NBA draft stock watch: Which college prospects are creating buzz?

As the 2021 NBA season carries on with a certain level of uncertainty, teams are continuing their all-important evaluations of this year's loaded draft class.

ESPN draft experts Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz updated their top-100 draft rankings this week, with Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley remaining 1-2. But there is a great deal of movement beyond that duo, and more shuffling certain to come as the college basketball season makes the turn into its second half.

Here are the prospects whose play has attracted notice since our last update:

Ziaire Williams | 6-8 | SG | Stanford | No. 7 overall prospect

After a rough start to the season efficiency-wise, Williams is starting to turn the corner, logging a triple-double last Thursday against Washington followed by a 16-point outing in a win over Washington State. On the season, Williams still ranks in the bottom five of our top 100 in true shooting percentage, but the offensive glimpses are becoming more regular and he's developed into an asset defensively for a Cardinal team that ranks 9th in the NCAA in defensive efficiency according to KenPom.

I saw Williams live against CSUN in mid-December and he struggled to have much of an impact at all, avoiding contact on both ends, living off of tough jump shots and fading in and out of the game in a narrow victory, looking more like a mid-1st rounder than a potential top-5 pick. Since then, he's averaging 12.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 5.0 free throw attempts per game, with Stanford going 5-1 over its last six games. He's still only shooting 42.1% from 2 and 30.4% from 3 during that stretch with some head-scratching turnovers and missed bunnies at the rim, but you can see the confidence growing as he's hammering home lobs and playing with a little more force, settling for jumpers less and showcasing his passing feel.

Williams needs to become a much more reliable shooter given his slight frame and finesse-based game, but his step-back footwork, balance and ability to elevate from anywhere is already NBA level. Thanks to that footwork and his solid passing feel, the potential he shows as a pick-and-roll shot-creator gives him more upside than your typical 3-and-D-style wing --as long as he can continue picking his spots better and putting more pressure on the rim.

Zi-AIR! 👀 🚨

HUGE jam, he has 12!

📺: @Pac12Network #GoStanford #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/8R76B53um0

— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) January 9, 2021

Defensively, Williams has been active over the last handful of games and looks the part of a solid team defender, even if he still dies on screens and gets boxed out of plays at times. At this early stage of physical development, he's been at his best defending point guards, utilizing his foot speed and reach to gap and contest. He has a solid defensive IQ on and off the ball, understanding how to keep the ball iced to the sideline in pick-and-roll, also picking up player tendencies in 1-on-1 situations. He still gets taken advantage of physically, however, and has a long way to go with his frame before he can handle NBA wings.

Williams still has a lot of room to grow in the efficiency and physicality department, but given his late-blooming status and the fact that he didn't get to Stanford's campus until September, he was always going to be more of a long-term prospect. Scouts will be watching closely to see if he can build on his strong weekend throughout Pac-12 play and look more like the top-10 pick we billed him as to start the season. -- Schmitz

Cam Thomas | 6-4 | SG | LSU | No. 12

An ankle sprain suffered four minutes into LSU's win over Ole Miss on Saturday proved to be the only thing that could slow down Thomas, who is the leading scorer in the SEC despite averaging only 29 minutes per game.

The all-time leading scorer at famed Oak Hill Academy, as well as the top scorer in the 2019 Nike EYBL, it's been a seamless transition to college basketball for the 19-year old. He's spearheading a top-5 offense in college basketball and shouldering the sixth-highest usage rate of any high-major player while still maintaining sparkling scoring efficiency (60% TS%), largely a product of his ability to get to the free throw line over nine times per 40 minutes while converting 91% of his attempts there.

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Jones throws down a vicious poster for Bama

Alabama's Herbert Jones drives the lane and puts down a massive slam over Auburn big man Dylan Cardwell.

While he's an all-around scorer, Thomas' shot-making ability has long been his calling card as a prospect. He's deadly with his feet set and capable of shooting off screens, but does his best work out of pick-and- roll or isolation sets. Thomas is also an absolute killer operating out of triple-threat situations where he can shoot off a jab step, beat defenders off the bounce and either toss in floaters, absorb contact in the lane, or pull up sharply off stepbacks in the mid-range or behind the arc.

He has deep range on his jumper, polished footwork and unlimited confidence, which can at times lead to some ugly possessions where he looks off teammates and hoists up difficult shots with a hand in his face. Thomas has never been much of a passer and is averaging more turnovers than assists, which is not ideal for a guard. In an NBA era that is predicated on pace, shot-making prowess and high-powered offenses, his scoring ability looks certain to translate.

