Arizona's Josh Green Declares for 2020 NBA Draft; Projected 1st-Round Pick

Arizona Wildcats guard Josh Green's collegiate career is over after just one season.

Green declared for the 2020 NBA draft Friday, per ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman has the freshman going 19th overall in his latest mock draft, calling him an "explosive wing and exceptional defender" who can at times struggle to create.

Green arrived at Arizona as a 5-star prospect and the No. 13 overall player in the class of 2019, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is a versatile playmaker at 6'6" with the ability to attack the lane, shoot from the outside, create turnovers on the defensive side and help on the boards when needed.

He wasted little time flashing his potential with 22 points in a marquee non-conference win over Illinois in just his second game and then followed up with 17 points in a high-profile showdown with Gonzaga and 17 points in an important Pac-12 game against Oregon.

While Zeke Nnaji and Nico Mannion shouldered plenty of the team's offensive responsibility, Green was a key secondary option who could take advantage of spacing created when defenses collapsed on the other playmakers.

However, it was his defensive ability that stood out during his one season at Arizona.

Green is athletic enough to stay in front of ball-handlers and possesses the wingspan to challenge perimeter shots and disrupt passing lanes. His tendency to lock up the opponent's best player for extended stretches took pressure off his teammates on that side of the ball.

In February, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected him as a first-round pick and pointed to "his athleticism for transition and defense, plus the flashes of set shooting, floaters and passing" as reasons for optimism.

Green used that skill set to average 12.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

He will now shift his attention away from competing in the Pac-12 toward finding a role as a rookie in the NBA.