NBA Draft 2019: Mock Draft 2.0

Bruno Fernando decided to go back to Maryland for his sophomore season rather than stay in last the 2018 draft and he seems to be better off because of it. He had a good season and he seems to be a near lock to be a first-round draft pick. He has a chance to go higher than the 23rd spot I have him projected to, but he also could still drop to the second round.

Fernando is a dominant force inside on both ends of the floor which limits his NBA stock somewhat. There are just a certain number of spots in the NBA for guys with his style of play. Most teams prefer to draft more versatile players which is why I have him falling to 26. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes higher since he is very good, but the majority of teams don’t have a huge need for a big man.

During this past season in college, he averaged 13.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. He is very good on both ends of the floor and he also shot 78% from the free-throw line which is a big positive for a player of his size and skillset.

This is an obvious need for the Philadelphia 76ers as they clearly need another big man they can trust behind Joel Embiid. Boban Marjanovic is a solid player, but in certain playoff series, it’s tough for him to play a consistent role. Fernando gives them an option inside that can rely on to play 10-15 minutes per game as well as being able to play a larger role on days when Embiid needs to rest.