NBA teams will probably like to see more from Thomas not only as a playmaker, but also defensively, where he's long been considered indifferent and undisciplined. It perhaps wasn't surprising to see LSU have its best defensive performance of the season this weekend with Thomas on the bench. When he engages for prolonged periods and shows a willingness to bend his knees and stay focused and attentive off the ball, he actually shows some mobility in one-on-one situations, and strong instincts getting in passing lanes. Defense has just never been a priority for him and at 6-4 with average length, there are real question marks about how much of a negative he'll be in the NBA on this end of the floor. Showing he can play more of a winning style of basketball as the season progresses will draw him more comparisons to Buddy Hield from optimists, to counter the Allonzo Trier parallels his detractors make. -- Givony

Josh Christopher | 6-5 | SG | Arizona State | No. 18

I was able to evaluate the Arizona State guard live in Tempe against potential top pick Evan Mobley and USC, and Christopher showed both what makes him a dynamic scorer and where he still has room to improve to live up to the hype he generated as a prep star.

Slow-motion look at Josh Christopher's shooting stroke. The physical, scoring guard is shooting 58% from 2, 19% from 3 and 88.2% from the free throw line through 8 games. pic.twitter.com/BSHhXloRVH

— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) January 9, 2021

Diving deeper into his film, there's no doubting Christopher's ability to score the basketball -- he's one of only two freshmen to rank among the Pac-12's top-10 in scoring per game at 16.8 points in just 30.4 minutes. At 6-5, 215 pounds with outstanding footwork as a ball handler, he's already one of the draft's most gifted 1-on-1 shot-creators. He's shifty and powerful with the ball in his hands, which has shown up most in transition -- he ranks 3rd in the country in open court scoring efficiency amongst players with at least 40 possessions. Christopher is aggressive weaving through traffic, embracing contact at the rim, and will surely benefit even more from a spaced NBA floor.

In the half court, he has the makings of a pick-and-roll scorer who can punish drop coverages with mid-range pull ups and get all the way to the rim, either drawing fouls or finishing. He's already quite polished as a space creator and even shows glimpses of hang-dribble pull-ups from beyond the arc. Christopher's size and ability to elevate over the top also makes him a threat in the mid-post against smaller guards.

With all that said, he's very much still learning how to be most effective within the flow of the offense, which starts with his spot-up 3 ball - he's converted on just 8 of 36 3s so far and can stand to improve his shot preparation. Through nine games Christopher is just 5 of 26 on catch-and-shoot jumpers and 0-for-7 when unguarded, according to Synergy Sports. Christopher is an excellent free throw shooter at 87%, kills mid-range areas and has soft touch from inside the paint, so there's reason to believe he can become more reliable on spot 3s with additional reps, similar to how a fellow effective mid-range player like Jayson Tatum extended his range.

At the moment, Christopher, along with several other ASU guards, too often turns what should be rhythm 3s or closeout attacks into isolation possessions, settling for tough 2s and hurting the flow of the offense. Continuing to evolve as a cutter and ball-mover will also ease his transition to the NBA game, where he'll be forced to fit alongside other gifted shot-creators. Christopher is ultimately at his best with the ball in his hands, so becoming a more willing and accurate passer, which he shows glimpses of in transition, will also make him more attractive to NBA scouts. Like we've seen from another isolation scorer, Demar DeRozan, over the course of his NBA career, it's important for volume shot creators to develop into valuable facilitators in order to warrant their touches.

Defensively, Christopher has the tools and competitiveness to be impactful with his strong base, excellent feet and solid instincts. He does lose focus at times off the ball, standing straight up and down and reacting late on closeouts. He can also be a bit handsy in 1-on-1 situations. But all in all, he should be an asset defending either guard spot. He's also a good positional rebounder and has rotated for blocks, charges and steals quite regularly this season when he's fully focused. For Christopher to re-enter the lottery discussion, scouts will want to see him knock down more catch-and-shoot 3s, improve his decision making and help turn around a 4-5 Sun Devils team as we get deeper into conference play. That will ultimately determine whether or not teams view him as a bench bucket-getter or a surefire NBA starter. --Schmitz

Sharife Cooper | 6-1 | PG | Auburn | No. 25

Questions about his NCAA status delayed Cooper's debut for six weeks and caused him to miss 11 games, but he proved worth the wait for Auburn fans. Despite being held out of 72 days of practice starting in mid-October and seeing his first action against a Top 25 team in Alabama, Cooper burst out of the gates with 26 points, 9 assists and 3 steals in a narrow loss.

His ability to get anywhere he wanted on the floor forced Alabama to use several defenders and defensive schemes to try and slow him down, mostly unsuccessfully. Cooper demonstrated a tight, shifty handle, the ability to change speeds dynamically out of hesitation moves, and outstanding vision delivering passes with both hands to either side of the floor, He already looks like one of the most creative guards in the college game operating out of pick-and-roll.

