2020 NBA Draft Big Board: Top 60 Prospect Rankings

With the 2019-20 NBA season having been delayed, there’s a lot of uncertainty as to when the 2020 NBA draft will actually be held. But with the college season now over, teams should have a relatively good idea about how they feel about certain guys. Many scouts and members of the media have had plenty of time to look into this class, so teams should at least have initial rankings on these prospects. With that said, here’s a look at how my board looks today (keep in mind, this is not a mock draft):

Tier 1

1) LaMelo Ball [18, 6-6, Illawarra Hawks]

Out of everybody in this class, Melo has the best chance of becoming a superstar. While there are concerns about his ability to shoot the ball, Melo is the most gifted playmaker in the draft. The way he sets his teammates up for success is truly special, especially considering his size at the position. Defensively, Melo will have you scratching your head a couple of times each game. But he’s a better team defender than given credit for, and he has the length to guard three positions. Overall, I see him becoming a great player in the NBA.

2) Anthony Edwards [18, 6-5, Georgia]

Edwards’ lone season at Georgia was a bit underwhelming, as he ended up shooting just 40.2 percent from the floor and 29.4 percent from three. However, Edwards’ supporting cast wasn’t great. He also had to deal with defenses that were game-planning specifically for him. The reality is that Edwards is built like a linebacker, and he can score at all three levels. That makes him one of the safest bets in this draft, and there’s at least a path to stardom. Especially if he ends up with a good team, like Golden State.

Tier 2

3) Killian Hayes [18, 6-5, ratiopharm Ulm]

Hayes has good size for a lead guard, and he has excellent feel for the game. He rivals Melo as the top passer in this draft, and he’ll give his next team a lot of positional versatility to play with. Hayes’ biggest question mark is his shooting, which has been an up-and-down skill for him thus far. But he does have relatively good mechanics, which makes it easy to buy into him finding success long term. Defensively, he’s not going to kill you. Given his offensive prowess, that’s good enough.

4) Onyeka Okongwu [19, 6-9, USC]

Okongwu is a bit smaller than you’d want a center to be, but he makes up for it in length and strength. As far as bigs go, Okongwu is the best defender in this draft. He has good instincts and he’s quick enough to guard on the perimeter. Offensively, he’s a good finisher, with good touch around the rim. Big men have been devalued greatly in the modern NBA, but Okongwu is too good to sit around for long on draft night.

5) Tyrese Maxey [19, 6-3, Kentucky]

Maxey’s jumper abandoned him completely in his lone season at Kentucky, as he shot just 29.2 percent from three. However, his mechanics are nowhere near broken, and he has great touch in the mid-range game. Considering his ability to score in other ways, it’s easy to envision him being a three-level scorer in the NBA. Maxey is also a feisty defender, which raises his floor significantly.

Tier 3

6) Obi Toppin [22, 6-9, Dayton]

Toppin is a little older than you’d want a lottery pick to be, and his inability to defend really brings him down as a prospect. But the 2020 Player of the Year (Wooden Award, Naismith and AP) is also one of the best offensive players in the draft, as he feasts around the basket and can also step out and knock down jumpers.

7) Tyrese Haliburton [20, 6-5, Iowa State]

Haliburton is an absolute basketball genius, and he also possesses the size and length that teams love to see in a lead guard. But Haliburton’s elite ability to hit catch-and-shoot jumpers will also allow him to play off the ball. The biggest issue here is whether or not he improves his unorthodox release. He’s not a great off-the-dribble shooter, which limits his scoring upside.

8) Isaac Okoro [19, 6-6, Auburn]

Okoro is one of the best defenders in the draft, as he has the ability to take the opposing team’s best wing completely out of a game. But while he’s a really good passer on the other end of the floor, the development of his jumper will ultimately decide how good he’ll be. Quite frankly, he’s not even close as an outside shooter right now.

9) James Wiseman [19, 7-1, Memphis]

The fact that Wiseman played only three college games makes him a tough evaluation. He clearly has tantalizing size and impressive athleticism, which will make him a good rim-runner offensively. But it’s a bit hard to trust him on the defensive end. To this point, he hasn’t shown much fluidity in stepping out and guarding on the perimeter.

10) Kira Lewis Jr. [19, 6-3, Alabama]

Lewis isn’t as good of a passer as the other lead guards in this draft, but he could end up being the best scorer of the bunch. He has blazing speed with the ball in his hands, and he’s a better shooter than you’d think. For teams that have other playmakers scattered throughout their lineups, Lewis is an intriguing option.

11) Deni Avdija [19, 6-9, Maccabi Tel Aviv]

Avdija comes from a very competitive league, but he has still found a way to be productive. He’s a smart basketball player, capable of helping his teams without needing the ball in his hands. Avdija’s jumper needs to get better at the next level, but his IQ and versatility are appealing.

12) Saddiq Bey [21, 6-8, Villanova]

Bey turned himself into an elite shooter at Villanova, which makes him an ideal fit in the NBA as a small-ball power forward. When considering the fact he’s a good perimeter defender, it’s hard to imagine a world in which he’s not at least a very good role player.

13) Devin Vassell [19, 6-7, Florida State]

Vassell is one of the best wing defenders in this class, but he also has flashed some excellent catch-and-shoot ability. Even if he never adds an in-between game offensively, those two skills are enough for him to earn a lot of money in the pros.

