2020 NBA Draft

This draft has a Big-Three for sure. But that doesn’t mean that this draft is starving for talent. This draft could be looked at as the deepest draft in years. There are a ton of guys who have “first round talent” that will go in the second round. Plus, we are seeing this rise of European talent that should sweep the NBA for years to come. We are also seeing some high profile high school athletes opt into playing overseas.  This may be the first year where quality talent has went that route. Let’s just dive into this exciting young group of guys!

1. Minnesota Timberwolves- Anthony Edwards SG Georgia- He wasn’t the number one overall pick at the beginning of the year, but he has all of the measurables to be a dominant offensive player in this league. He may not be the best player overall in the draft due to some defensive woes and questionable shot making, but his size/speed combo can be rare. We see Lebron and Giannis attack the rim with such ferocity. Edwards has that same explosiveness. He made the preseason All-SEC first team before he even touched the ball. He may not be the best athlete, or the best scorer, but he has all the pieces to help the two studs in Minnesota. This team now has two stars under 25, a solid piece in Culver, and now a first overall pick. Offensively they should put up 120 a game easy. 
2. Golden State Warriors- James Wiseman C Memphis- The shocking news of Klay Thompson being injured didn’t sway their original plans of adding the big this team desperately needs. Wiseman is 7’1 with a 7’6 wingspan. He is easily the best prospect around the rim in the draft. Former #1 overall recruit out of high school, he was a force in the few games he played. He shot 72% for crying out loud! He is the prototype big that has the ability to get a shot. I think Kerr will be able to help Wiseman space the floor and be a more complete player. Right now, he will help this team escape being bottom ten in rebounding. His floor can be more of a Deandre Jordan, but he can be a guy who is similar to Chris Bosh. This feels a huge need and the Warriors should feel blessed to get a guy like Wiseman on the roster. A+
3. Charlotte Hornets- Lamelo Ball PG- The Hornets are starving for star power, but not anymore. Ball comes in as arguably the best player in this draft. His 6’7 size from the point will be a matchup issue. Yet, he has the ability to knock down shots from all over the floor. He has also shown a selflessness to get his guys the ball with his play making. He is easily the best playmaker in this draft and he will draw the attention from opposing teams. Defensively lacking, but that’s something that NBA coaches can try and coach. Rozier will be better coming off the bench and maybe now Graham won’t shoot 20+ shots a game. The Hornets are deep at guard but Ball will slot in as the best guard amongst them all easily.  They got the best player in the draft in my opinion. A+
4. Chicago Bulls-Patrick Williams SF Florida State- Well this was probably the first pick that was a toss-up. The Bulls are for sure calling their shot and believing in their scout team. He didn’t do much in college, but he has the measurables that make you think that something can be there. A pure hustler on the court and has an ability to do a lot of things all over the court. One thing that he has is his ability to not shy away from defense. He is easily the rawest prospect in the top tier level of prospects. The Bulls have a lot of holes to fill. White looks like a solid guard, hopefully Carter Jr can stay healthy, and Levine is ready to carry the scoring load. I don’t think the Bulls are going to ask him to do a lot but that should be preferred. Let Williams grow and understand the game. B
5. Cleveland Cavaliers- Issac Okoro SF Auburn- I’m kind of at a loss for this one. Obi Toppin was sitting there, an Ohio guy who was easy to market. Okoro shows a lot of versatility, though. He plays extremely hard and brings in the hustle stats. Maybe he is the best defender in the draft. He has such good length and can guard anyone from a point guard to a small power forward. Has great finishing ability that pairs well with his solid explosiveness. The Cavs are also led by a good amount of quality guards. He can’t really shoot well, but as a franchise you want your shooting coaches to be able to mold a guy. His coaches can’t stop praising his work ethic. That will take him places in this league. He has lot of things going for him and if he is able to find a shot that is decently reliable, lookout. B-
6. Atlanta Hawks- Onyeka Okongwu C USC- This fills a big need for this Hawks team. His interior presence paired with Capela could be a nightmare for opposing big men offensively. Also, with such young guards taking a majority of the shots, you want a guy who is going to get those offensive rebounds. His comparisons to Bam Adebayo should give Hawks fans a lot of hope. He has some ability to hit some shots, but his rim presence is unmatched in the draft. The Hawks have a great group of young talent. B+
7. Detroit Pistons- Killian Hayes PG France- An extremely good pick and roll point guard. Has great vision passing the ball. Solid hands and dribble skills. His 6’5 size will allow him to withstand the brutality of the NBA, but he will need to improve his shooting. Detroit doesn’t have a ton of guys to inspire confidence. Killian can be a guy who may not be great now, but 2-3 years down the line when they are ready to be great, he can be ready for the moment. This is a little bit of reach based on who was still on the board. Halliburton is a better true point guard. He could work on his defensive side of the ball a bit, but the Pistons should have a little bit of hope. B-
