2019 NBA Draft: Warriors select Maryland big man Bruno Fernando in recent mock draft

The Golden State Warriors will yet again select at the bottom of the first round.

Per Bleacher Report’s recent mock draft, the Golden State Warriors will go with big man Bruno Fernando with the 28th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Only the Bucks and Raptors would pick lower than Golden State.

Jonathon Wasserman, the author of the mock draft, gave a few reasonable comparisons to Fernando which should excite Warrior fans.

"Fernando stands out for his finishing power around the basket, but he’s also improved as a passer and defender. That should help him offer enough at both ends to stick in the league even without any scoring versatility or shooting range. Montrezl Harrell and Bam Adebayo would represent the hopeful comparisons."

Damian Jones was the last big man the Warriors drafted in the first round. Over the last three seasons, the Warriors have continually tried to fill their void in the frontcourt. They selected Kevon Looney in 2015, Jones in 2016 and traded for Jordan Bell in the 2017 draft.

Could Fernando be the player that finally breaks out and develops into the face of the Dubs’ center position?

In his sophomore season at the University of Maryland, Fernando has made significant jumps in scoring, rebounding and shooting. Now averaging over 14 points and 10 rebounds per game, Fernando continues to creep up the draft boards, consistently breaking into the first round.

While he does shoot 63.3% from the field, Fernando has yet to develop a three-point shot at the collegiate level. It shouldn’t be a huge knock, but the Warriors must gauge what they can develop Fernando into versus what they can do with Looney, Bell and Jones.

The Dubs current frontcourt is stacked with players that all give something unique to the team. Can Fernando add his own unique contribution or would he just be a better or worse version of a player the Dubs already have under contract?

The 6-foot-10, 240-pound center is listed as the No. 6 pick by NBAdraft.net, so maybe the Warriors could get an absolute steal if he dropped into the late first round.

That said, with still a few months and March Madness prior to the draft, expect quite a bit of variation in mock drafts before the actual draft which takes place on Thursday, June 20.