2020 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Draft Notes: Tilmon, M. Smith, Early Entrants

July 24th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After Missouri guard Xavier Pinson announced earlier this week that he was pulling out of the 2020 NBA draft to return to school for another year, a pair of his teammates who had been testing the waters have followed suit.

According to Mizzou Hoops (Twitter link), forwards Jeremiah Tilmon and Mitchell Smith are also returning to the Tigers for their senior seasons in 2020/21.

Neither Tilmon nor Smith was a full-time starter at Missouri this past season. Tilmon averaged 8.2 PPG and 4.4 RPG in 17 games (19.9 MPG), while Smith recorded 5.1 PPG and 4.9 RPG in 30 games (21.9 MPG). They’ll each play one more season in college before becoming automatically draft-eligible in 2021.

Here’s more on the draft:

NCAA prospects who are testing the draft waters have until August 3 to decide whether or not to withdraw. As Jeff Goodman of Stadium writes, many players still weighing their decisions would like more time, given the uncertainty surrounding the 2020/21 NCAA season and the lack of an NBA combine so far. “It would definitely help (to extend the withdrawal deadline),” Iowa’s Luka Garza said. “The last week has been very stressful mentally thinking about it all. I don’t know what to do.”
Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype takes a closer look at Garza and several other prospects who are still testing the waters, examining whether or not it makes sense for them to stay in the draft.
The Athletic’s beat writers for the Knicks, Hawks, Warriors, Pistons, and Cavaliers conducted a mini-mock draft for the first five picks, based on a Tankathon simulation. The results were interesting, with Mike Vorkunov taking Anthony Edwards for New York at No. 1, Chris Kirschner selecting Deni Avdija for Atlanta at No. 2, and LaMelo Ball slipping to Detroit at No. 4.
Bryant guard Benson Lin has decided to forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility and play professionally in China next season, a source tells Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Lin could technically still enter this year’s draft, since the entry deadline has been pushed back. However, he can go pro without doing so, and Rothstein’s report doesn’t mention the draft.

Draft Notes: Combine, Hinton, Krejci, Pinson, Miller

July 23rd, 2020 at 1:42pm CST by Luke Adams

When the NBA announced in a memo to teams earlier this week that the 2020 draft lottery has been moved up by five days, the league also informed clubs that possible dates and formats for a 2020 combine are still being evaluated, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

The combine typically takes place in May after the lottery, but holding such a big event in person this spring was impractical due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While it remains to be seen whether any sort of in-person combine can take place, the NBA told teams which 105 prospects received the most votes to be invited to such an event. If the league is able to move forward with a combine in some form, that number would likely be whittled down to about 70 players, says Bontemps.

Here’s more on the 2020 NBA draft:

Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter links) compares the list of 105 prospects in the NBA’s memo to ESPN’s big board of 2020’s top 100 prospects, noting that ESPN is higher on Houston guard Nate Hinton, while NBA teams seem to be higher on Czech guard Vit Krejci, who plays for Zaragoza in Spain.
Missouri guard Xavier Pinson indicated in an Instagram video this week that he’ll return to school for at least one more year after testing the draft waters. As a sophomore in 2019/20, Pinson averaged 11.1 PPG, 2.8 APG, and 2.8 RPG in 31 games (24.0 MPG).
UNC Greensboro guard Isaiah Miller will also remove his name from draft consideration, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Miller declared for the draft following a junior year in which he averaged 17.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 2.8 SPG in 32 games (28.4 MPG).

NBA Moves 2020 Draft Lottery To August 20

July 21st, 2020 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has moved up its 2020 draft lottery by five days, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that the event, previously tentatively scheduled for August 25, will now take place on Thursday, August 20.

The eight teams with the best odds in this year’s lottery are the same eight teams that weren’t invited to participate in the resumption of the 2019/20 season in Orlando. The Warriors, Cavaliers, and Timberwolves each have a 14.0% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick, followed by the Hawks (12.5%), Pistons (10.5%), Knicks (9.0%), Bulls (7.5%), and Hornets (6.0%).