Tier 4

14) Cole Anthony [19, 6-3, North Carolina]

Anthony was the second-ranked player in the 2019 ESPN 100, but his freshman season was a bit of a disaster. The talent around him was a big part of that, but Anthony struggled a bit individually. He should still be able to score in the NBA, but I’m not high on any of his supporting skills.

15) Theo Maledon [18, 6-4, ASVEL]

Maledon has a good feel for the game, and he looks like he is capable of being a two-way contributor at either guard spot. However, he does lack pop as an athlete and he needs to improve as a shooter.

16) Leandro Bolmaro [19, 6-7, Barcelona]

Bolmaro played for Barcelona’s B team, so we really haven’t seen him against high-level competition. But he has great size for a guy with a point guard’s skill set. That gives him the positional versatility teams desire. His jumper will be his swing skill, but I think he’ll end up shooting it well enough.

17) RJ Hampton [19, 6-5, New Zealand Breakers]

Hampton is explosive as can be with the ball in his hands, but he is going to need a lot of seasoning at the next level. He was also a sieve defensively in Australia, which isn’t a great sign.

18) Josh Green [19, 6-6, Arizona]

Green is a really good athlete, with great size and solid instincts. He should immediately come into the league and cause some problems on the defensive end. Offensively, Green is good in transition and looks like a three-and-D type. His jumper just needs to be slightly tweaked.

19) Jalen Smith [20, 6-10, Maryland]

Smith is the rare big man that is excellent shooting off movement. He should come into the league and space the floor right off the bat. But what else is he bringing to his team? He was a good rim protector in college, but he’s very slow in space. If he can improve his foot speed a little, he could be a poor man’s Myles Turner.

20) Precious Achiuwa [20, 6-9, Memphis]

By all accounts, Achiuwa looks the part of a long-term NBA contributor. He has ideal size as a small-ball power forward, and he’s very athletic for a guy with his kind of length. He does, however, have to continue to develop as a shooter, and he also needs to improve his awareness. If he can’t, he won’t be able to play many minutes.

21) Aleksej Pokusevski [18, 7-0, Olympiacos B]

A lot of NBA teams spend first-round picks looking for the next “unicorn,” and Pokusevski could be it. He moves unbelievably well for a guy that tall, and he has some real ball skills. He undeniably needs a ton of coaching, but somebody will take a shot early.

22) Patrick Williams [18, 6-8, Florida State]

If Williams can continue to improve as a catch-and-shoot guy, he’ll significantly outperform his draft slot. He’s a good defender and a good decision maker on the other end of the floor. It’s so easy to see him swinging games with his skill set as a small-ball four.

23) Xavier Tillman [21, 6-9, Michigan State]

Tillman is going to make is next team better the second he gets to his first practice. He might be a bit undersized as a center, but he’s an unbelievable defender. It’s hard to see that not translating. Offensively, Tillman makes great reads for a big. And it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s hitting pick-and-pop threes consistently one day.

24) Killian Tillie [22, 6-10, Gonzaga]

Tillie doesn’t have much upside compared to his peers, but what he does well is valuable right now. The big man is an excellent shooter from deep, and he’s a good passer as well. He’s also a bit underrated as a defender, where he isn’t going to block many shots but knows how to move his feet and make things difficult.

The Rest

Tier 5

25) Aaron Nesmith [20, 6-6, Vanderbilt]

26) Daniel Oturu [20, 6-10, Minnesota]

27) Nico Mannion [19, 6-3, Arizona]

28) Paul Reed [20, 6-9, DePaul]

29) Tre Jones [20, 6-2, Duke]

30) Tyrell Terry [19, 6-2, Stanford]

31) Zeke Nnaji [19, 6-10, Arizona]

32) Desmond Bane [21, 6-5, TCU]

33) Grant Riller [23, 6-3, Charleston]

34) Jahmi’us Ramsey [18, 6-4, Texas Tech]

35) Devon Dotson [20, 6-2, Kansas]

36) Isaiah Stewart [18, 6-9, Washington]

37) Payton Pritchard [22, 6-2, Oregon]

38) Jared Butler [19, 6-3, Baylor]

39) Vernon Carey Jr. [19, 6-10, Duke]

Tier 6

40) Cassius Winston [22, 6-1, Michigan State]

41) Malachi Flynn [22, 6-1, San Diego State]

42) Jaden McDaniels [19, 6-10, Washington]

43) Tyler Bey [22, 6-6, Colorado]

44) Isaiah Joe [20, 6-5, Arkansas]

45) Robert Woodard [20, 6-8, Mississippi State]

46) Jordan Nwora [21, 6-7, Louisville]

47) Cassius Stanley [20, 6-6, Duke]

48) Skylar Mays [22, 6-4, LSU]

49) Elijah Hughes [22, 6-6, Syracuse]

Tier 7

50) Chris Smith [20, 6-9, UCLA]

51) Udoka Azubuike [20, 7-0, Kansas]

52) Kaleb Wesson [20, 6-10, Ohio State]

53) Aaron Henry [20, 6-6, Michigan State]

54) Marko Simonovic [20, 6-10, Mega Bemax]

55) Myles Powell [22, 6-3, Seton Hall]

56) Mamadi Diakite [23, 6-10, Virginia]

57) Abdoulaye N’Doye [22, 6-7, Cholet]

58) Ty-Shon Alexander [21, 6-4, Creighton]

59) John Petty [21, 6-5, Alabama]

60) Jon Teske [23, 7-1, Michigan]