1. Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Edwards has been at the top of our 2020 Mock Draft and Top 100 Prospect Big Board for over 2 years, since September of 2018 when we first became aware of his intention to reclassify into the 2019 high school class. He’s the 2020 Draft’s surest prospect and has a great deal of upside to develop as well. It appears he will have a challenge as there are far better situations to end up in than Minnesota, which could be categorized as a dysfunctional organization. But his skill set should fit in well alongside Karl Anthony-Towns and DeAngelo Russell. “Mini-LeBron”, Edwards has a rare combination of physicality and skill, at 6’5 with a 225 powerfully built frame. he’s able to make those around him better with terrific vision and passing from the point guard position. And shows lock down defensive ability with his great foot speed, 6’9 wingspan and tremendous strength. He can learn to be even more effective punishing opponents with his strength advantage and getting to the line. The big knock against Edwards is that he doesn’t always play with a killer instinct or lacks intensity, but some of that could be due to raised expectations with seeing his name attached to the number one pick all season. Edwards is a great kid and has shown the ability to take over games as he did in Maui. He was the focus of every team’s defense throughout the season, and still managed to put up 19 ppg on 40% FG% abd 79% FT. His 29% 3P shooting was disappointing, but not indicative of what he’s capable of considering his excellent shooting stroke, and potential to improve with repetition, better shot selection and focus on his shot. He will have an excellent chance to hit the ground running and be a very effective rookie and potentially win rookie of the year next season.
2. Isaac Okoro, Auburn
Okoro has proven to be a player that impacts the win loss column throughout both his high school and college careers. He plays with a ton of intensity and determination and has a presence that shouts winner. While his jumpshot shows decent form, he will need to continue to work on it in order to become a reliable shooter at the next level. He shoots a bit of a set shot, and will need to look to get more extension on it. What Okoro brings to the table that is extremely enticing is his defensive potential, as he’s extremely physical like Edwards, and shows excellent foot speed to stay in front of opponents. Okoro was not a highly rated recruit coming into college in the 25-30 range, but it’s obvious that due to a body that wasn’t toned and a lack of opportunity, many underrated his abilities. Okoro figures to go somewhere in the 5-9 range, and should be an instant contributor defensively and a guy that develops with his incredible determination, becoming an effective shooter and scorer at the next level.
3. Devin Vassel, Florida State
Vassell is an intriguing wing due to his physical attributes and skill set. With the ability to get out on the floor and finish plays in transition along with a promising outside game. Vassell knocked down 41% on three point shots, granted on a low volume (1.5 makes per game as a soph) over two seasons. He’s a bit streaky and seems to play well in bursts, but some of that could be due to FSU’s balanced attack. Vassell is a high level athlete, capable of highlight dunks, He has a reported 6’10 wingspan, which is solid for a player his size. Vassell does a solid job of jumping passing lanes as well as defending on the ball. His 1.4 steals per game illustrates his ability to make plays on the defensive end. His 12.7 ppg and 71% FT shooting are both slight causes for concern, but he showed a lot of flashes as a high level athlete and skilled wing. Vassell projects as a mid-to-late lottery pick who can develop into a productive two way player.
4. Josh Green, Arizona
Green has been a bit of a forgotten man in this year’s draft as he hasn’t received the level of hype that he has probably deserves. He shared the spotlight with fellow freshmen Zeke Nnaji and Nico Mannion at Arizona, and while he had a solid freshman season, he wasn’t able to break out and display his talents to the fullest extent. He’s a standout athlete that thrives in transition and finishes extremely well at the rim. And he also has above average shooting and potential as a scorer. On top of all that, he’s an excellent passer at the 2-guard position, recording 2.4 apg. Green also has the ability to develop into a lock down defender at the next level. If he falls into the 20s as some project, look for him to be an absolute steal.
