NBA Draft 2020: Where LaMelo Ball, Top Players Are Being Taken in Expert Mocks

With Thursday's news that the NCAA men's basketball tournament had been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak, it's safe to assume we've seen the last of any of the elite 2020 NBA draft prospects in live action before June's event. 

Whether we will see them at the NBA Draft Combine May 21-24 in Chicago depends on the Association's decisions in the next few months.

Mock drafts will likely be somewhat locked in between now and then, with no games or workouts to base evaluations on. So where do draft insiders see some of the most notable prospects heading?

LaMelo Ball (Illawarra Hawks, PG/SG, 2001)

The youngest Ball brother—and arguably the most physically gifted—has jumped from being a draft afterthought when he went overseas to one of the most sought-after prospects in this class.

In his mock draft for March 4, Bleacher Report NBA draft writer Jonathan Wasserman projected Ball to be taken third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The 18-year-old would form an intriguing backcourt with recently acquired guard D'Angelo Russell. And the possibility of a trio of Ball, Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns might be too much to pass up. 

Elsewhere, Kyle Boone of CBS Sports expects the Knicks to end up with the No. 3 overall pick and select Ball as well, and NBADraft.net has him going second to the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Deni Avdija (Maccabi Tel Aviv, SF/PF, 2001)

Avdija seems to be one of the more perplexing, and therefore interesting, prospects in this year's class.

The 2020 group overall is considered historically weak, especially in relation to the 2018 and 2019 classes. That's particularly true of American college players, which is part of why draft analysts see the 19-year-old as a potential high lottery pick. 

Teams interested in him—and there are plenty—will be hopeful the 6'8" guard/forward could be the next Luka Doncic. But there is also concern that he lacks superstar upside despite his age, according to Wasserman.

With the NCAA season over, it will be interesting to see if his name begins popping up more at the top of teams' boards. 

Wasserman has the Cavaliers taking him at No. 2. Boone and NBADraft.net, meanwhile, both have him going to the Chicago Bulls. 

James Wiseman (Memphis, C, Freshman)

Coming into this season, Wiseman was considered a lock by many to be a top-two pick. And in his three games at Memphis, he looked the part, averaging nearly 20 points and 11 rebounds per game.

But once the Tigers sat him as part of an NCAA investigation—and then when he left the team altogether—questions started to arise.

Physically, the 18-year-old is impressive. He stands 7'1" and boasts a 7'6" wingspan, as well as the foot speed and athletic ability of most wings. 

Wiseman's actual skills need a bit of polish, though, as Wasserman noted. There are reportedly questions from NBA executives about his motor and work ethic, and his offensive game needs serious refinement. He doesn't exactly fit in the NBA's small-ball era, but it's hard to pass up a player with his tools. 

Wasserman sees the Detroit Lions, who traded away Andre Drummond at the deadline, taking Wiseman at No. 6, while Boone has the Golden State Warriors taking him with the No. 1 overall pick to pair with Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry.

NBADraft.net projects him at No. 4 overall to the Timberwolves, where he would team up with the more perimeter-oriented Towns. 

Follow Keegan on Twitter @ByKeeganPope.