NBA mock draft roundup: When Maryland's Kevin Huerter and Justin Jackson might go Thursday

The consensus among NBA mock drafts is that Arizona center Deandre Ayton will be putting on a Phoenix Suns cap as the first overall pick at Barclays Center on Thursday night.

The destination of Maryland shooting guard Kevin Huerter is unclear, and that of Justin Jackson is even murkier.

Even though Sports Illustrated reported Huerter might have been ensured a spot with the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 25 pick, the minds behind mock drafts all over the sportswriting-sphere have placed Huerter as a late-teens to early-20s pick with possible teams that range coast to coast.

Jackson is considered more of a mid-second-round pick coming off his lackluster sophomore season, when he played only 11 games because of an injured shoulder, posting numbers that didn’t match those of his stellar rookie season.

Here are the predictions from various NBA mock drafts:

Kevin Huerter

NBA.com, San Antonio Spurs (No. 18)

From David Aldridge: “This would complete a meteoric rise up the Draft board for Huerter, who was nowhere to be found on most mocks anywhere near the first round before Chicago. But a great combine has him solidly here now, even though he’ll be out two months after surgery this week on his right hand. The Spurs have a definite long-term need at the two with Danny Green on a player option for 2018-19 at $10 million and no obvious replacement for him in sight (no, we are not counting Manu Ginobili, no matter how strong his age 40 season was last year). San Antonio has cap room and could go after the likes of Avery Bradley in free agency, but until the Spurs know for sure they can sign a vet, hedging their bets with a shooter like Huerter (41 percent on 3s for the Terps last season) would make sense.”

Sports Illustrated, San Antonio Spurs (No. 18)

Bleacher Report, Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 20)

ESPN, Atlanta Hawks (No. 19)

Sporting News, San Antonio Spurs (No. 18)

CBS Sports, Portland Trail Blazers (No. 24)

USA Today, Utah Jazz (No. 21)

From USA Today staff: “No one helped themselves more at the NBA draft combine than smooth-shooting forward Kevin Huerter, who excelled in the scrimmage portion. There is a belief that Huerter may have secured a promise, which could have swayed his decision to stay in the draft.”

The Ringer, Utah Jazz (No. 21)

Justin Jackson

Sports Illustrated, Indiana Pacers (No. 50)

Bleacher Report, San Antonio Spurs (No. 49)*

From Jonathan Wasserman: “Jackson lasted only 11 games before injuring his shoulder, but he did enough as a freshman to earn consideration in the Nos. 45-60 range. His tools, shooting and potential defensive versatility are his main selling points.”

ESPN, San Antonio Spurs (No. 49)

Sporting News, Indiana Pacers (No. 50)

The Ringer, Dallas Mavericks (No. 54)

From the Ringer Staff: “A hard-nosed, versatile defender who can battle inside or switch onto the perimeter — important tools in the modern league.”

USA Today, CBS Sports and NBA.com did not conduct a second-round mock draft.

* — Bleacher Report conducted their second-round draft predictions in May.

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Maryland guard Kevin Huerter (4) goes to the basket during the second half of a game against Wisconsin in the second round of the Big Ten tournament Thursday, March 1, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (Mary Altaffer / AP)