Georgia freshman guard Anthony Edwards has topped a new mock 2020 NBA draft from Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo. Guard LaMelo Ball of Australia’s Illawarra Hawks and Auburn small forward Isaac Okoro round out Woo’s top three.
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie has also cooked up a new, post-trade deadline 2020 mock NBA draft. Though Vecenie notes that most NBA front offices believe this could be the weakest draft in several years, he notes that several players with high ceilings could be sleeper picks later in the draft.
Edwards (No. 1) and Ball (No. 3) make Vecenie’s top three as well, but sandwiched between them is James Wiseman. The 7’1″ freshman Memphis center played just three games for the Tigers before ultimately leaving the team to prepare for the draft after incurring a 12-game suspension.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA shooting guard Nik Stauskas has departed EuroLeague squad Baskonia following a season-ending knee surgery, according to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia and Alessandro Maggi. The 26-year-old Stauskas averaged 9 points a night in Euroleague play this season. Drafted No. 8 by Sacramento out of Michigan in 2014, Stauskas also enjoyed NBA stints in Philadelphia, Brooklyn and Cleveland.
- The recently retired Luol Deng, a two-time All-Star with the Bulls, has been named a global ambassador for the Basketball Africa League, per ESPN. “I look forward to following some of the top African club teams when the inaugural season gets underway next month and supporting the BAL in expanding its footprint around the world,” the Sudanese-born Deng said in a statement. Deng, a 6’9″ defensive-oriented forward, logged 16 seasons in the NBA.
- The Chinese Basketball Association will restart play on April 1, after play was suspended due to the coronavirus epidemic, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. It remains unclear if the CBA will run later than usual or merely have a condensed season.
Check the link to anthony Edwards…..I don’t think a 36 year old who played so-so at Missouri valley st in the 90s is gonna be drafted #1….
Hey you never know. Anthony Bennett went #1
Lol
Bennett was picked by CLE when nobody really wanted the #1. Could happen again.
A playmaking 3 like the Israeli might be their best move.
(Before anyone says anything….it’s fixed now.)
Stauskas also spent half a season in Portland
And was traded three times alongside Wade Baldwin in one year. Not being smarmy, I just like that but if trivia
You saw every word because of where you pointed your eyes.
Sauce Castillo
This draft looks to be great if you can trade down to have 2 picks just outside the top 10. There’s lots of talent and lots of project type players but at the top of the mock drafts seems to be a lot of questionable talent. Okoro is a defensive 3 with limited offence, reminds me of Josh Jackson. LaMelo Ball looks alright at times but we all know he a huge risk. Wiseman played about 3/4 games and some were saying he’s just average. RJ Hampton looks to have gone backwards in NZ.
I’d be happy trading a 5th pick for 12th and 16th in this draft and get something like Cole Anthony or Nico Mannion or Tyrese Maxey and then Jaden McDaniels or Isaiah Stewart or Precious Achiuwa.