2020 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Prospects Poised to Shake Up 1st Round

The NBA draft isn't always heavy on surprises, but the 2020 version could be a scale-tipper of epic proportions.

Despite an abundance of time to evaluate and re-evaluate the incoming batch of ballers, this class still lacks consensus. It starts at No. 1, where the Minnesota Timberwolves might have a handful of prospects they're considering, and that's only if they decline to move the pick. The guessing games continue from there, which could turn the talent grab into a relative thrill ride (for draft junkies, at least).

Even in a class with so much uncertainty, though, there are a few prospects who could really scramble draft boards. For reasons we'll discuss, the three prospects following our mock first round might keep the entire basketball world on its toes.

2020 NBA Mock Draft

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia

2. Golden State Warriors: Deni Avdija, SF/PF, Maccabi Tel Aviv

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

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

5. Cleveland Cavaliers: James Wiseman, C, Memphis

6. Atlanta Hawks: Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State

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

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

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

10. Phoenix Suns: Obi Toppin, PF/C, Dayton

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): RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers

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: Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Olympiacos B

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: Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, Villanova

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

25. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Denver Nuggets): Zeke Nnaji, C, Arizona

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): Xavier Tillman, PF/C, Michigan State

Prospects Poised to Shake Up 1st Round

James Wiseman, C, Memphis

Once hailed as the highest-ranked recruit in his class, per 247Sports, Wiseman's spot is among the toughest to pin down in predraft projections.

Barring a trade, the 19-year-old won't go first overall, because the Timberwolves already have an All-Star center in Karl-Anthony Towns. He could go as early as second, though, as the Warriors could use an injection of athleticism in their frontcourt.

The Hornets are another logical landing spot, as their center position is unsettled going forward.

But, as the mock above shows, Wiseman no lock for the top-three picks. And if he doesn't go there, it's anyone's guess where he lands.

"I've spoken with NBA executives who have Wiseman first, and others who have him ranked outside of the top 10," The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor wrote.

Wiseman has impressive tools and bounce for a 7-footer, but his skills are raw and his position has never felt less valued by an increasingly perimeter-focused league. If he slides further than expected, he might spawn the biggest trade of the night if a center-needy club climbs up to stop his skid.

Killian Hayes, PG, Ratiopharm Ulm

Prospects who produce dramatically differing opinions are the most volatile. There may not be wider splits than how analysts and front offices view Hayes.

The 6'5" lefty point guard is O'Connor's highest-rated prospect. B/R's resident draft guru Jonathan Wasserman has him second on his big board. But when those same evaluators put mock predictions on (digital) paper, the 19-year-old is nowhere near the same range. O'Connor mocked Hayes as the seventh pick, while Wasserman slotted him eighth.

The hold-up is Hayes' jumper, which is one of the biggest swing skills in the draft. He isn't an explosive athlete and doesn't have the most creative handle, so his scoring outlook could hinge on his outside shot. He hit just 29 percent of his long-range looks this past season, though he did finish 48 percent of his field goals and converted 88 percent of his free throws.

If one team is as high on Hayes as these analysts, he could seemingly crack the top five. But if clubs aren't buying his jumper, he might have a path to the back end of the lottery.

Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Olympiacos B

As often as the label boom-or-bust gets thrown around, it has perhaps never better fit a prospect than it does Pokusevski.

And in a draft like this, which one executive told Wasserman "could be one of the wildest, most unpredictable drafts in over 20 years," the mystery element of the 18-year-old's outlook might actually qualify as a selling point.

When The Athletic's John Hollinger identified his top 20 prospects, he slotted Pokusevski 13th. But he also used this fairly important cautionary note: "Look, there's a decent chance he'll suck."

Pokusevski does things on the perimeter you almost never see from a 7-footer, but his rail-thin frame could render him unplayable if it never develops. He can hit pull-up threes and block shots, but he often tries to do too much on offense and sometimes floats on defense. He could always be a defensive liability with his lack of strength, but maybe he gets it all back at the other end?

The gulf between his ceiling and floor is gargantuan, so his landing spot comes down to the eye-of-the-beholder evaluations taking place in every front office. He could go in the late lottery or late in the first round, and neither would be surprising.