As we progress further and further into the non-sports abyss, the NBA has a lot of awesome prospects to look forward to when it comes to the 2020 NBA Draft. NBA Draft prospects from all over the world, both from the NCAA and from other top-tier leagues across the globe, are all vying for their next chances at stardom in the United States.
Sports may be something that is farthest from the mind of most people during these dire times, and with no March Madness tournament to help with player progressions and rankings, there will not be this year’s Tyler Herro that puts together an impressive tournament performance and parlays that into a first-round selection, proving his worth.
This list will put strengths and weaknesses alike of what can be considered a pool of the 50 best NBA Draft prospects looking to be selected this year.
50 – 45
Marcus Howard, Myles Powell, Ashton Hagans, Trendon Watford, Vernon Carey Jr.
Marcus Howard, Point Guard
Marquette
Howard is a shooter, and as big of a shooter as they come. His willingness to let the ball fly whenever he’s open helps drive up his shot percentage, yet he continued to make his presence felt from beyond the arc.
As the main playmaker for Marquette, Howard parlayed his successful career with Marquette and his shooting stroke into a chance at the NBA. He fits in the draft somewhat similar to what Carsen Edwards of Purdue did last year and should be able to latch onto a team and earn a back-end rotational role.
Myles Powell, Guard
Seton Hall
Continuing the run on Big East guards, Myles Powell’s ability to take over a game at any point can help lead a team in their second units.
Ashton Hagans, Point Guard
Kentucky
Defensively, Ashton Hagans jumps off the board, but his offensive abilities are questionable. If he is able to latch onto the right team for their second unit or 3-and-D guy, Hagans could be a great fit.
Trendon Watford, Forward
LSU
Filling the stat sheet for LSU, Trendon Watford was a do-it-all player that showed a willingness to shoot the ball but not necessarily make his outside shots. Shooting a shade under 49% from the field is a solid number for a player that averaged 2.2 3PA per contest, Watford’s first year as a Tiger may be his last, and he would be a guy that does not jump off the page but does a lot of things right.
Vernon Carey Jr., Forward
Duke
Carey Jr. will have a difficult time adjusting to the NBA’s physicality, especially with his thin body type and his lack of physicality. Coming from Duke will certainly help his abilities, but he still is behind the eight ball in league acclimation.
44 – 40
Killian Tillie (F), Trayce Jackson-Davis (PF/C), Xavier Tillman (PF/C), Zeke Nnaji (PF), Aaron Henry (SG)
Of these five players, Aaron Henry, projects to be the roughest to acclimate to the speed of the NBA, Killian Tillie is going to be a big surprise and make people eat their words about how playing against low competition hurt him, Trayce Jackson-Davis will be able to bring back an old-school feel to the league, Xavier Tillman will use his Michigan State pedigree to make a team be thankful they chose him, and Zeke Nnaji will need to show out in pre-draft workouts (if they happen) to show scouts that his NCAA career was only a slight look into his NBA capabilities.
39 – 35
Devon Dotson (PG), Jordan Nwora (SF/PF), Saben Lee (SG), Malachi Flynn (PG), Kira Lewis Jr. (PG)
Devon Dotson projects to be the best player of this grouping of five, although Jordan Nwora is not far behind. Both players are Swiss army knives for their teams.
Saben Lee played the role of the floor general for the Vanderbilt Commodores, Malachi Flynn will immensely benefit from the San Diego State’s 27-1 record to jumpstart his NBA career, and Kira Lewis Jr.’s young age will make him a moldable prospect.
34 – 30
Jahmi’us Ramsey (SG), Tyler Bey (PF), Jalen Smith (PF/C), Cassius Stanley (SG), Robert Woodard II (PF)
Cassius Stanley is the biggest name in this group of five players, yet may be ultimately passed up by all five come draft day.
Ramsey has shot his way into the conversation, Bey has flown up draft boards lately, Smith has struggled a bit while at Maryland but is extremely explosive, and Robert Woodard II has shot well for a big man (even on limited shot opportunities) and will rely on his stature and size to mold him into an NBA-quality big man.
29 – 25
Cassius Winston (PG), Daniel Oturu (C), Josh Green (SF/PF), Nico Mannion (PG), Tre Jones (PG)
Cassius Winston is the biggest name here, but Nico Mannion has seemingly fallen the farthest in the draft rankings due to an inconsistent career at Arizona.
24 – 20
Aaron Nesmith (SF), Precious Achiuwa (PF/C), Isaiah Stewart (C), Grant Riller (PG), Devin Vassell (SF)
Grant Riller is the biggest surprise in this group, as the Charlotte point guard has been a model of scoring consistency the past three years, and would be a nice 10-point option off the bench for a late-first team. Achiuwa has failed to live up to some of his high potential when he joined Memphis, and the others are household names that should fit in just fine as role players.
19 – 15
Tyrese Haliburton (PG), Jaden McDaniels (SF/PF), Tyrell Terry (PG), Saddiq Bey (SF), Theo Maledon (PG)
Tyrese Haliburton is coming off an injury, Jaden McDaniels and Tyrell Terry are solid plug-and-play bench options, Saddiq Bey is a solid Villanova tweener, and Theo Maledon is the first stud international prospect on the list.
14 – 10
Aleksej Pokusevski (PF), Patrick Williams (PF), RJ Hampton (SG), Leandro Bolmaro (SG), Obi Toppin (PF)
Aleksej Pokusevski and Leandro Bolmaro continue the strong international flare in this draft ranking, Patrick Williams comes from the strong program of Florida State, RJ Hampton may get pushed down due to the number of guards high in this draft, and Obi Toppin settles in near the top 10.
9 – 5
Cole Anthony (PG), Tyrese Maxey (SG), Onyeka Okongwu (C), Isaac Okoro (SF/PF), Killian Hayes (PG)
Tyrese Maxey, Cole Anthony, and Killian Hayes may get pushed down in the draft due to the influx of high-end guards, and Onyeka Okongwu and Isaac Okoro have been flying up draft boards due to their respective late-season climbs.
4 – 1
James Wiseman (C), Deni Avdija (SF), Lamelo Ball (PG), Anthony Edwards (SG)
Of the final four prospects on this list, the first four off the board will have the biggest team impacts. Edwards is the better all-around prospect, Wiseman is the best big-man in the draft, Avdija is a great Maccabi Tel Aviv player, and Ball brings with him all the expected baggage as a Ball brother does, but he performs quite well on the court.
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