In Sam Vecenie's new mock draft this morning, he has Johnson going 7th and Springer going 12th. No other Vols listed in the 60 picks.
7. Washington Wizards
Keon Johnson | 6-5 wing | 18 years old, freshman | Tennessee
I was a huge fan of Johnson entering the season, and he struggled a bit early and seemed like he wasn’t quite ready. The athletic explosiveness he showcased in high school didn’t seem to be back yet. But throughout the back half of the season, Johnson has emerged as a critical player for the Vols. Over his last eight games, he’s averaging 14 points, three rebounds and three assists while playing tremendous defense on the ball. He didn’t quite play enough early in the year to make the All-Defense team in the SEC, but he wouldn’t have looked out of place. The swing skill for here Johnson will be the jump shot. If he shoots it, he’s going to be a starting-caliber wing in the NBA with ease. He can handle it, he has vision and he defends. The only thing missing is the jumper. Having said that, the jumper is a pretty big hole given that skill’s importance in the modern NBA.
What they said: “I’m not sure why Rick (Barnes) didn’t let his freshmen loose early in the season, but they’re tough,” an SEC assistant said. “They’re really athletic, which is something they have needed all year, and they (Johnson and Jaden Springer) both defend hard. They’re normal freshmen in that they make mistakes out there, which probably pisses their staff off. You can count on them turning it over a few times each game where there isn’t an excuse for it. But they’re not normal in that they both work their balls off on defense. I don’t think you need to push these guys on that end. I still don’t trust Keon as a shooter, and you can sag way off him at the 3-point line. But they’re better with him because he’s an action driver.”
12. Chicago Bulls
Jaden Springer | 6-4 guard | 19 years old, freshman | Tennessee
Much like with his teammate above him, Springer elicits a wide swath of opinions. On one hand, he’s one of the youngest players in the class and has been very productive on a per-minute basis. He’s 6-4 with a powerfully built frame. He has a technically sound game off the bounce that he uses to get by opponents initially at the point of attack. He’s hit shots this season, although he’s much more comfortable driving. Defensively, he’s tough at the point of attack, and offensive players have a hard time getting by him. Having said that, he also has some real inefficiencies in his game. He loads up off two feet for every finish and tries to play bully ball at the rim. He needs to keep improving as a passer and playmaker with his decisions, but there is plenty of reason to buy into him as a lottery pick with how he’s closing the year. He’s averaging 17.3 points per game in his last eight games while shooting an efficient percentage across the board and taking nearly twice as many 3s.
What they said: “Obviously he’s been huge for them late in the season,” an SEC coach said. “I wasn’t a fan entering college relative to what other people were given where he was ranked as a recruit. I thought he played a selfish game at IMG (Academy in high school). He had a lot of good teammates, and a lot of what he did was iso attack. At Tennessee, he’s been so much better. He plays relatively within their scheme and plays really well off the catch. You have to be balanced in your closeouts because his first step is so good. Really good at drawing fouls too. If you’re out of position, he’s going right into your body and convince the ref to put him on the line. I’m a lot more impressed with him than I thought I’d be.”
