New Orleans Pelicans: 2020 Second Round Mock Draft
New Orleans Pelicans Mock Draft- The 42nd Pick
player. 69. Scouting Report. Forward. Louisville. Jordan Nwora. Pick Analysis. 42
Jordan Nwora is another junior who wasn’t on anyone’s radar before this season. With big improvements each of his three years at Louisville, Nwora could be a player whose stock rises before draft day.
He has been mocked from the end of the first round to the middle of the second, so there is a good chance he will be there when the New Orleans Pelicans make the 42nd pick.
Nwora projects as a small forward whose biggest strength is his long-range shooting. He knocked down 40.2 percent of his 3-point shots on 6.1 attempts per game.
Nwora can also make defenders pay for reckless close outs by taking it to the hoop and has developed a nice step back 3-point shot. You’ll see both in this clip:
Nwora is a good scorer but has some weaknesses as well. He’s not big or strong enough to guard power forwards and lacks the explosive athleticism and quickness to stay in front of the best small forwards.
It’s unclear if he can defend either and could be a liability on the defensive end of the floor. Nwora’s shot selection is not always great and he doesn’t pass well or defend the rim.
If Nwora makes the NBA it will be because he can knock down 3-pointers at an above average rate and grab rebounds.
How Nwora Fits on the New Orleans Pelicans
Right now, he probably doesn’t. The Pelicans need guys on the wing who can defend, and right now, he is not that guy.
Nwora would be a G-League project, a guy who could develop into a 3-and-D wing eventually, but is not there now.
Down the road, he could be a Danny Green type of player, not an explosive athlete but a savvy scorer who can knock down the corner three and hold his own on defense.