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.
The only way LaMelo Ball skipping to 4th pick is that both Warriors and Knicks are not at top 3 picks
Bad luck
Or someone is dumb enough to use a top 3 pick on a center.
So you’re saying if the Knicks/warriors picked in the top 3 then one would have taken ball?
Article said Knicks took Edwards number 1 but it doesn’t say who picked third and I don’t subscribe to the athletic. Pretty safe bet it was warriors cuz there is no way in hell theyre picking ball.
Looking at Twitter it appears gsw took wiseman with 3rd pick in this mini mock. And there’s no way they’re picking wiseman either.
I’ll stick to what I’ve been saying all along. They’re trading the pick
For what it’s worth, Anthony Slater’s section on the Wiseman pick started like this:
“Oh, no trades? Phoenix, where are you? Down at 10? Pick swap plus Kelly Oubre? Nothing? Sixers willing to give up Josh Richardson? Celtics want a top-3 pick for Marcus Smart?
*Crickets*”
I’m not 100% sure if that was just a joke about how trades weren’t allowed in this mini-mock, or whether he’s suggesting it might be harder than expected for the Warriors to get good value in a trade (guessing it’s more the former).
Yeah, Mr. Adams, it kinda sounds like Slater was being facetious. But even if they can’t trade, I don’t see them taking Wiseman.
And I truly don’t know the college guys but it sounds like Halliburton is high on gsw list. What do you think Luke?
Can’t speak to where specifically he lands on Golden State’s board, but Haliburton is one of my favorite prospects in this draft and I think the Warriors could do a lot worse.
I think Slater thinks GSW would not be able to get a useful veteran in a trade. I don’t always agree with him though.
Warriors are not picking Ball. So you comment makes no sense. Warriors have 4 players they like much more than Ball. Ball is so raw he will have very little impact next year so he will go to a rebuilding team. warriors want to contend so they will pick a player ready for the NBA.
Agree wholeheartedly with you arc