Where would RJ Barrett have been selected in the 2020 NBA Draft?

It’s becoming more and more common to hear experts saying that the 2020 NBA Draft doesn’t have a lot of top-end talent, but where would RJ Barrett have gone

It’s becoming more and more common to hear experts saying that the 2020 NBA Draft doesn’t have a lot of top-end talent, but where would RJ Barrett have gone if he entered the selection process this year instead of 2019?

All of the projected top-five picks, including Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, and LaMelo Ball, have major flaws and perplexing upside. But, someone has to go first.

Comparing the top talent in a single NBA draft is hard to do, but trying to figure out where a prospect from another year’s draft would land is even harder.

That led the hosts of the Locked On Knicks Podcast to debate where former No. 3 pick from the 2019 Draft RJ Barrett would go in the 2020 Draft.

Host Alex Wolfe maintains that knowing what we know now, RJ would be the No. 1 pick in the draft, but Gavin Schall strongly disagreed.

Alex Wolfe: If you plugged NBA RJ Barrett in this draft, he would still go No. 1. I mean, I don't think that that any prospect in this draft has shown the overall skill set that RJ did, like by any stretch. I think Duke RJ would for sure go No. 1. I mean, I don't think that there's any question to me that he's way more valuable than the number eight overall pick this year…

Gavin Schall: I just have to push back on that. I think he might be top five. I don't think he’d be the No. 1 just because with the number one pick, especially in this year's draft, it's so much about upside.

There are some people who even push back against this, but I would say RJ’s definitely going to be a good NBA player for a long time. I genuinely believe he's on that trajectory. He's going to be a long-term contributor, but there are so many people with the No. 1 pick who just say alright, I want to swing for superstar. And I would also argue after his rookie year, I'm fairly sure that RJ Barrett isn't going to ever be a superstar, and I'm feeling you'd push back against that. And a lot of people would push back against that. But that's my take on it. But I think somewhere like slightly above eight is where I'd have RJ Barrett in this year’s draft.