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The Shadow League Top 10 NBA ’20 Draft Prospects

Posted by | Published on: | Updated on November 19, 2020 CommentsComments (0)

The virtual NBA Draft will take place on November 18th. It seems as if Melo Ball has risen to the top of the Draft heap, but there are other ballers who could emerge as franchise players.

Here are the 10 best players in the 2020 NBA Draft.

 LaMelo Ball – IlIawara Hawks (Australia)

Guard – 6’7 (19 Years Old)

NBA Comparisons – Jason “White Chocolate” Williams, Rajon Rondo, Shaun Livingston

There are few players in the world with the unique blend of size and skill that LaMelo Ball offers. I see a guy who combines the flashiness of Jason Williams, with the court vision of Rajon Rondo and the size and length of Shaun Livingston. Ironically he’s still one of the hardest players in this draft class to determine what the finished product will look like.

2.  Anthony Edwards – Georgia

Guard – 6’5 (19 Years Old)

NBA Comparisons – Donovan Mitchell, Eric Gordon, Dion Waiters

Edwards’ elite athleticism and explosiveness give him a chance to distinguish himself as one of the players with the most star power in this draft class. He has the ability to score already, but as he continues to develop it could become something he can do in bunches as his shooting improves on the pro level.

3.  James Wiseman – Memphis

Center – 7’1 (19 Years Old)

NBA Comparisons – Myles Turner, Chris Bosh, Hassan Whiteside

Wiseman has a solid frame that he’s worked on since leaving Memphis after playing just 5 college games. He possesses great instincts that translate well to the defensive end of the floor. His size alone could make him a feared presence as a rim protector like Hassan Whiteside. He’s a little too reliant on his jump shot, but if he starts to utilize other aspects of his arsenal, I see Myles Turner. His AAU and college coach Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway compares the southpaw to Chris Bosh.

4.  Deni Avdija – Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel)

Forward – 6’9 (19 Years Old)

NBA Comparisons – Hedo Turkoglu, Nicolas Batum, Mario Hezonja

Avdija has a point forward mentality. He’s capable of leading the break in transition and the open court. He needs to become a better range shooter at the NBA level. If that happens he can be a more athletic version of Hedo Turkoglu, who was 6’10 and averaged 5.0 assists per game, while shooting 40.0 percent from the land of three in his best statistical season (2007-08).

5.  Killian Hayes – Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)

Guard – 6’5 (19 Years Old)

NBA Comparisons – D’Angelo Russell, Goran Dragic

Hayes is a 6’5 left-handed combo guard, capable of playing on or off the ball as either a playmaker or a shooter. His style will immediately favor that of “DRuss”, which of course, would be very intriguing to teams selecting in the lottery and in need of backcourt help.

6.  Obi Toppin – Dayton

Forward – 6’9 (22 Years Old)

NBA Comparisons – John Collins, Marvin Bagley, Kyle Kuzma

Obi will enter the league as the most offensively-polished rookie. Much like Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins, he has very impressive offensive pop for his 6’9 height. Toppin is a willing shooter from the position like Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma. Where he struggles is on the defensive end and that’s a bit surprising for a guy with his athleticism and length.

7.  Tyrese Haliburton – Iowa State

Guard – 6’5 (20 Years Old)

NBA Comparisons – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lonzo Ball, Monte Morris

Haliburton’s physical make-up is very similar to Shai Gilgeous- Alexander. He has excellent court vision, the same skill that scouts praised Lonzo Ball for having in his pre-draft evaluations.  And he’s shown that he can be a high-impact player with low usage sort of like Monte Morris.

8.  Onyeka Okongwu – USC

Forward – 6’9 (19 Years Old)

NBA Comparisons – Bam Adebayo, Montrezl Harrell, Tristan Thompson

Okongwu has been compared to Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo. That comparison may still be a bit premature as Okongwu doesn’t possess anywhere near the playmaking skills that Bam has developed. His NBA future could resemble that of a longtime pro and rotational staple in the frontcourt.

9.  Isaac Okoro – Auburn

Wing – 6’6 (19 Years Old)

NBA Comparisons – Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala, Justice Winslow

Okoro is a defensive-minded wing in the mold of Jimmy Butler. He’s an Uber-athlete, known for intensity, tenacity and speed. His college coach Bruce Pearl compared him to Andre Iguodala for his ability to affect the game in a multiplicity of ways. Okoro still needs to stretch his shooting range beyond five-feet. That will be the next developmental step he’ll have to take for long-term success in the league.

10.  Cole Anthony – UNC

Guard – 6’3 (20 Years Old)

NBA Comparisons – Jamal Murray, Ben Gordon

Anthony didn’t have the impact many expected during his time in Chapel Hill. Many of his setbacks can be attributed to injury. Some have nitpicked his game, but he took the court 22 times for UNC in 2019 and averaged 19.5 points, 5,7 rebounds, and 4 assists per game and about 35% from 3 on a Tar Heels team that was not as talent-laden as past teams. His high school performances and on the AAU circuit showed some incredible productivity. There’s still a ton of belief he could be a star-studded combo guard at the NBA level.

Other Top Players To Be On The Lookout For:

Devin Vassell – Florida St/ 6’7 Wing/Compared To Robert Covington, Danny Green, and Mikal Bridges

Patrick Williams – Florida St/ 6’8 Wing/Compared To Jayson Tatum, Rudy Gay, and OG Anunoby

Tyrese Maxey – Kentucky/6’3 Guard/Compared To Lou Williams, Jarrett Jack, and Eric Bledsoe

#PoVMasonSports

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