NBA Mock Draft 2020: Projections and Predictions for Top Sharpshooters

It's a great time to be a three-point sharpshooter.

Every NBA team needs more snipers and better spacing. The modern game keeps expanding toward the perimeter, so marksmen who can consistently tickle the twine from out there are perpetually in high demand.

That's no different with the 2020 draft class, which features several high-level splashers. After running through a mock first round, we will spotlight three of its best shooters.

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: Jalen Smith, PF/C, Maryland

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

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

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

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Brooklyn Nets): Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina

18. Dallas Mavericks: RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers

19. Brooklyn Nets (via Philadelphia 76ers): Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky

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: Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Olympiacos B

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: Theo Maledon, PG, ASVEL

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

Top Sharpshooters

Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State

Devin Vassell splashed better than 40 percent of his long-range looks in both of his two seasons with the Seminoles. Yet every discussion about his NBA outlook starts on the defensive end, which is a testament to his tools for success in basketball's least glamorous area.

His 6'7" frame and 6'10" wingspan are tailor-made for increasingly switch-heavy defensive schemes. He doesn't miss rotations, he knows where and when to bring help and he will keep shooters uncomfortable with always-on-time closeouts. On the ball, he's quick enough to keep in front of point guards and long enough to bother wings.

That's the first selling point with Vassell, but this three-point bombing is a close second. Since that's what we're here to discuss, let's get to it.

"[Vassell is a] good spot-up shooter with a high release and displays awareness moving and cutting off the ball," The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor wrote. "[He] tightened his handle to become a potent shooter off the bounce; he hit a single dribble jumper as a freshman and then 39 as a sophomore, with many of them contested out of the pick-and-roll."

Vassell's three-and-D profile has long had him in the lottery discussion, but his potential for continued growth as an off-the-dribble shooter should get him off the board within the first 10 picks.

Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt

When your mind paints a picture of a knockdown shooter, the resulting image is close to Aaron Nesmith.

The three-ball isn't a portion of his scouting report; it's the centerpiece. He played 46 games at Vanderbilt. On average, he finished them with 1.8 more three-point attempts than two-point shots. It makes sense, because not only does the math favor the three-point shot but so did his percentages this past season, when he drilled an absurd 52.2 percent of his triples and only 50 percent of his twos.

"He's one of the better pure shot-makers in the draft, can attack a closeout fairly well and is competent if not jaw-dropping from an athletic perspective," SI.com's Jeremy Woo wrote. "... His ability to catch and shoot under duress and off movement is pretty rare and capable floor spacing tends to come at a premium."

Nesmith doesn't have the strongest dribble-drive arsenal, and he's not a playmaker by any stretch (58 career assists). But all teams in the market for a shooter should give him serious consideration on draft night.

Tyrell Terry, PG/SG, Stanford

When watching film of Terry, it's easy to see the influence of off-the-dribble snipers Stephen Curry and Trae Young. That's not to suggest Terry has a similar ceiling to those stars, but the way he creates shots and the rate he knocks them down are in the same mold.

"I typically put extra stock into elite touch, and Terry has it, having shot 40.8 percent from three, 11-of-19 off screens and 89.1 percent on free throws," B/R's Jonathan Wasserman wrote. "He ranked in the 99th percentile on catch-and-shoots."

Terry's compact release means he only needs a sliver of space to get his shot up, and he has enough shake off the bounce to typically create it for himself. When that doesn't work, he can sprint around speeds and has the body control to find his balance as he rises. His shooting range is deep enough that defenders have to start worrying about his shot as soon as he crosses half court.

The worry is his 160-pound frame will have him mercilessly targeted at the defensive end, but an NBA strength program could help him to fill it out. In addition to his shooting, Terry is a crafty finisher around the basket and a clever (if a bit inconsistent) ball-mover.