When he wasn't dishing on the move or passing ahead in transition, Cooper did a nice job of attacking the rim with purpose. His sheer quickness and excellent ball-handling ability helped him get to the free throw line 10 times in 33 minutes -- where he knocked down all but one attempt -- and he made several difficult layups in traffic from awkward angles.

Moving forward, scouts will want to learn more about Cooper's jump shot, an area he's been inconsistent with throughout his career. He made just one of his seven attempts from beyond the arc in his debut, sporting somewhat slow mechanics with a low release that may prove difficult for him to get off at his size. It's difficult to be a small, thin guard in today's NBA without a consistent pull-up jumper, so it will be telling to see how much success he can find in this area over the final 15 games of the season.

Cooper's defense is another question mark. With his thin frame, lack of length and average size, he's going to be at a disadvantage in this area and could improve his effort and technique based on what he's shown thus far. His quick feet and excellent anticipation skills suggest he has room to improve with a less casual approach fighting over screens and getting in a stance off the ball.

Auburn's scheduled matchups against the likes of Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri and Baylor the next few weeks just got a lot more interesting for NBA scouts, and the star power Cooper offers every time he steps on the floor is certainly a positive for the college game. Can Cooper make a Kemba Walker-style leap up draft boards in the next two months? -- Givony

Franz Wagner | 6-9 | SF/PF | Michigan | No. 30

At 10-0 (5-0 in the Big Ten), Juwan Howard's Michigan squad is one of the early surprises of the college basketball season. The Wolverines haven't played the strongest schedule thus far, and will face by far their biggest team of the season Tuesday night against Wisconsin (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).

While most of the attention nationally goes to freshman sensation Hunter Dickinson, who has been nearly unstoppable offensively, from an NBA standpoint, their best prospect is Wagner, who is nearly a year younger and far more versatile on both ends of the floor.

Wagner spent the early stages of the pandemic living with his brother Moe of the Washington Wizards, focusing on working on his game and improving his body, adding over twenty pounds to a now 220-pound frame that has reportedly grown to 6-10.

After a slow start to the season offensively, Wagner has blossomed in Big Ten play, shooting the ball effectively from the perimeter, scoring opportunistically inside the arc and becoming a key playmaking cog in Michigan's well-spaced and highly efficient offense.

Defensively is where Wagner has made the biggest strides, though, as he's shown the ability to contain guards, wings, forwards and even some big men thanks to his terrific size, high activity level, outstanding basketball awareness and textbook technique. While not all that fleet of foot and still lacking a degree of physicality, he's always in the right spots off the ball and is often one step ahead of his opponents defending one on one because of how quickly he anticipates and reacts to what's going on around him. He's a playmaker who gets in passing lanes frequently, blocks shots on the perimeter, and cleans the glass effectively from the power forward position. Wagner's guard skills, with his ability to dribble, pass and shoot, gives Michigan great versatility from a lineup perspective, allowing them to give the 7-1 Dickinson a huge amount of space to operate inside the paint.

While he's never going to be a primary creator due to his just-decent athleticism and projects as a complementary player at the NBA level, teams will want to see Wagner continue to be aggressive offensively, as he has a tendency to fade into the background at times and not put his imprint on games. Wagner's jump shot is his swing skill as a prospect, as he's been streaky throughout his career from beyond the arc, converting just 32% of his attempts in college (166 attempts) and the same number throughout his entire career (556 attempts) in 166 games in our database. The fact that he's shooting 87% from the free throw line, where he's been elite his whole career, and shows deft touch on finishes inside the arc, leaves plenty of room for optimism.

A deep NCAA tournament run could easily solidify Wagner as a first-round pick, although it wouldn't be shocking if he decided to run it back for his junior year at Michigan (like his brother did) since he's younger than many freshmen such as Jalen Suggs and Evan Mobley. Michigan is slated to enroll the No. 1 recruiting class in college basketball, and could be viewed as early favorites for the national championship if Wagner (and Dickinson) return to the fold. -- Givony

Herb Jones | 6-8 | SF | Alabama | No. 54

Jones is reminding us why teams were once so intrigued with him as a freshman playing alongside Collin Sexton, most recently exploding for 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 blocks against Auburn to extend Alabama's five-game win streak. Now a senior with 80 career starts under his belt, Jones is one of the more unique players in the country, shifting all over the floor defensively and regularly bringing the ball up as a lead facilitator for the Crimson Tide, with Kira Lewis gone to the NBA.

Jones is one of only three players in the NCAA averaging at least 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocks per 40 minutes, speaking to his two-way versatility and all-around impact. Jones' initial intrigue revolved around his physical profile, standing 6-8 with a 7-1 wingspan, 8-9 standing reach and impressive fluidity, comparing to players like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Thaddeus Young, and Jarred Vanderbilt in terms of his measurements.

