2020 NBA Draft: 1st-Round Order and Top 2-Way Prospects
With the 2020 NBA draft still nearly two months away, teams still have ample time to evaluate the incoming prospects who will be available.
Some teams need immediate help, while some can take the time to develop talent. Then there are those teams that need to be surgical in how they approach this draft. The Milwaukee Bucks, for example, desperately need a point guard and shooters.
One of the most desirable traits in a prospect is the ability to affect the game on both sides of the ball. Here's the latest mock draft and a few of the best two-way players on the board.
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NBA Mock Draft, 1st Round
1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia
3. Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball, PG/SG, Illawarra Hawks
4. Chicago Bulls: Obi Toppin, PF/C, Dayton
5. Cleveland Cavaliers: James Wiseman, C, Memphis
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: RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Brooklyn Nets): Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky
18. Dallas Mavericks: Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Olympiacos B
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
Best 2-Way Prospects
James Wiseman, C, Memphis
James Wiseman can't seem to find enough support to be the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in this draft, but that doesn't mean he's not an elite talent. Standing at 7'1", 240 pounds with a 7'6" wingspan, Wiseman is the prototypical big man.
Problem is, teams have been rethinking how they utilize bigs.
That means that for Wiseman to be valuable to a team, he has to be able to be effective in the modern NBA. For his part, he seems to have the tools to get there.
He has a versatile offensive skill set around the basket, shown that he's effective in the pick-and-roll and is an impressive rebounder.
The question, then, is he just another center or can he be a hybrid or stretch big?
One thing that will definitely go a long way, though, is the fact that he's a two-way player. In three games with the Memphis Tigers, he averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.
That translates to him being a threat on both sides of the ball, and in this league, that kind of combination will assure that a player logs extensive minutes.
The Golden State Warriors don't seem to be keen on Wiseman, but he would fit in well there and be allowed to develop without having to be asked to fill up the stat sheet on the offensive end.
"I think Wiseman fits better than people think," a Western Conference executive told ESPN's Tim Bontemps. "I think [the pick is] more likely to be traded, but I don't hate Wiseman there."
Besides the Warriors, the Atlanta Hawks look like a good landing spot. He could be paired with John Collins and add to the already impressive young core they have.
Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State
When most people think of great two-way players, they think of Kawhi Leonard or reigning MVP Giannis Antetekounmpo.
But there's another layer to that vertical.
There are three-and-D guys who fall under that umbrella, and in this year's draft, one of the best is Devin Vassell.
While at Florida State, he averaged 12.7 points per game in head coach Leonard Hamilton's balanced offense and connected on 41.5 percent on his three-pointers.
More than that, the 6'7" guard used his 7-foot wingspan to his advantage on the defensive end. He averaged 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks per outing and established himself as one of, if not the best, perimeter defenders in college basketball.
Additionally, the second-team All-ACC selection showed that he could compete against the best, which easily translates to the next level.
Hamilton told Wes Goldberg of the Mercury News:
"As a freshman, he just kept on improving and getting better and, by the end of the season, he was always in the game during crunch time. We play through each other and create for each other and with Devin’s unselfish spirit, he fits very well. The difference is that he’s extremely confident and he feels more than capable that he can go make big shots when the game is on the line, and that’s what he did.
"He has those long arms and he's athletic, and those kinds of guys grow and improve in our program very well. Our concern wasn’t how he was rated. We just thought he had the ability to come in and have an impact on our program."
Vassell could easily fit with the Warriors in an Andre Iguodala-type of role, but they'd have to trade down to get him.
No matter where he lands, he'll contribute right away, especially on defense.
Isaac Okoro, SF/PF, Auburn
Iguodala must be quite the example, because Isaac Okoro is also being compared to him in a favorable light.
Of course, Iggy is getting ready to play in his sixth straight NBA Finals, so there's no shame in teams trying to find a player with the same skill set.
Still, Okoro is his own player and he easily established himself as a top prospect while at Auburn.
The 19-year old forward averaged 12.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.9 steals per game as a freshman. He still needs to work on his three-point shooting because 28.6 percent from deep won't bode well in the league, but he's still an efficient threat on offense with an overall shooting percentage of 54.1.
The elite athlete is a versatile defender who can force a coach to keep him on the floor.
"He is maybe the most ready guy in the draft," a Western Conference executive told Bontemps. "I think he could go to a team like Golden State or another good team and contribute right away."
Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl definitely agrees with that assessment.
He referred to Okoro as his "faux senior" because despite his status as a freshman, he was able to impact winning on both ends of the floor.
"He's an elite defender, one of the very best in college basketball. Period," Pearl told The Athletic's Kelsey Russo. "Coaches love to say, you know ... he can cover any position. Isaac truly can cover anybody. He could cover your point guard, and he could cover your center."
The comparisons to Iguodala means that the Warriors will likely take a look at the 6'6", 225-pound Okoro, but he could be an asset to a litany of teams and is assured to be taken in the top 10—maybe even in the top five depending on how teams decide to shuffle their picks before or during the draft.
Follow Maurice Bobb on Twitter, @ReeseReport
Statistics obtained from ESPN.com
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