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First NBA Mock Draft after lottery has Illinois duo landing in prime spots

The NBA Draft is a little over a month away, and now we know the order for the draft.
ByRees Woodcock|
May 12, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; A overall shot of the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place West. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
May 12, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; A overall shot of the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place West. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The NBA Draft Lottery was held on Monday night, and a pair of Illinois basketball players will find the results very interesting.

While the Illini didn’t end the 2024-25 campaign on the right note, both Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley had bigger goals. They wanted to get to the NBA and forge their own path in the professional ranks.

The NBA Draft Combine started on Monday, and this was proceeded by the NBA Draft Lottery. With much skepticism, the Dallas Mavericks won the top pick, and most expect them to draft Cooper Flagg out of Duke.

With the way the lottery fell, where do Jakucionis and Riley land in the latest NBA Mock Draft? Well, they are projected in two great spots.

Kasparas Jakucionis is staying home, and Will Riley heads to a rising team in the first NBA Mock Draft after the lottery

Just a few years ago, the Chicago Bulls drafted Ayo Dosunmu. He was a great guard for the Illini, and he has been sensational with the Bulls. Chicago is still trying to find a stable footing in the NBA, and this enabled them to get a lottery pick.

The Bulls landed the No. 12 pick, and in the first NBA Mock Draft after the lottery, they have Chicago taking Jakucionis.

This would be a great landing spot for Jakucionis. He would be able to stay in the area, and the Illinois fanbase can get to watch him up in Chicago. There are a lot of Illini fans in the Chicago area, too.

Chicago needs younger, healthier guard talent, too. Coby White had a great comeback year, and he is only 25 years old. But beyond White and Dosunmu, the Bulls are a little lost in the backcourt. They need someone who can control things and create for others. That is what Jakucionis would be able to bring to the Windy City.

Just a few picks later, the NBA Mock Draft has the Orlando Magic picking Riley with pick No. 16. This would be a great landing spot for the up-and-coming forward.

The Magic are guard-heavy, and even their big man, Paolo Banchero, handles the ball and brings it up the court. They don’t have much on the wing, and that is where Riley comes into play. He might start in the G-League, but Riley’s ascent in the NBA should be rapid.

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