Following the NBA’s August 17 deadline for early entrants to declare for the 2020 NBA draft, the league has issued an updated list of the early entrants who remain in this year’s draft pool.
The list, which includes 72 college players and 36 international prospects, looks pretty similar to the one you’ll find on our running tracker.
The NBA’s update confirms that Joe Saterfield, a wing from Ranger Community College, is no longer in the draft pool, but guard Michael Lenoir, from Creating Young Minds Academy in Texas, has entered his name.
Meanwhile, in the international pool, center Berke Atar, forward Philippe Bayehe, center Vinicius Da Silva, guard Selim Fofana, center Dut Mabor, forward Yigitcan Saybir, and forward Andrii Voinalovych have removed their names from draft consideration. Croatian forward Darko Bajo, previously believed to be pulling his name out of the draft, remains on the early entrant list, and center Aboubacar Traore from Canada’s Dynasty Sports Institute has entered his name.
The college players who remain in the draft pool have foregone their remaining NCAA eligibility, since the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline for early entrants passed earlier this month. However, the NBA’s own withdrawal deadline doesn’t arrive until 10 days before the draft. Many international prospects figure to pull out by then, and some of the college players could too, if they decide to go pro without becoming immediately draft-eligible.
Currently, the 2020 draft is scheduled for October 16, though there’s still a chance it could be further delayed. If it remains on October 16, the withdrawal deadline for the early entrants listed below will be October 6.
Per the NBA, here’s the list of the 108 early entrants who remain in the 2020 draft pool for now:
College Players:
- Precious Achiuwa, F, Memphis (freshman)
- Milan Acquaah, G, California Baptist (junior)
- Ty-Shon Alexander, G, Creighton (junior)
- Cole Anthony, G, North Carolina (freshman)
- Brendan Bailey, F, Marquette (sophomore)
- Saddiq Bey, F, Villanova (sophomore)
- Tyler Bey, F, Colorado (junior)
- Jermaine Bishop, G, Norfolk State (junior)
- Dachon Burke, G, Nebraska (junior)
- Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke (freshman)
- Nate Darling, G, Delaware (junior)
- Lamine Diane, F, Cal State Northridge (sophomore)
- Devon Dotson, G, Kansas (sophomore)
- Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia (freshman)
- CJ Elleby, F, Washington State (sophomore)
- Malik Fitts, F, Saint Mary’s (junior)
- Malachi Flynn, G, San Diego State (junior)
- Tony Goodwin II, G/F, Redemption Academy (N/A)
- Josh Green, G/F, Arizona (freshman)
- Ashton Hagans, G, Kentucky (sophomore)
- Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State (sophomore)
- Josh Hall, F, Moravian Prep (N/A)
- Rayshaun Hammonds, F, Georgia (junior)
- Jalen Harris, G, Nevada (junior)
- Niven Hart, G, Fresno State (freshman)
- Nate Hinton, G/F, Houston (sophomore)
- Elijah Hughes, G/F, Syracuse (junior)
- Isaiah Joe, G, Arkansas (sophomore)
- Dakari Johnson, G, Cape Fear CC (freshman)
- C.J. Jones, G, Middle Tennessee (junior)
- Mason Jones, G, Arkansas (junior)
- Tre Jones, G, Duke (sophomore)
- Saben Lee, G, Vanderbilt (junior)
- Michael Lenoir, G, Creating Young Minds Academy (N/A)
- Kira Lewis, G, Alabama (sophomore)
- Nico Mannion, G, Arizona (freshman)
- Naji Marshall, F, Xavier (junior)
- Kenyon Martin Jr., F, IMG Academy (N/A)
- Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky (freshman)
- Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington (freshman)
- Isiaha Mike, F, SMU (junior)
- EJ Montgomery, F, Kentucky (sophomore)
- Aaron Nesmith, G, Vanderbilt (sophomore)
- Zeke Nnaji, F, Arizona (freshman)
- Jordan Nwora, F, Louisville (junior)
