NBA Mock Draft 2020: Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Top Candidates for No. 1 Pick

There are a million different reasons to get excited about the NBA draft, but the most important might be the most obvious.

It's all about the stars in the Association, and it's no different at the talent grab. Players in consideration for the No. 1 pick have earned that status, and their sky-high ceilings show the tremendous impact they can make if they live their best NBA lives.

So, who's going No. 1 in 2020? That's not quite decided yet, but after laying out our latest mock draft, we'll examine the three prospects most often mocked at the top.

2020 NBA Mock Draft

1. Golden State Warriors: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: James Wiseman, C, Memphis

3. Minnesota Timberwolves: LaMelo Ball, PG/SG, Illawarra Hawks

4. Atlanta Hawks: Obi Toppin, PF/C, Dayton

5. Detroit Pistons: Onyeka Okongwu, PF/C, USC

6. New York Knicks: Killian Hayes, PG, Ratiopharm Ulm

7. Chicago Bulls: Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State

8. Charlotte Hornets: Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State

9. Washington Wizards: Isaac Okoro, SF/PF, Auburn

10. Phoenix Suns: Deni Avdija, SF/PF, Maccabi Tel Aviv

11. San Antonio Spurs: Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina

12. Sacramento Kings: RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers

13. New Orleans Pelicans: Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt

14. Portland Trail Blazers: Patrick Williams, PF, Florida State

15. Orlando Magic: Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama

16. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Brooklyn Nets): Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky

17. Boston Celtics (via Memphis Grizzlies): Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, Villanova

18. Dallas Mavericks: Theo Maledon, PG, ASVEL

19. Milwaukee Bucks (via Indiana Pacers): Leandro Bolmaro, SG/SF, Barcelona

20. Brooklyn Nets (via Philadelphia 76ers): Jaden McDaniels, SF/PF, Washington

21. Denver Nuggets (via Houston Rockets): Robert Woodard II, SF, Mississippi State

22. Philadelphia 76ers (via Oklahoma City Thunder): Tyrell Terry, PG, Stanford

23. Miami Heat: Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona

24. Utah Jazz: Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Memphis

25. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Denver Nuggets): Jahmi'us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech

26. Boston Celtics: Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Olympiacos B

27. New York Knicks (via Los Angeles Clippers): Tyler Bey, SF/PF, Colorado

28. Toronto Raptors: Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota

29. Los Angeles Lakers: Cassius Winston, PG, Michigan State

30. Boston Celtics (via Milwaukee Bucks): Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington

Top Candidates for No. 1 Pick

Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia

If you conjure up a mental image of a generic NBA star, Anthony Edwards likely fits the rough outline.

He looks the part of a rising star, and he flashes that type of transformational talent. He has spring-loaded bounce, and he can get anywhere he wants on the court.

He needs plenty of polish—on a very related note, he doesn't turn 19 until August—but as SI.com's Jeremy Woo detailed, Edwards' argument for No. 1 isn't hard to make:

"In a best-case scenario, Edwards slots into a premium position as a big, strong, shot-creating wing with ability to score at all three levels, and what should eventually become a reliable jump shot. He also has the athletic capacity to defend his position adequately, if not the polish. High-end starters in that vein are among the hardest players to find, and continue to gain value in a fast-paced, perimeter-oriented league."

Edwards could be special, he just has a lot of work to get there. Between revving his defensive motor, fine-tuning his shot selection (40.2/29.4/77.2 slash at Georgia) and improving his decision-making (2.8 assists against 2.7 turnovers), his list of improvement areas is extensive.

James Wiseman, C, Memphis

For only suiting up three times in college, James Wiseman presented an interesting case to be the top pick.

An explosive athlete at 7'1" and 240 pounds, he got everything he wanted each time he hit the floor. You can scream "small sample size" as much as you want, but the numbers are still ridiculous: 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in only 23.0 minutes per game with a 76.9 field-goal percentage.

Even in an era that devalues the center spot, it's easy to see where Wiseman can leave his mark.

"He has all the tools to be a rim protector that can guard in ball-screens and switch on the perimeter if needed," NBC Sports' Rob Dauster wrote. "He's not Dirk Nowitzki but he's not Clint Capela, either—he's shown some flashes of being capable on the perimeter."

Wiseman may not win the "most potential" label from most, as he can seemingly only do so much in a rim-running role. But if he's a top-shelf defensive anchor who wreaks havoc above the rim, handles perimeter switches and finds an outside shot, the 19-year-old could be awfully interesting.

LaMelo Ball, PG/SG, Illawarra Hawks

If teams are drafting strictly on upside, they'll have a hard time taking anyone other than LaMelo Ball.

He is 18 years old and stands 6'7"—and he might be the best, most instinctive passer in this draft. He can make every read and throw every pass with either hand. He will elevate the effectiveness of everyone around him, and that's without even knowing whether he can clean up his shooting mechanics or show better effort on defense.

"It's not an exaggeration to call Ball a basketball genius," The Athletic's Sam Vecenie wrote. "He's a maestro with the ball in his hands, capable of making one-handed passes with either hand, in a variety of settings. ... He anticipates things happening multiple steps before they actually occur on the court."

The questions for Ball's first NBA employer to answer are about how he'll grow the rest of his game. Can he become a consistent splasher from deep? Will he ever put his physical tools to use on defense? Will he be a big-time scoring threat?

Teams that are bullish about these questions might already have his name written in permanent marker atop their draft board.