NBA Mock Draft 2020: 1st-Round Predictions and Wild-Card Prospects to Watch

Unlike 2020, there is no consensus top pick in this year's NBA draft. But there does appear to be a top three, followed by a few tiers with a scramble of players who vary based on personal bias. 

After Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman, the draft feels like an assortment of uncertainties—some players are quintessential upside picks, while others appear to have higher floors but lower stardom potential despite clear routes to contribution at the professional level.

Here, we're focusing on some of those high-ceiling, low-floor prospects. First, we list a mock draft of the first round and then get into why two particular first-round talents have All-Star potential despite shaky floors.

2020 NBA 1st-Round Mock Draft

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia

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

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

4. Chicago Bulls: Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State

5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Deni Avdija, SF, Maccabi Tel Aviv

6. Atlanta Hawks: Isaac Okoro, SF, Auburn

7. Detroit Pistons: Killian Hayes, PG, RatiopharmUlm

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

9. Washington Wizards: Saddiq Bey, SF, Villanova

10. Phoenix Suns: Obi Toppin, PF, Dayton

11. San Antonio Spurs: Precious Achiuwa, PF, Memphis

12. Sacramento Kings: Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt

13. New Orleans Pelicans: Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina

14. Boston Celtics: Onyeka Okongwu, C, USC

15. Orlando Magic: Jaden McDaniels, SF, Washington

16. Portland Trail Blazers: Patrick Williams, SF, Florida State

17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jalen Smith, PF, Maryland

18. Dallas Mavericks: Theo Maledon, PG, ASVEL

19. Brooklyn Nets: Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky

20. Miami Heat: Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama

21. Philadelphia 76ers: Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona

22. Denver Nuggets: Josh Green, SG, Arizona

23. Utah Jazz: RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers

24. Milwaukee Bucks: Xavier Tillman, PF, Michigan State

25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Desmond Bane, SG, TCU 

26. Boston Celtics: Jahmi'us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech

27. New York Knicks: Cassius Stanley, SG, Duke

28. Los Angeles Lakers: Tre Jones, PG, Duke

29. Toronto Raptors: Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington

30. Boston Celtics: Leandro Bolmaro, SF, FC Barcelona

Jaden McDaniels, Washington

A top-10 talent whose upside won't let him reach the end of the first round without being selected. As fluid as you could possibly hope for a 6'10" player with a 7'0" wingspan, McDaniels can handle the rock, pull up into a smooth, high-release jumper and bounce upward for inventive finishes.

The downside is that it often looks like efficiency is a foreign concept to the 20-year-old former high school superstar. While everything about McDaniels' highlights scream future NBA star, full games reveal serious uncertainties. The long forward averaged a quality 13 points, 5.8 rebound and 1.4 blocks in his lone college season, but those numbers were accompanied by an ugly 3.2 turnovers per contest and an even uglier shooting rate of 40.5 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from deep.

Nonetheless, McDaniels is an excellent prospect, albeit one of the year's most polarizing. If a team doesn't grab him early, expecting to coach away his issues, then it won't be long before a general manager decides his upside is too high to ignore past the lottery. 

Kira Lewis Jr., Alabama

Kira Lewis Jr. is a prospect who has plenty of upside. Bolstered by blistering speed, his handle is spicy, his jumper is silky and his layup package is a creative ensemble. At 6'3", he unquestionably fits the De'Aaron Fox mold, but, listed at 165 pounds at Alabama, he is a much lighter version.

The concerns over his heft are understandable, as it damaged his effectiveness on defense as much as it did his ability to finish through contact. But more-entrenched scouts may cite his disappointing performances against high-level teams as a greater worry. Still, despite those drawbacks, Lewis is yet another 2020 draftee who won't make it to the bottom of the first round because of visible All-Star potential.

With uninspiring shooting percentages of 45.9 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from deep, Lewis nonetheless averaged 18.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game this past season. Add on reports that he's already added 15 pounds of muscle, and you have the makings of a classic, high-ceiling wild card.