- Onyeka Okongwu, F/C, USC (freshman)
- Isaac Okoro, F, Auburn (freshman)
- Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota (sophomore)
- Reggie Perry, F, Mississippi State (sophomore)
- Filip Petrusev, F/C, Gonzaga (sophomore)
- Nate Pierre-Louis, G, Temple (junior)
- Immanuel Quickley, G, Kentucky (sophomore)
- Jahmi’us Ramsey, G, Texas Tech (freshman)
- Paul Reed, F, DePaul (junior)
- Nick Richards, F/C, Kentucky (junior)
- Jay Scrubb, G, John A. Logan College (sophomore)
- Jalen Smith, F, Maryland (sophomore)
- Cassius Stanley, G, Duke (freshman)
- Isaiah Stewart, F/C, Washington (freshman)
- Tyrell Terry, G, Stanford (freshman)
- Xavier Tillman, F/C, Michigan State (junior)
- Obi Toppin, F, Dayton (sophomore)
- Jordan Tucker, F, Butler (sophomore)
- Devin Vassell, G, Florida State (sophomore)
- Nick Weatherspoon, G, Mississippi State (junior)
- Kaleb Wesson, F/C, Ohio State (junior)
- Kahlil Whitney, F, Kentucky (freshman)
- Emmitt Williams, F, LSU (sophomore)
- Patrick Williams, F, Florida State (freshman)
- James Wiseman, C, Memphis (freshman)
- Robert Woodard II, F, Mississippi State (sophomore)
- Omer Yurtseven, C, Georgetown (junior)
International Players:
Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.
- Deni Avdija, F, Israel (born 2001)
- Brancou Badio, F, Spain (born 1999)
- Darko Bajo, F, Croatia (born 1999)
- Marek Blazevic, C, Lithuania (born 2001)
- Adrian Bogucki, C, Poland (born 2000)
- Leandro Bolmaro, F, Spain (born 2000)
- Henri Drell, G/F, Italy (born 2000)
- Imru Duke, F, Spain (born 1999)
- Michele Ebeling, F, Italy (born 1999)
- Paul Eboua, F, Italy (born 2000)
- Osas Ehigiator, C, Spain (born 1999)
- Joel Ekamba, G, France (born 2001)
- Miguel Gonzalez, G/F, Spain (born 1999)
- Killian Hayes, G, Germany (born 2001)
- Sehmus Hazer, G, Turkey (born 1999)
- Rokas Jokubaitis, G, Lithuania (born 2000)
- Georgios Kalaitzakis, G, Lithuania (born 1999)
- Vit Krejci, G, Spain (born 2000)
- Arturs Kurucs, G, Latvia (born 2000)
- Yam Madar, G, Israel (born 2000)
- Theo Maledon, G, France (born 2001)
- Karim Mane, G, Canada (born 2000)
- Sergi Martinez, F, Spain (born 1999)
- Nikola Miskovic, F, Serbia (born 1999)
- Aristide Mouaha, G, Italy (born 2000)
- Caio Pacheco, G, Argentina (born 1999)
- Joel Parra, F, Spain (born 2000)
- Aleksej Pokusevski, F, Greece (born 2001)
- Sander Raieste, F, Estonia (born 1999)
- Nikos Rogkavopoulos, F, Greece (born 2001)
- Njegos Sikiras, F, Spain (born 1999)
- Marko Simonovic, C, Serbia (born 1999)
- Mouhamed Thiam, C, France (born 2001)
- Aboubacar Traore, G, Canada (born 2001)
- Uros Trifunovic, G, Serbia (born 2000)
- Arnas Velicka, G, Lithuania (born 1999)
Two things
1. It is ridiculous that there 108 names on a list of early entrants when there are only 60 draft spots available. Are you going to leave college early for a job that is interviewing 200 people for 75 jobs? Some of these guys will be fine, but some have gotten really bad advice.
2. If you have to name your school “Creating Young Minds Academy” no one should ever send their children to you. That’s just trying a little too hard.
I don’t know why most of these guys from community colleges are staying in. Jay Scrubb seems plausible to be drafted (some mocks have him second round) but that’s it. I can understand why someone who had high national rankings coming out of high school might go this route, but the rest of these guys… I don’t get it.
Why the hell would Joe Saterfield, a guy who played only 27 minutes TOTAL over 21 games at a community college declare for the NBA draft? At least he withdrew…
Even this Dakari Johnson (not the Kentucky one) who averaged 24 PPG on .468/.421/.770 at a community college has no shot. Why not seek a transfer to a D1 school?