8. New York Knicks- Obi Toppin PF Dayton- The 2019-2020 AP player of the year will be dressed in the blue and orange. A guy who truly worked on his craft and built himself from the ground up. He has such a high flying energy to him. His shooting percentage was 64% from the field. He led an under recruited school to be considered for being the best team in the league. He will be pairing with the likes of Randle and Robinson down low. Toppin appears to be the hardest worker in the draft. He is from New York, his favorite team was New York, and he knows how hard it is to play in New York. Toppin is going to come in and give this team some fire. He has drawn some comparisons to a fan favorite, Amari Stoudemire. This is a gift for the Knicks. As a Knicks fan myself, I expected us to fumble, but they took the best player available. A
9. Washington Wizards- Deni Avdija SF Israel- This is another guy who I feel fell in this draft. Quite possibly the steal of the draft. He’s 6’10, but plays faster and more athletic than that. He has shown huge improvements in his shooting and is a solid defender. He led his team to multiple Israelian league championships. He has such good speed, quality length, and a knack for positioning defensively. He is the highest ever drafted Israeli prospect ever. Pair him with Beal-Wall-Hachimura and the Wizards have a quality core going. He will add an immediate impact onto a team who is needing talent. If I was a Wizards fan, I would be absolutely thrilled. A+
10. Phoenix Suns-Jaylen Smith PF Maryland- Averaging a double double in the ACC isn’t easy. He also paired that with 2.5 blocks a game! He has versatility to score all over the floor, but not just yet. He will need to have spacing with Ayton controlling the paint, but his size should pair extremely well with Paul and Booker. He has solid pick and roll abilities, and is a guy who doesn’t need to be great right now. He can have time to sit back and develop, but when he is on the court, they should expect a guy to replace Ayton’s defensive ability. The Suns are shaping up to be dangerous with this pick. B+
11. San Antonio Spurs- Devin Vassell SG Florida State- You have to just trust that Popovich knows exactly what he is doing. He has drafted quality guards like Parker, Gianobli, Murray and White. Pop also wants you to be able to play both ends of the floor. He is at the top end defensively from the guard position. He has shown that he can shoot and finish at the rim. He led his school in almost every statistical category. Another thing you love to see is that he wasn’t highly touted coming out of high school, but he worked. He grinded each and every day to be a better overall basketball player. Pop will be able to groom him and mold him into being a better player all across the board. B
12. Sacramento Kings- Tyrese Halliburton PG Iowa State- Wow, the Kings got a gift getting a guy who comes ready with NBA vision. He has the ability to elevate the talent around him. Shown promising signs as a shooter, but isn’t complete. His passing abilities could be argued as the best in the league. Talks about Fox not wanting to stay with the Kings could have led them to this pick, but he was the best player on the board. He has great character, a solid work ethic and a selfless nature. What a steal for the Kings! A
13. New Orleans Pelicans- Kira Lewis JR. PG Alabama- A first team All-SEC point guard that has game breaking speed. A solid guy in the pick and roll. He’s a good finisher, but not the most consistent shooter. One way he can help is by taking advantage of defense shadowing Zion. If you give this guy just one step, he can take advantage. A lot of De’Aron Fox vibes from Lewis. A team who just lost Jrue, but gained a couple veteran guards who can help mold him into a better professional. He won’t make an immediate impact, but maybe a year or two down the road and we may be talking about him leading the point for this squad. B-
14. Boston Celtics- Aaron Nesmith SF Vanderbilt- Quite easily the best shooter in this entire draft. In only 14 games, he was able to shoot 52% from deep. Yes, that’s not from the rim, that’s from the three point line. This is definitely a pick that was best available and not a need. They have a luxury of guards in Boston, but there weren’t any bigs that seemed worth reaching for. Plus, you can’t pass up on a guy who seems to have a natural shooting stroke. B
15. Orlando Magic- Cole Anthony PG North Carolina- When your this late in the first, it’s a true 50/50 shot if they will have a chance in this league. Cole led an underachieving Tar Heels team, but their failures didn’t fall on Anthony. He never shied away from big shots in college and the ability to shoulder a heavy workload was evident. He is a quality athlete and has the ability to hit shots. Coming off knee surgery this season, he claims he is 100% healthy. He is a gamer and a baller who wants the ball. This could be a guy who elevates his game and take that starting point guard role that is there for the taking. B+
16. Portland Trailblazers- Isaiah Stewart C Washington- Stewart doesn’t have the size that you would want from the center position, but could be a problem from the 4. He led the Pac-12 in rebounding and that shows he has the hustle. His 250 pound stature will help him with being physical. He doesn’t have much of a shot and could use some coaching on where to be defensively, but Stewart could learn from one of the best shot blockers in the league. C+
