NBA Draft Results 2020: Team-by-Team List of Grades and Picks

Keegan PopeNov 18, 2020

Much of the drama surrounding the 2020 NBA draft centered around which player would be selected No. 1 overall—and even which team would be making the selection.

The Minnesota Timberwolves ended that speculation by holding on to the pick and selecting three-level scoring guard Anthony Edwards over wunderkind point guard LaMelo Ball and bruising center James Wiseman.

The other two didn't last long, coming off the board in the next two picks to the Golden State Warriors and the Charlotte Hornets.

Read on for a breakdown of every pick in the first round.

Picks No. 1-10

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Karen Pulfer Focht/Associated Press

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia

Grade: A

Edwards has all the tools to be the best player in this draft, and he's arguably the most NBA-ready prospect in the draft pool. He doesn't have a ton of flash, but he's the safest bet Minnesota could've made here.

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

Grade: B+

Other than trading out of this spot, this was arguably the most sensible pick Golden State could have made. It needed a strong rim-running and rebounding presence, and Wiseman provides exactly that.

3. Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball, G, Hawks

Grade: A-

No player in this year's draft class was as polarizing as the youngest Ball brother, but his physical gifts are undeniable. Charlotte desperately needed a spark in its organization, and he will give them a massive jolt.

4. Chicago Bulls: Patrick Williams, F, Florida State

Grade: B-

In one of the more surprising picks in the first round, Chicago grabbed Williams, a versatile forward who many predicted would be selected in the mid-to-late lottery. Last year's ACC Sixth Man of the Year, Williams has a high upside but doesn't really project as an immediate impact player.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Isaac Okoro, F, Auburn

Grade: B

Once considered a potential top-five pick earlier in his career, Okoro had been trending toward the latter part of the lottery after struggling to score consistently at Auburn. He shot just 28 percent from behind the arc for the Tigers, but if he can improve his shotmaking ability, he has the tools to be a solid 3-and-D wing.

6. Atlanta Hawks: Onyeka Okongwu, F/C, USC

Grade: B+

Largely overshadowed by higher-ranked players on his team at USC, Okongwu put together an impressive freshman season that put him in the conversation with Wiseman as the best big man available. His physique will need some work to defend NBA centers, but he has as much potential as anyone—regardless of position.

7. Detroit Pistons: Killian Hayes, G, Ratiopharm Ulm

Grade: A-

Some analysts, including The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor, had Hayes as the top player on their entire draft board. He's a versatile and big guard who has terrific playmaking ability. If he can develop his off hand and improve his outside shooting, the Pistons might have gotten the steal of the first round.

8. New York Knicks: Obi Toppin, F, Dayton

Grade: A

It's somewhat rare to see that grade attached to the New York Knicks, but this was about as good of a situation as they could have imagined while remaining at No. 8. Toppin is a super athlete, but he's also very talented and versatile offensively. Aside from maybe Edwards, he's the most NBA-ready prospect in this group.

9. Washington Wizards: Deni Avdija, F, Maccabi Tel Aviv

Grade: A

Almost no one expected Avdija, considered by some to be the best long-term prospect in the draft, to fall to No. 9. But Washington took advantage and added one of the most talented offensive players on the board, giving them a fearsome scoring trio with John Wall and Bradley Beal.

10. Phoenix Suns: Jalen Smith, F, Maryland

Grade: C+

Outside of the Bulls selecting Williams, this might have been the most head-scratching pick of the lottery. Most analysts had Smith pegged in the mid-teens at the highest, and likely in the 20s. He does, however, have lots of potential as a rim protector alongside DeAndre Ayton. Phoenix likely could have gotten him a lot later, though.

Picks No. 11-20

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Kathleen Batten/Associated Press

11. San Antonio Spurs: Devin Vassell, G/F, Florida State

Grade: B+

Vassell was expected to be the first Seminoles player selected, but that honor went to Williams. He comes into a Spurs organization that has fallen into mediocrity—neither good enough to compete for playoff berths but not bad enough to be selecting at the top of the lottery.

Vassell is an elite wing defender and shot 41 percent from behind the arc at FSU. If he can continue that into his pro career, the Spurs will have a nice piece to begin their rebuild around.

12. Sacramento Kings: Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State

Grade: B+

Originally thought to be a potential top-five prospect, Haliburton could be a massive steal for Sacramento if he continues the rate of improvement he showed at Iowa State. He can play alongside De'Aaron Fox as a spot-up shooter, and he has good defensive potential to boot.

13. New Orleans Pelicans: Kira Lewis Jr., G, Alabama

Grade: B-

Lewis is one of the most exciting offensive players in this year's draft, but how he plays alongside another point guard like Lonzo Ball will decide the success of this pick. His strength is end-to-end speed with the ball in his hands—which would seem to be negated by playing with Ball—and there are a lot of questions about whether he can hold up against bigger guards defensively.

14. Boston Celtics: Aaron Nesmith, G, Vanderbilt

Grade: B+

Of the pure shooters in this year's pool, Nesmith might be the best. He missed most of the 2019-20 season due to injury, but he was averaging 23 points per game and shooting 52 percent from the three-point line previously. If he's healthy, he gives Boston a capable scoring guard behind Jaylen Brown, and he could slide into the shooting guard spot if they move Brown to the 3 and Jayson Tatum to power forward.

15. Orlando Magic: Cole Anthony, G, North Carolina

Grade: B

Before last season, Anthony was considered in the same class as Edwards, Wiseman and Ball. His freshman year at North Carolina was tumultuous due to injuries—both his own and teammates'—and he ended up shouldering a heavy offensive load that plummeted his efficiency numbers. If he's healthy and can improve his three-point shooting, he could be a very good lead guard alongside Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon.

16. Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington

Grade: B+

Stewart was once considered a potential high lottery pick, but his production at Washington didn't exactly match expectations. Still, he's one of the most physically imposing players in the draft, and if he can live up to the extremely high ceiling he has, he and Hayes could be the centerpieces Detroit builds its future around.

17. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aleksej Pokusevski, F, Olympiacos Piraeus

Grade: B

Like fellow European Kristaps Porzingis, Pokusevski is what many basketball analysts consider a unicorn. His 7-foot frame is extremely slight, but his shooting, ball-handling and offensive versatility are extremely impressive. He needs a lot of work in the weight room to guard NBA forwards, but Oklahoma City is building for the future, not the present.

18. Dallas Mavericks: Josh Green, G, Arizona

Grade: A-

Dallas desperately needed a versatile wing who could both defend and score, and Green fits that profile perfectly. He's not particularly impressive creating off the dribble, but he doesn't need to be playing with Luka Doncic. His three-point shooting could improve a bit, but he hit 36 percent of his attempts last season at Arizona, which is a very respectable clip for a college freshman.

19. Detroit Pistons: Saddiq Bey, G/F, Villanova

Grade: A

No team was more aggressive on draft night than Detroit, with the Pistons getting three picks in the top 20. Bey, along with Stewart and Hayes, gives head coach Dwane Casey a high-ceiling trio to build around. Bey was considered a potential lottery pick, and despite shooting nearly 46 percent from the three-point line, he nearly fell into the 20s. However, he could be another late steal, and he'll fit nicely as a 3-and-D wing in Detroit's rebuild.

20. Miami Heat: Precious Achiuwa, F, Memphis

Grade: B+

Miami desperately needed a power forward to supplement Bam Adebayo, and it found exactly that with Achiuwa. His offensive game needs serious refinement, but the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year averaged a double-double this season and has tons of energy and defensive potential.

Picks No. 21-30

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Sam Craft/Associated Press

21. Philadelphia 76ers: Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky

Grade: B-

The potential championship window in Philadelphia is closing quickly, and the Sixers desperately need another scorer to play with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Maxey can do that, but his shooting struggles make this a perplexing choice. Simmons plays almost exclusively inside the three-point line in the half court, and Embiid takes up a lot of offensive real estate. If Maxey's shooting improves, this might make more sense.

22. Denver Nuggets: Zeke Nnaji, F/C, Arizona

Grade: B

Denver didn't have many holes this season as it made the Western Conference Finals, but it very much needed an athletic big man to complement Nikola Jokic inside. Nnaji was the Pac-12's Freshman of the Year, and he brings one of the more diverse offensive skill sets among the big men in this draft. If Denver can bring back Jerami Grant this offseason, Nnaji has a chance to develop without being thrown directly into the fire.

23. Minnesota Timberwolves: Leandro Bolmaro, FC Barcelona

Grade: C

If there's an overseas player getting NBA-like experience already, it's Bolmaro. Playing for FC Barcelona, one of the top international teams in the world, he has shown his versatility as a defender and facilitator. He's likely to spend at least a year and maybe a couple developing overseas, but he could be a nice pairing with D'Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns in the near future.

24. Denver Nuggets: RJ Hampton, G, New Zealand Breakers

Grade: A-

If Denver had a need outside of another big to play behind Nikola Jokic, it was another playmaking guard to take pressure off of Jamal Murray. Hampton can do just that. At 6'6", he has elite speed and ability to create shots for others with his driving ability. His shooting stroke needs some work, but like Nnaji, he will have time to develop without pressure to immediately contribute.

25. New York Knicks: Immanuel Quickley, G, Kentucky

Grade: B-

The confounding part of this pick isn't that Oklahoma City took Quickley, who was the SEC's Player of the Year in 2019-20; it was that the Thunder spent a first-round pick on him. He wasn't expected by almost anyone to go in Round 1, but he does add a potential scoring guard to play next to RJ Barrett.

26. Boston Celtics: Payton Pritchard, G, Oregon

Grade: B

The Celtics came into the draft needing a backup point guard to play behind Kemba Walker, and Pritchard is the most prototypical lead guard of anyone in this class. He won't blow anyone away with his athleticism, but he's a gritty, tough player, an excellent ball-handler and exactly the type of setup man Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Co need.

27. Utah Jazz: Udoka Azubuike, C, Kansas

Grade: C+

Just about anything goes toward the end of the first round, including surprise picks and international stash prospects. Azubuike falls into the former category. He was dominant at Kansas last season, averaging 13.7 points and 10.5 rebounds. But he's a true back-to-the-basket center in a league that is increasingly moving away from that style of basketball. He'll fill the backup center role behind Rudy Gobert, and if he can develop a bit more offensively, this pick could be a value one.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington

Grade: B-

McDaniels has a ton of upside if he can develop his offensive game and get significantly stronger. Of the forward prospects in this class, he's about as versatile as they come, and he's a nice potential piece for Minnesota to begin its rebuild around with Anthony Edwards, D'Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns.

29. Toronto Raptors: Malachi Flynn, G, San Diego State

Grade: B+

Flynn was one of the elite pick-and-roll offensive players in the draft and has the ability to pair nicely with Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet north of the border. His defensive mindset is perfect for Nick Nurse's system, and though he's not a plus athlete, he has the chance to learn behind Kyle Lowry and develop into a consistent starter in the future.

30. Memphis Grizzlies: Desmond Bane, G, TCU

Grade: A-

The Grizzlies have one of the best young duos in the league with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., and Bane's shooting ability—44 percent from the three-point line—is a terrific complement to that. He's heralded by most analysts as an underrated defender, and his scoring ability will take some pressure off Morant to carry so much of that load.