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Orlando Magic 2021 NBA Draft Preview: Kai Jones defines the modern center

By Omar Cabrera

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 20: Kai Jones #22 of the Texas Longhorns attempts to drive past Joe Pleasant #32 of the Abilene Christian Wildcats during the first half in the first round game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 20, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 20: Kai Jones #22 of the Texas Longhorns attempts to drive past Joe Pleasant #32 of the Abilene Christian Wildcats during the first half in the first round game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 20, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /
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The best big man in the 2021 NBA Draft is Evan Mobley. No one is debating that and Mobley, with his extreme athleticism and versatility, is likely to go in the top three picks. He looks like a center a franchise can build itself around.

But this draft is considered to be a deep draft. There are plenty of other centers who are trying to make their name and stake their claim.

Even in a league that is increasingly being defined by guard play, centers are still finding a key spot in the picture. After all, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid just finished in the top spots for this year’s MVP voting. Deandre Ayton’s maturation was a big factor in the Phoenix Suns’ run to the NBA Finals.

Reports of the center positions’ demise are greatly exaggerated. It has merely changed, valuing skill sets beyond the post-up and rebounding.

The center position is still alive and well, valuing versatility and skill. Texas center Kai Jones is still young and raw. But he has the skills to be what a modern center in the NBA has become.

Kai Jones may not be as coveted as Evan Mobley, but Jones has shown the potential to deserve consideration to be selected in the second half of the lottery. A modern center with an improved jump shot and solid defense, Jones may shape into one of the safer upside picks in this draft.

In Jones’ second season at Texas, he improved across the board averaging 8.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. The numbers will not jump out at anyone as he only played 22.8 minutes per game. He did not have the volume to have his stats impress.

He only averaged 5.5 shots per game and only took 1.3 shots from three per game. He did shoot well from the field at a 58-percent clip from the field and 38.2-percent from three, but again those stats are to be taken with a grain of salt because of the lack of volume.

It is all hints at what he can do as he continues to grow and improve.

Although Jones may not have the numbers to back up his play, he has shown his skill-set and has earned comparisons to Jaren Jackson Jr.

Jones has shown his athleticism multiple times to finish above the rim and create highlight plays. He also can handle the ball and take bigger centers off the dribble and finish around the rim.

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    • Once Jones enters the next level, he has the versatility to play the power forward position too. His speed and size allow Jones to play either front-court position and create match-up problems for the league. Jones needs to continue to expand for his versatility to work, Jones will have to continue working on his offensive game and his ability to shoot the ball.

    Even though Jones has the skills and upside, he is still a raw prospect and will need time to develop. Everything is just a hint at what he can be rather than a proven aspect of his game. Whoever drafts Jones will need to keep his role simple at first and be patient with a strong development program.

    Jones needs to get stronger too. He lacks the strength to keep his position, and it will be more glaring at the next level.

    As he gets stronger, he also needs to improve on his decision-making on the defensive end. He averaged close to three fouls in only 22.8 minutes per game. As he gets stronger, he will also improve his rebounding ability as he has the leaping ability to grab rebounds but needs the strength to have a better positioning.

    Jones has the upside to be in the NBA for a long time. The best tool for Jones is time, as he is raw and needs time to improve his strength and his decision-making to be effective at the next level.

    Jones will continue to improve his offensive game and has already shown growth since his rookie year at Texas. The question is whether or not a team has the patience for Jones to hit his ceiling compared to other prospects.

    Next. 5 second round options for Orlando Magic. dark

    But Jones’ willingness to shoot and improvement from deep are signs that he can fit the modern vision of a center. If his skill matches his athleticism, he could be the anchor for a strong defense and a linchpin for any offense at center.