These Tony Goodwin II and Michael Lenoir guys have even less of a chance, not even having been to a junior college. They’re not Darius Bazely here. Go to a school, young men. Even if it’s just a JUCO. Playing post-grad years at places like “Creating Young Minds Academy” will get you nothing. Each of them have been out of high school for at least a year (Goodwin for two); if they truly want to make the NBA, this is their last chance to go somewhere that will actually help them do that.
I personally think the high school rankings hurt these guys more than help them. Sometims the lack of real competition in high school can make these guys look better than they actually are against better competition.
A couple of examples from Kentucky come to mind. EJ Montgomery and Kahlil Whitney were both top 10 on the high school rankings and neither were even starters at Kentucky. Both have potential to become great players, but the NBA is not going to have the patience that a college team can.
Montgomery was a lot like PJ Washington, but where Washington came back and turned himself into a lottery pick, Montgomery is likely to go undrafted and have to get really lucky to get a decent NBA contract. Whitney was just one of those players that tried to live off his reputation instead of realizing that even highly ranked players still have to work hard. He was the highest ranked recruit for UK coming into this year. He was frustrated because Tyrese Maxey outplayed him in the first few games and then started pouting and slid out of the starting lineup. Then he just quit the team altogether. That is not the resume of a person that I would be willing to invest a lot of money in if I were an NBA GM.
Go home.
;D I think The Dude disagrees, not that he thinks Micl Lenoir should go back to Creating Young Minds Academy.
Digitcam Saycheese (¶4) is listing himself for the NBA and even got a hyperlink from HR, where it said he got all of 13 minutes in the Euroleague to his name (Saybir).
It puts them on the radar for overseas teams too. Im guessing more than one of these guys arent on a scholarshipnand want to make some sort of money.
Exactly , plus it’s a job opening. Everyone who applies doesn’t get it. Playing overseas is not a bad gig these days. Not just playing ball. Jobs associated with basketball. All young should go for it.
Exactly , plus it’s a job opening. Everyone who applies doesn’t always get the job. Playing overseas is not a bad gig these days. Not just playing ball. Jobs associated with basketball. All young should go for it.
How exactly does going undrafted get them on any radar that playing NCAA basketball doesn’t? Playing D-1 gives more exposure than any league that is not the NBA. Plus, it can give these guys a backup plan in case their dreams of being a hoops star doesn’t work out.
As far as your guess goes, a person that cannot get a college scholarship to play hoops is probably not going to find a successful career in pro hoops. But I am also pretty sure that at least 95% of these early entrants would have had a scholarship for the 2020-21 season if they wanted it.
You do know that the NCAA ain’t one of the top 10 leagues in the world, right? Many leagues will give you a better exposure.
Sure it is. As far as viewership goes. THAT is the exposure I am talking about. The more people that see you, the more opportunity you have. RJ Hampton would have gotten much more exposure playing many national TV games at Duke or Kentucky than he did in Australia. Before he went he was discussed at the top of the draft, now he is a mid/late 1st afterthought. It’s just like the guys that are going straight to the G League this year. They are not going to be seen nearly as much as they would at a big school that plays on TV all the time.
Plus, I would put the top 4 teams in the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, or several other conferences against the top 4 teams in most overseas pro leagues. So yes, I do consider the NCAA stronger than most of them.
There are plenty of players in playgrounds. Who could play div 1. But don’t cause of grades or trouble. I’ve known plenty. Most Euro players don’t go to college. They are in sports academies from 14 yrs old. Get this movie on Netflix “The Goat” .
Kareem called him the best he’s ever seen.
Without LaMelo Ball In the list
What does early entrants mean？
LaMelo Ball, R.J. Hampton, and a few others are considered “automatically eligible” (rather than early entrants) because they played professionally in 2019/20 and are now a year removed from high school.
Thanks！Luke
Jaden McDaniels, Vernon Carey Jr are two players who were rated top 10. For most of beginning of college yr. Now have fallen to end of 1st rd. Too bad there are no workouts. But they could be big time picks there.
Pokusevski is a skinny long kid. He is a draft and stash player. This guy will be very good stretch 4. Got skills