventually fouling out in a loss to Missouri. Claxton is surely an intriguing long-term prospect, as he can switch onto the perimeter, rotate from the weak side as a defensive anchor and even push off the break at times. (Tom Crean allows him to operate as a lead ball-handler, even after made baskets.)

Claxton is still raw as a draft prospect. He lacks reliable offensive skills and consistency on the glass. Though Claxton could clearly use another year at Georgia to get stronger, become a more consistent shooting threat and fine-tune his overall game, scouts expect him get looks in the first round and potentially a combine invite should he test the waters.

Notable risers, fallers

• UNC senior Cameron Johnson rises all the way to No. 19 after a strong showing in the ACC tournament against Duke, showcasing his NBA-caliber shooting stroke, feel for the game and improved defense. He's a plug-and-play wing whom playoff teams are hoping to snag given his clear role-player potential.

• Although Kentucky got bounced in the semis, freshman guard Tyler Herro continues to climb draft boards as scouts are intrigued by his dynamic shooting stroke, feel for the game and defensive energy at 6-foot-5. It's not out of the question that Herro has a rise similar to that of Jerome Robinson or Kevin Huerter. While PJ Washington stays put in the lottery, Keldon Johnson slides to the mid-teens, as teams see a bit of a ceiling with him as a role-playing wing despite his positional size, straight-line slashing and intensity.

• While maybe not loaded with traditional upside due to an average feel, De'Andre Hunter has as high of a floor as any player outside the top three, and he leapfrogs Reddish to No. 5. In Charlotte, he showed off his defensive versatility, stonewalling point guards and bigs alike while displaying enough potential as a shooter.