The other six teams that will be part of the 2020 lottery will be determined once this season’s 16 playoff teams have been set, which will happen a few days before August 20. The six clubs in Orlando that don’t make the postseason will occupy the bottom six spots in the lottery standings — their order will be determined by their records as of March 11.

The tentative 2020 NBA draft lottery odds, assuming the Grizzlies, Magic, and Nets all hang onto their playoff spots, can be found right here. This year’s draft will take place on October 16.

Draft Updates: Petrusev, Livers, Verge, Stanley

July 20th, 2020 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Gonzaga big man Filip Petrusev won’t return to the Zags for his junior season. As first reported by Nova.rs – and later confirmed by Jeff Goodman of Stadium, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, and Jonathan Givony of ESPN (all Twitter links) – the native of Serbia is returning to his home country, having agreed to a multiyear deal with Mega Bemax.

Petrusev, who averaged 17.5 PPG and 7.9 RPG during a breakout sophomore season at Gonzaga, entered the 2020 NBA draft pool in the spring. For now, his plan is to keep his name in this year’s draft, according to Givony, who had the 20-year-old ranked 70th overall on ESPN’s big board.

Now that his NCAA eligibility is no longer a concern, Petrusev won’t have to finalize that decision by the NCAA’s early entrant withdrawal deadline of August 3. He can instead take until October 6 (the NBA’s withdrawal deadline) to make up his mind.

Here’s more on the 2020 draft:

After testing the draft waters, forward Isaiah Livers will head back to Michigan for his senior year, the school announced in a press release. “While it was a limited process due to COVID-19, I want to thank all the NBA teams who took the time to talk to me,” Livers said in a statement. “The information I gathered is going to be invaluable moving forward. But now, we have unfinished business in Ann Arbor.” Livers averaged 12.9 PPG and shot 40.2% from beyond the arc in 21 games (31.5 MPG) as a junior.
Arizona State guard Alonzo Verge Jr. is returning to school for his senior season, according to an announcement from the program (video link). Verge, who transferred to the Sun Devils after starting his college career at Moberly Area Community College in Missouri, averaged 14.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.3 APG in 28 games (26.8 MPG) in 2019/20.
Veteran player agent Jerome Stanley is joining Independent Sports & Entertainment, where he’ll co-represent his son, Duke prospect Cassius Stanley, per a SportsBusiness Journal report.
Arizona forward Zeke Nnaji, a Minneapolis native, is interviewing with his hometown Timberwolves this week, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News.

Karim Mane To Keep Name In 2020 NBA Draft

July 16th, 2020 at 4:43pm CST by Luke Adams

After initially testing the 2020 NBA draft waters without representation, Canadian guard Karim Mane has decided to sign with an agent and keep his name in this year’s draft pool, he tells ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

Considered a five-star recruit, Mane previously attended Vanier College in Quebec, turning 19 last May. The 6’6″ guard weighed the possibility of attending a U.S. college such as Michigan State, Marquette, Memphis, DePaul, and Pittsburgh, per an earlier report, but ultimately decided that the time is right for him to go pro.

“I feel very confident in the feedback I’ve been getting from NBA teams and with all the interviews I’ve been doing,” Mane told ESPN, adding that he has been interviewed on Zoom by over half of the league’s 30 teams so far. “I also know myself and know that it what the best move for my growth and potential.”

According to Givony, Mane – who currently ranks 62nd overall on ESPN’s big board for 2020 – has strong physical tools, including a 6’10” wingspan. Givony notes that the young prospect had an impressive showing at the FIBA U19 World Championship in Greece last summer and would have had an opportunity to further boost his stock at this year’s Nike Hoop Summit if the event hadn’t been canceled.

