This year’s NBA draft will not include a bonafide Bay Area star like Jason Kidd, Aaron Gordon, or Damian Lillard.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean the region won’t be represented at the draft, which starts Wednesday with the first round and ends Thursday with second-round selections.
According to draft experts, the best Bay Area prospects are most likely to go in the second round but have the potential to be high-impact contributors who could play right away.
Here is a breakdown of the locals who might get picked:
Jaylon Tyson, forward, Cal, junior
Tyson, an All-Pac-12 first-team selection, averaged 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game and shot an efficient 46.5% from the field and 36% from the three-point arc this season. An above-average athlete, Tyson has the skills to slash to the rim and finish with authority.
He certainly has the build to be a solid defensive player, measuring in at 6 foot-7, 215 pounds. Mock drafts have him slated to go anywhere from the end of the first round to the early second round.
Cal coach Mark Madsen likened Tyson to Paul Pressey, a former Warriors forward and all-NBA defensive first-team selection.
The Texas native played his freshman season at the University of Texas and his sophomore year at Texas Tech before transferring to Cal. He shined in a Pac-12 game against Washington State, dropping 30 points and five assists in an overtime win against the NCAA tournament team.
Jonathan Mogbo, forward/center, USF, junior
Mogbo started every game for the Dons last season, averaging 14.2 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
A versatile defender, Mogbo also showed off his skills to guard every position on the floor. He’s an underrated passer, especially in transition when he has a full head of steam.
Mogbo profiles as an athletic rim protector and rebounder, though he stands just 6-6. With his high motor, shades of Kenneth Faried and Montrezl Harrell come to mind when watching him on the defensive end.
The all-West Coast Conference first-team selection played two years in junior college and a year at Missouri State before he transferred to San Francisco last season.
Mock drafts project him as a middle to late second-round pick.
Spencer Jones, forward, Stanford, fifth-year
Jones played all five seasons in a Stanford uniform as a glue guy who could connect different lineups on the floor.
The Kansas native averaged 11.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game last season while shooting 40.9% from beyond the arc. He finished his career as Stanford’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made (315) and games played (146).
Jones was a two-time all-Pac-12 defensive team honoree and could profile as a swingman at the next level. While at Stanford, he measured 6-7, 225 pounds.
Draft experts have him going late in the second round or signing as an undrafted free agent.
Keshad Johnson, forward, Arizona, fifth year
An Oakland native and San Leandro High School graduate, Johnson has garnered the nickname “Showtime” for his powerful dunks and acrobatic finishes at the rim.
Johnson averaged 11.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season. At 6-6 with a 6-10 wingspan, Arizona used him as a small-ball center in certain lineups.
NBADRAFT.net labeled him a “ferocious, aggressive hustle player who causes chaos on defense.”
He was an All-Bay Area News Group selection as a senior at San Leandro in 2019.
Two years ago, Johnson played a key role in San Diego State’s run to the NCAA tournament final. He is projected as a second-round pick on most mock draft boards.