5. Aaron Nesmith, Vanderbilt
Nesmith began the season on a tear and proved himself through half the season as the nation’s number one shooter. But he never made it to Conference play suffering a broken foot that knocked him out for the year. Would his play and shooting have leveled off playing against better competition? Perhaps. With the premium put on shooting, Nesmith has a real chance to be a lottery pick. Working against him is the fact that teams are still concerned about his foot and whether there may be issues with it going forward. Nesmith lacks great fluidity and athleticism, but has very good length and made some solid dunks, displaying his ability to finish when given an opening. Nesmith is the 2020 draft’s top shooter and can find a spot in the lottery if a team feels confident about his foot, otherwise he could slide into the 20s on draft night.
6. Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky
Maxey developed a reputation as a high level shooter but really struggled to prove that at UK with his 29% shooting from beyond the arch. He’s rated by some as a lottery pick, and while there’s a chance he will be taken that high, that would be a reach considering his size, position and lack of athleticism to make up for it. Some have compared him to Malik Monk, only without the explosiveness. He is a great kid by all accounts and proved himself on numerous occasions as a solid team player while playing for USA Basketball. He’s not really a facilitator and calling him a combo is probably a stretch. But his crafty mid range game, long arms, solid quickness and high character are all selling points for why he will find a fit with an NBA team and justify his draft position.
7. Isaiah Joe, Arkansas
One of the top overall shooters in the entire draft. Joe averaged 16.9 ppg for the Razorbacks. He still has an underdeveloped body and may take a couple years to get up to speed defensively. But he shows a lot of shooting potential with an excellent frame, that should assist him both defensively as well as getting shots off. Despite being 6’4 in shoes, he has a 6’7.5 wingspan and a 8’5 standing reach. He has a pure shooting motion and despite seeing his 3 point numbers drop off considerably, he had solid FT numbers and shot it very well from 3 overall in his two year career. he’s one of the most prolific shooters in all of college basketball having averaged over 3 made threes per game over his two year college career. He also played through an injury in his sophomore year, and if those games are taken out his scoring numbers and efficiency go u considerably. Joe is projected as an early second rounder with a shot to sneak into the first round, and look for him to end up better than some higher drafted shooting guard like Desmond Bane, over time.
8. Elijah Hughes, Syracuse
Hughes is nearly 23 and is seen as a likely early second round pick. But he’s one of the more underrated prospects in this year’s draft. He’s got an advanced ISO game, showing the ability to create offense for himself off the dribble. He’s also an explosive leaper who can finish above the rim. He’s got excellent strength at 230 lbs and uses to his advantage on both ends of the floor. His defense is somewhat of a mystery having played his career at Syracuse, but he should be solid in the long run, considering his foot speed and level of intensity. Hughes could slide into the early 40s and end up being one of the top late round gems to emerge from this draft.
9. Jahmius Ramsey, Texas Tech
At 6’4, 195, he’s a combo guard that has shown a solid ability to score off the dribble. This skill be very important for him in the pros. He’s a good shooter from beyond the 3pt line. He shot 42.6% from beyond the arc on five attempts per game. He’s shown the ability to handle the ball pretty well. He can score from all three levels and he shows a lot of hustle. He has shown the ability to guard multiple positions. In the open court, he’s been very effective. He can be very streaky at times when it comes to his shooting. He needs to shoot better from the free throw line, as he only shot 64% from the line during his rookie season. He doesn’t have an explosive first step off the dribble. He struggles at times to finish in traffic. His passing ability needs work as he averaged almost as many turnovers as he did assists. At times, he becomes too focused on the offensive end of the floor, but doesn’t put in as much effort on the defensive end.
10. Cassius Stanley, Duke
An elite level athlete with a year of experience at Duke, sounds like they type of player teams would be lining up to grab in the first round. So why is Stanley projected by most to be a second rounder? He lacks great ball skills and has a questionable feel for the game. He’s also 21 years of age making him old for a freshman. He has a small wingspan, but it obviously doesn’t stop him from playing incredibly athletically. He exceeded expectations at Duke after coming in as a borderline top 30 level recruit. His ball handling and passing remain a work in progress. Stanley put up 12.6 ppg on 36% from three and 71% FT. While just a good, not great shooter, teams could decide he’s worth a gamble in the late first if they’re convinced his defense and floor game can improve.
