Ahead of Wednesday’s NBA Draft, the New York Knicks hosted F Johnathan Mogbo for a second pre-draft workout with the team. The Knicks pick at No. 24 and No. 25 overall in the first round, and at No. 38 in the second round.
Jonathan Mogbo has improved in each year of his collegiate career
Mogbo is an interesting case, the 22-year-old hailing from West Palm Beach, Florida had zero Division 1 offers coming out of high school. He played his first two college seasons at junior college programs, before transferring to Missouri State for his junior year, where he averaged 8.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
Following his breakout season with Missouri State, Mogbo transferred once again, this time to San Francisco, where he once again made drastic improvements. Last season, Mogbo averaged 14.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game for the San Fransisco Dons. For his efforts, Mogbo took home WCC Newcomer of the Year and was named to the All-WCC First team, and to the All-WCC Tournament team.
Mogbo’s breakout performance has boosted his draft stock immensely
From zero offers coming out of high school to being a top performer on a Division 1 team, Mogbo has climbed up mock draft boards ahead of the draft. Projected as a late first-round to a mid-second-round pick, Mogbo could easily be in the Knicks’ grasp when they make their selections.
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The Knicks could utilize Mogbo’s high-activity skill set
The 22-year-old forward offers an intriguing skill set. An explosive, high-activity player, Mogbo made a name for himself for his thunderous dunks and strong rebounding. He has showcased an ability to pass out of the post, averaging 3.4 assists per game last season, and has superb ball-handling skills for his position.
His main weakness comes with his lack of shooting ability. Mogbo scores almost strictly inside the paint and poses little to no threat as a shooter. Despite this, a free throw improvement from 43% in 2023 to 69% in 2024 could give teams some hope that he could unlock some untapped perimeter potential.
The Knicks will continue to survey all of their options ahead of this week’s draft and will aim to make key additions to a team that enters next season as a potential title contender.