17. Minnesota Timberwolves-Aleksej Pokisevski PF Serbia- A smaller guy size wise who could use the professional nutritionist and professional trainer. He has a bad injury history but the abilities are there. He can shoot from anywhere on the court. He has great ball vision. Solid handles. Timberwolves have a ton of young talent. This is a project but one that could net them something serious. C
18. Dallas Mavericks- Josh Green SG Arizona- An Australian-born athlete who doesn’t shy away from contact. He has a high level of strength that helps with his defensive strengths. Fast and also a good finisher in transition. The Mavericks need explosive talent that can light a fire when needed with a big dunk. I can seem him stepping into any role they ask of him. This team loves its European players and they just got another quality one. C
19. Detroit Pistons- TRADE**- Saddiq Bey PF Villanova- The Pistons traded away arguably their best shooter in Luke Kennard to get this deal done. Saddiq was heavily sought after by Detroit. He comes from a great culture and has a solid work ethic. He comes with great guard skills. Solid positioning on the floor with a knack to hit shots. Will he be the shooter that Kennard is? Probably not, but I think maybe they want Bey to learn from Griffin. Because Bey shows that his ceiling can be that of what Blake is now. B-
20. Miami Heat-Precious Achiuwa PF Memphis- I mean the heat got the guy with the best name in the draft. Precious assumed the role when Wiseman couldn’t finish the year, and did it well. He has great defensive ability as well as a double double monster. He has zero shot, but a decent ability to finish at the rim. He fills an important role for a team who is ready to win now. He has alot to work on offensively, but with the talent the Heat have, he shouldn’t need to score too much. C
21. Philadelphia 76ers- Tyrese Maxey SG Kentucky- A quality shot maker who has the ability to get separation. He has a high motor that covers a lot on the defensive end. He has a gamer mentality that will fit right in with the mindset of Philadelphia. This is also a guy who got coached up by a lot of top tier NBA talent. Rondo put him under his wing and if he can pick up on the ball vision that Rondo has, look out! C
22. Denver Nuggets- Zeke Nnaji PF Arizona- The Pac-12 freshman of the year had himself a year. He runs the floor extremely well. He has a solid ability to high point the ball and gets rebounds. He also shows a knack for getting to the free throw line. If he can keep that up and hit at a decent rate, he should have a long future in the NBA. The Nuggets are dripping with talent, so there is zero pressure to be great now. C
23. Minnesota Timberwolves -TRADE**-Leandro Bolmaro SG Argentina- This is for sure a luxury pick for a team who is truly building for the future. But Bolmaro has great vision and is a high energy guy. This guy will never take a possession off. Some are talking about how he won’t come over and play right now. But the T-Wolves got another European guy who has a ton of promise. C-
24. Denver Nuggets- TRADE**-RJ Hampton PG USA- RJ was a highly touted high school prospect who opted to play over in Australia. He sticks by the fact that him playing against grown men made him a better player. He has great speed and ability to finish at the rim. He should add to an already deep team. The Nuggets need depth at PG and this fills a need for now, and also the future. B-
25. Oklahoma City Thunder- Emmanuel Quickly- Another young guy who has high energy and a solid shot. One of the best free throw shooters in the draft, tells me that he has some solid nerves and a natural shooting stroke. He should pair well with a ball dominant guy like Shai. Obviously when you pick this late, athletes will be raw. But when you have a guy who can shoot like this, you have confidence he can make an impact. C+
26. Boston Celtics- Payton Pritchard PG Oregon- He led the Pac-12 in scoring and assists, which led to his Pac-12 Player of the Year trophy. He works harder than a lot of other people he steps in the gym with. Not afraid of a tough shot. Led the NCAA in minutes played and played in 105 games straight. The dude is a guy who, on paper, won’t jump out at you but when you see him on the court, you know he is a baller. Sadly, it’s another guard for a team who needs a big badly. C-
27. Utah Jazz- Udoka Azubuike C Kansas- I know we said Wiseman was the best finisher around the rim, but Udoka is a close second. This dude is a prototypical center that excels around the rim. He really has zero shot and no spacing. You can say he fits the game plan because his ceiling is Rudy Gobert. This is a nice bench piece for a possible contender. C+
28. Minnesota Timberwolves- TRADE**- Jaden McDaniels PF Washington- A bigger guy who has the ability to hit from three and still block shots. He has quality length and a knack for defense. He can shoot with confidence. Sadly, has some fouling issues but that is attributed to his driven mindset. Could use some extra muscle to really contend at the highest level. C
29. Toronto Raptors- Malachi Flynn PG San Diego State- He led a quality San Diego State team. This is a quality pick and roll guy who has pod ball vision. An underrated defender, even though he won the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. His ability to buy in and believe in a system will be crucial to his success in Toronto. A smaller guy, but plays big. C+
30. Memphis Grizzlies-TRADE**- Desmond Bane SG TCU- A quality shooter who should fit in well with this young core. He wasn’t highly recruited, but has a selflessness nature about him. Decent defender, has a good shot selection and has always improved. A tad undersized but that doesn’t mean he will shy away from the talent of the NBA. C+