And-Ones: Early Entrants, FAs, M. Williams, Draft

July 15th, 2020 at 5:01pm CST by Luke Adams

NCAA early entrants who are testing the 2020 NBA draft waters will have less than three more weeks to decide whether or not to keep their names in the draft pool. According to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link), an NCAA official has clarified that the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline for early entrants will be August 3 at 5:00 pm ET.

[RELATED: 2020 NBA Draft Early Entrants List]

The NCAA had previously announced that this year’s withdrawal deadline would be postponed until August 3 or 10 days after the NBA draft combine, whichever came later. With the status of this year’s combine still up in the air, August 3 is now the official withdrawal deadline.

Early entrants can still withdraw their names up until October 6, which is the NBA’s deadline. However, college players who do so after August 3 won’t be eligible to return to their NCAA teams.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Andrew Lopez and Bobby Marks of ESPN highlight several free agents worth keeping an eye on during the NBA’s restart this summer, starting with Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram. Many of the players identified by Lopez and Marks – including Ingram, Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, and Clippers center Montrezl Harrell – are near the top of the latest 2020 FA power rankings we published earlier today.
Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer explores how some roster moves from back in February, including the Bucks‘ signing of forward Marvin Williams, could impact the Eastern Conference playoffs this summer.
With three months to go until draft day, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has updated his mock draft. The Athletic’s draft guru has Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman, Deni Avdija, and Onyeka Okongwu coming off the board in the first five picks.

Draft Updates: Allen, Alston, Quisenberry, Mike

July 10th, 2020 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen announced on Instagram on Thursday night that he’ll be returning to school for at least one more year, withdrawing his name from the 2020 NBA draft.

A sophomore in 2019/20, Allen was Utah’s leading scorer with 17.3 PPG in 31 games (35.6 MPG). He also contributed 7.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, and 1.2 SPG. He was one of two Utah underclassmen to test the draft waters this spring, though the other – Both Gach – will be transferring to Minnesota.

Here’s more on the draft:

Boise State forward Derrick Alston Jr. tweeted that he has “unfinished business” to complete with the Broncos and will be returning to the school for his senior year. Alston averaged 17.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 3.1 APG on .413/.335/.808 shooting in 32 games (33.0 MPG) as a junior before testing the draft waters.
Youngstown State guard Darius Quisenberry will also be withdrawing from the draft, he announced on Twitter. Quisenberry recorded 16.6 PPG, 4.2 APG, and 3.6 RPG in 33 games (31.5 MPG) as a sophomore in 2019/20.
SMU forward Isiaha Mike is set to go pro following his junior year, a source tells Sam Blum of The Dallas Morning News. While the expectation is that Mike will remain in the draft, he’s leaving the door open to the possibility of withdrawing and then become auto-eligible in 2021 following a year in Europe, tweets Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. Mike, who averaged 14.0 PPG and 6.3 RPG in 30 games (30.7 MPG) last season, won’t have to finalize his decision until October 6.

Four Early Entrants Withdrawing From NBA Draft

July 7th, 2020 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Florida guard Tre Mann, UCF big man Collin Smith, Houston guard DeJon Jarreau, and UT Martin guard Parker Stewart are withdrawing from the 2020 NBA draft, according to a series of reports from Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (all four Twitter links).

Mann tested the draft waters this spring after averaging a modest 5.3 PPG and 1.9 RPG in 29 games (17.8 MPG) for the Gators. A report in May indicated he was pulling out of the draft, but he disputed that claim, tweeting that he was still testing the waters. So far, there has been no indication that today’s report is premature.

Smith, who began his college career at George Washington, averaged 12.6 PPG and 6.3 RPG in 30 games (26.3 MPG) as a junior in 2019/20. He told Rothstein that he’s returning to school for his senior year.

Jarreau, the AAC Sixth Man of the Year in 2019, started 17 of 30 games for the Cougars in ’19/20 and saw his shooting percentage slip from a .471 FG% to just .374. He averaged 9.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 3.7 APG, and will return to Houston for his senior year.

