NBA DRAFT

Guess on Daniel Gafford: Mock drafts say former Hog is 2nd-round pick

Arkansas center Daniel Gafford walks to the bench during a game against Alabama on Saturday, March 9, 2019, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Daniel Gafford will have to wait until the second round of tonight's NBA Draft to hear his named called if mock drafts prove to be accurate.

None of more than 10 mock drafts researched on Wednesday had Gafford -- a 6-11 forward who played two seasons at the University of Arkansas -- going in the first round.

Among mock drafts that include the second round, the consensus is that Gafford will be be headed West to the Sacramento Kings with the 40th pick or East to the Philadelphia 76ers with the 33rd or 34th picks. The 76ers have both picks via trades, as well as the 42nd pick.

Gafford, who is from El Dorado and was an All-SEC first-team selection as a sophomore, declared for the draft after the SEC Tournament and didn't play in the Razorbacks' two NIT games.

Being drafted, Gafford told Pacers.com earlier this month after working out for the Indiana Pacers, will represent both an ending for his goal to join an NBA team as well as the beginning of his professional career.

"It's going to mean my work has paid off, but the work is just now beginning," Gafford said. "You're going to have fun that night [being drafted], but the next day, you've got to hit the ground running because you're trying to boost your career to where you can stay in the league."

Gafford was projected as a first-round pick in many mock drafts going into his sophomore season, but he told Pacers.com he didn't regret returning to Arkansas.

"I feel like it benefited me a lot because I came back to school and got another year under my belt," Gafford said. "I got some more experience taking a step into a leadership role."

Gafford averaged 16.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocked shots in 32 games last season and shot 66.0%, but most of his field goals came on dunks or within a few feet of the basket.

While Gafford didn't attempt a three-point shot at Arkansas, he said he has been working on it.

"I'm almost there with three-pointers," Gafford told the Salt Lake City Tribune after working out for the Utah Jazz. "I'm not there quite yet. I still don't have a good feel for it.

"It's a work in progress. But anywhere inside the perimeter, I'm comfortable as can be."

CBSsports.com, NBADraft.net and Bleacher Report predict the Kings will draft Gafford at No. 40.

"With Willie Cauley-Stein and Kosta Koufos headed towards free agency, Sacramento can get a high-flying big in Gafford who can be low usage but high efficiency," according to CBSsports.com.

The Athletic and Drafttek.com have Gafford going at No. 34 to Philadelphia and SI.com has him going to Philadelphia at No. 33.

"Gafford would give the 76ers a rim-running, shot-swatting big man at 6-foot-11 who could provide a nice change of pace to [Joel] Embiid when he enters the game," according to The Athletic. "He'd also be a nice partner in transition for [Ben] Simmons. There's a chance he ends up in the first round ... but we've seen too often over the last few years how big men have tended to fall on draft night. There are only so many spots."

Netscoutingbasketball.com predicts Gafford will go to the Atlanta Hawks at No. 41 and The Ringer predicts the Orlando Magic will pick him at No. 46.

Gafford attended the NBA Combine and went through testing, but didn't take part in 5-on-5 scrimmaging. His testing marks included a 7-2 wingspan, 32 1/2-inch standing vertical jump and 5.9 percent body fat.

"Running the floor, teams need bigs that run the floor," Gafford told Pacers.com when asked what he can bring to an NBA team. "That's the main thing.

"I feel like I can come in and give as much energy as I possibly can to the team. Just come in and be that guy that's high energy from the beginning to the end."

Gafford worked out for several NBA teams along with Maryland 6-10 forward Bruno Fernando.

"We have a relationship off the court and when it comes to on the court, we're going at each other because we're both trying to get somewhere," Gafford told the Detroit News. "When it comes to off the court, we can talk about it and laugh about it."

NBA Draft order

FIRST ROUND

  1. New Orleans
  2. Memphis
  3. New York
  4. Los Angeles Lakers
  5. Cleveland
  6. Phoenix
  7. Chicago
  8. Atlanta
  9. Washington
  10. Atlanta (from Dallas)
  11. Minnesota
  12. Charlotte
  13. Miami
  14. Boston (from Sacramento via Philadelphia)
  15. Detroit
  16. Orlando
  17. Brooklyn
  18. Indiana
  19. San Antonio
  20. Boston (from LA Clippers via Memphis)
  21. Oklahoma City
  22. Boston
  23. Utah
  24. Philadelphia
  25. Portland
  26. Cleveland (from Houston)
  27. Brooklyn (from Denver)
  28. Golden State
  29. San Antonio (from Toronto)
  30. Milwaukee

SECOND ROUND

31.Brooklyn (from New York via Philadelphia)

32.Phoenix

33.Philadelphia (from Cleveland via Orlando and New York)

34.Philadelphia (from Chicago via Los Angeles Lakers)

35.Atlanta

36.Charlotte (from Washington via Orlando, Denver and Atlanta)

37.Dallas

38.Chicago (from Memphis)

39.New Orleans

40.Sacramento (from Minnesota via Portland and Cleveland)

41.Atlanta (from Los Angeles Lakers via Cleveland and Indiana)

42.Philadelphia (from Sacramento via Brooklyn and Milwaukee)

43.Minnesota (from Miami via Charlotte)

44.Atlanta (from Charlotte)

45.Detroit

46.Orlando (from Brooklyn via Memphis and Charlotte)

47.Sacramento (from Orlando via New York)

48.LA Clippers

49.San Antonio

50.Indiana

51.Boston

52.Charlotte (from Oklahoma City)

53.Utah

54.Philadelphia

55.New York (from Houston)

56.LA Clippers (from Portland via Detroit and Orlando)

57.New Orleans (from Denver via Milwaukee)

58.Golden State

59.Toronto

60.Sacramento (from Milwaukee)

Sports on 06/20/2019