Jones is incredibly rangy on the defensive end, able to close out from the charge circle to the corner to block catch-and-shoot 3s. Head coach Nate Oats regularly puts him on opposing point guards where he's able to give himself a considerable cushion to keep the ball in front yet still contest thanks to his length. Jones is likely best defending guards and wings at the NBA level, as he's not quite tough or physical enough to challenge interior players but his wide shoulders and late-blooming status suggest he shouldn't have trouble getting stronger. He's evolved into a smart, energetic team defender as well during his collegiate career, rotating for verticality blocks and becoming a disruptor in the passing lanes, averaging 2.4 steals per 40 minutes.

It's the offensive end that's always held Jones back as far as his NBA outlook. He's a career 28.6% 3-point shooter on just 77 attempts while converting 58.6% of his free throws and had not previously been known for having many ways to score in the half court. But this season, though still clearly lacking confidence in his stroke, Jones is 8-of-16 from 3 and 77% from the free throw line. He's finding a lot of success in grab and go situations, using his long strides and elite eurostep game to dodge defenders and finish. Jones still struggles as a finisher in the half court (47%) but has looked more assertive trying to dunk on weak side shot-blockers and generating more free throws. With the ability to change speeds and directions smoothly along with above average court vision, Jones is likely at his best as a slash-and-pass-style wing on the offensive end.

Wings with Jones' dimensions get more bites at the apple than any other position in the NBA, so Jones will have no shortage of opportunities to prove he can make enough standstill 3s to keep defenses honest, on top of his ball handling, playmaking and defensive versatility. At the very least, although bigger and longer, Jones could have a Terance Mann-type of trajectory as a mid-2nd round pick who finds a way to stick thanks to his defense and feel for the game, even if he's not much of a shooting threat. If he stays on this path, I'd expect Jones to become a popular sleeper name as we get closer to the draft. --Schmitz

Chris Duarte | 6-6 | SG | Oregon | No. 62

Duarte, the 23-year-old guard and native of the Dominican Republic guard, has been an efficiency monster through 11 games for 9-2 Oregon. He's one of only five players in the country to average at least 18 points on over 65% from 2 and 45% from 3 and thanks to his two-way play at 6-6 ranks 5th in the nation in win shares behind only Luka Garza (Iowa), Corey Kispert (Gonzaga), Ayo Dosunmu (Illinois) and Moses Moody (Arkansas).

Duarte first burst onto the scene last year as a junior college transfer from Northwest Florida State -- where he won JUCO Player of the Year -- playing a key role alongside Payton Pritchard as a 30-minute per game starter. Now a senior, Duarte has seamlessly transitioned into a featured role, improving in virtually every statistical category. Over his last five games, Duarte is averaging 23.0 points on 73.7% true shooting to go along with 3.4 steals and 1.4 blocks.

Standing 6-6 with a fairly sturdy frame, Duarte has nice size to function as an off guard/wing at the next level, even if he's not particularly long, overly shifty or an elite run-and-jump athlete. His clear-cut NBA skill is his shooting, as he's turned himself into one of the more accurate shotmakers in the country at 46% from 3 on over 6.0 attempts per game after knocking down just 34% of his 3s a season ago. Duarte has excellent balance, great shot preparation off the catch, re-locates really well off the ball, and even shows the ability to shoot it off the dribble some if given space.

At the collegiate level, Duarte is more than just a standstill shooter, operating out of isolation and pick-and-roll, using his positional size and deception to get to the rim or pull up over smaller defenders. In the NBA he's likely to function more in a catch-and-shoot role, but he has a solid feel and should be able to play some second-side pick-and-roll, making the right reads out of quick actions.

He's not overly quick-footed changing directions defensively, but despite his aforementioned lack of length Duarte has turned himself into a defensive playmaker in Oregon's press, averaging 2.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. He has great hands, is willing to take on-ball charges on closeouts, is alert off the ball and has excellent instincts in the passing lanes. Even if he doesn't project as a 1-on-1 stopper, Duarte figures to add value with his team defense.

Even with Sam Merrill bucking the trend of 24-year-olds getting drafted last year, it's far from commonplace, and Duarte turns 24 in June. But if he does go undrafted like history would suggest, I could see Duarte carving out an NBA role like we've seen from Caleb Martin, another highly productive senior wing with size, defensive instincts and shotmaking ability. Despite a winding road to get to the point, Duarte's size, shooting, and efficiency have put him onto the radar. Teams are surely working to learn more about Chris Duarte the person, and if he could become the next floor-spacing wing to stick in the NBA. -- Schmitz

Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and international teams.

Mike Schmitz is an NBA draft expert and a contributor to DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and international teams.