Stewart, who transferred to UT Martin from Pitt, was the club’s second-leading scorer in 2019/20 with 19.2 PPG in 25 games (36.2 MPG) as a sophomore. He also chipped in 4.6 RPG and 3.8 APG.

Our full list of early entrants for the 2020 NBA draft, which has been rescheduled for October 16, can be found right here.

Draft Notes: Hart, Hayes, Nnaji, Mamukelashvili

July 6th, 2020 at 11:21am CST by Luke Adams

Fresno State guard Niven Hart has decided to keep his name in the 2020 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility and going pro, he announced on Twitter.

Hart, who was a freshman in 2019/20, put up modest numbers in his first and only college season, averaging 8.7 PPG and 2.5 RPG in 26 games (17.7 MPG) off the bench for the Bulldogs. He did show some consistency from beyond the arc, knocking down 39.8% of his three-point attempts. However, he doesn’t appear on experts’ big boards for 2020, making him a long shot to be drafted.

Here are a few more draft-related updates:

Appearing on the Envergure podcast (French video link), agent Yann Balikouzou indicated that his client Killian Hayes will interview with the Timberwolves and Warriors, but doesn’t expect to talk to the Cavaliers, since they’re unlikely to draft a guard (hat tip to Darren Wolfson).
Arizona forward Zeke Nnaji had an interview with the Rockets and is meeting with the Warriors this week, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News.
Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com passes along updates on a pair of draft prospects, writing that Seton Hall forward Sandro Mamukelashvili has met with nearly 20 NBA teams, including the Knicks, and tweeting that Louisville big man Steven Enoch has interviewed with 23 teams, including the Nets and Knicks. Mamukelashvili, who is still testing the draft waters, remains undecided about his plans for 2020/21, Zagoria notes.
Ethan Strauss of The Athletic takes an early look at the top wings in the 2021 draft class, starting with Oklahoma State commit Cade Cunningham and G League prospect Jalen Green.

Draft Notes: Edwards, Ball, Sleepers, Gach, Oturu, Scrubb

June 29th, 2020 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams

Rich Paul‘s Klutch Sports Group published a tweet on Sunday night welcoming former Georgia guard Anthony Edwards – a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft – to the agency.

The news came about three months after a report indicated that Edwards had signed with Octagon Sports for his representation. However, Edwards’ move to Klutch is understandable — his agent at Octagon, Omar Wilkes, was recently hired as the new head of basketball at Klutch under Paul, the company’s CEO. Edwards is the second notable Wilkes client to follow him to his new firm — Trae Young is doing so as well.

Here’s more on the 2020 NBA draft:

LaMelo Ball has moved to the top of a number of experts’ draft boards, but Ethan Strauss isn’t sold on the young guard as a No. 1 pick, explaining his thinking in a piece for The Athletic.
ESPN draft experts Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz, and Kevin Pelton (Insider link) identify nine potential sleepers in the 2020 draft class, including Kansas center Udoka Azubuike, Michigan State big man Xavier Tillman, and LSU guard Skylar Mays.
In a separate Insider-only story, ESPN’s Givony and Schmitz spoke to a handful of prospects about how they’re handling this year’s unusual pre-draft process. “It benefits the players who have a proven résumé,” said TCU’s Desmond Bane, who appeared in 141 college games over four seasons. “There may not be workouts or a combine so teams have to go off of film and interviews.”
Utah guard Both Gach will officially withdraw his name from the 2020 draft soon, while Minnesota big man Daniel Oturu plans to start interviewing with NBA teams this week, writes Marcus Fuller of The Star Tribune.
Jay Scrubb, who has opted to go pro this year instead of playing at Louisville, has had Zoom interviews with 22 NBA teams so far, including the Knicks and Nets, agent Corey Marcum tells Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com.