NBA Mock Draft 2020: 1st-Round Projections and Top Sleeper Prospects

The best players to emerge from an NBA draft aren't always found at the top.

In a class that lacks a can't-miss prospect, as consensus opinion says the 2020 crop does, it might even be more likely than not that its brightest star emerges from further down the draft board.

After running through our mock first round, we'll spotlight three non-lottery prospects who have the sleeper profiles to dramatically outperform their draft positions.

2020 NBA Mock Draft

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia

2. Golden State Warriors: James Wiseman, C, Memphis

3. Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball, PG/SG, Illawarra Hawks

4. Chicago Bulls: Deni Avdija, SF/PF, Maccabi Tel Aviv

5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Obi Toppin, PF/C, Dayton

6. Atlanta Hawks: Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State

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

8. New York Knicks: Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State

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

10. Phoenix Suns: Killian Hayes, PG, Ratiopharm Ulm

11. San Antonio Spurs: Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt

12. Sacramento Kings: Patrick Williams, PF, Florida State

13. New Orleans Pelicans: Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, Villanova

14. Boston Celtics (via Memphis Grizzlies): Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina

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

16. Portland Trail Blazers: Josh Green, SG, Arizona

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

18. Dallas Mavericks: Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Olympiacos B

19. Brooklyn Nets (via Philadelphia 76ers): RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers

20. Miami Heat: Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Memphis

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

22. Denver Nuggets (via Houston Rockets): Grant Riller, PG/SG, Charleston

23. Utah Jazz: Theo Maledon, PG, ASVEL

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

25. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Denver Nuggets): Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota

26. Boston Celtics: Jaden McDaniels, SF/PF, Washington

27. New York Knicks (via Los Angeles Clippers): Jahmi'us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech

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

29. Toronto Raptors: Jalen Smith, PF/C, Maryland

30. Boston Celtics (via Milwaukee Bucks): Zeke Nnaji, C, Arizona

Top Sleeper Prospects

Josh Green, SG, Arizona

A top-15 recruit last summer, Josh Green could be a sleeper hiding in plain sight.

An explosive athlete with the lateral quickness to pester opposing perimeter players, he didn't exactly light up the stat sheet for the Wildcats (12.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game), but context is key.

Since the 19-year-old Australian shared the floor with two other potential first-round picks (Nico Mannion and Zeke Nnaji), his relatively limited role could have masked his actual upside.

This phenomenon has played out time and again, where college rosters with an abundance of NBA talent put players in specialist roles that hide their overall ability: Devin Booker and Tyler Herro were designated gunners at Kentucky, Zach LaVine came off the bench at UCLA, and Kelly Oubre Jr. averaged single-digits for Kansas.

Could Green be the next player to pop at the big league? He'll need to tighten his handle and improve his perimeter shot (36.1 percent on low volume) for that to happen, but whichever team bets on his tools and talent might emerge as a long-term winner in this draft.

Grant Riller, PG/SG, Charleston

The film on Grant Riller is flattering. He boasts a variety of dribble moves to shed defenders and a knack for tough shot-making.

The numbers are even more encouraging. He averaged 13.1 points as a freshman at Charleston, bumped that to 18.6 as a sophomore and tallied exactly 21.9 in his junior and senior campaigns. He capped his college career with four-year shooting rates of 51.9 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from distance and 79.6 percent at the foul line.

What's bumping him down the draft board, then? Well, the fact that he stayed in school all four years means his biological clock is working against him. He'll be 24 in February, meaning he's older than NBA All-Stars Brandon Ingram and Bam Adebayo. While that doesn't prevent Riller from making big strides in the Association, it does narrow his margin for error.

He also called the Colonial Athletic Association his college home, which brings his level of competition into question. Breaking down NBA defenders is a little different than dusting someone from Elon or Drexel. Again, this doesn't mean he's incapable of elevating his game against tougher opponents, there's just not much evidence of him doing that.

Jalen Smith, PF/C, Maryland

Jalen Smith's physical maturation from "Stix" to "Logs" sees his formerly wiry frame now looking appropriately bulky after two years with the Terps.

"Smith now looks jacked at 6'10" after two years at Maryland and putting on considerable muscle," B/R's Jonathan Wasserman wrote. "He's built to finish and rebound, wired to run and block shots and skilled enough to comfortably drill threes."  

For those scoring at home, yes, the 20-year-old does fit the basic definition of a unicorn big man. He paired his 2.4 rejections per game with 32 triples converted at a 36.8 percent clip this past season, all while providing 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

Smith's shot creation is limited, as his face-up game is rudimentary, and his lack of playmaking manifested in a career average of just 0.8 assists per outing. But if a late first-round pick produces a 6'10" shot-blocker and floor-spacer, it's hard to imagine his NBA employer will focus too much on his shortcomings in other facets.