2020 Nba Draft 1St Pick

Wiseman entered college as the No. 1 recruit in the class and has long been identified as a possible top overall draft pick. He has great size and length for a center, and has shown incredible end-to-end speed running the open floor. His game is going to be protecting the rim on defense, catching lobs, and getting putbacks on offense. Wiseman should be a good player, but his limited versatility makes him feel like an underwhelming No. 2 overall pick. He isn't a polished shooter or passer on offense and defensively lacks lateral quickness and quick jumping ability. Despite having a relatively narrow skill set, Wiseman should be ready to handle minutes as a rookie just based on his elite frame and ability to run the floor.

We would have Onyeka Okongwu as the top big man prospect, but Wiseman certainly should have a long and productive career even if it doesn't feel like he has all that much upside. By all indications, the Wolves did everything they could to trade this pick but couldn't find a team that wanted it. Edwards has otherworldly athletic explosiveness, but he isn't a polished decision-maker on either end.

That shows up defensively and also in his subpar scoring efficiency, where he finished with 51.7 percent true shooting. Having two other takeover scorers next to him should ease Edwards' transition into the NBA, but the Wolves should be thinking long-term with his development. He needs to improve his focus and effort defensively and force his way to the rim more consistently instead of settling for jumpers. Edwards still has a high long-term upside with his raw athleticism and shot-making ability, but he has a long way to go before he's a winning player in the NBA. Azubuike is a massive center at 7-foot, 270 pounds with a reported 7'6 wingspan.

'Dok' was the most dominant physical presence in college basketball this season as a senior at Kansas, getting buckets at will as an inside scorer and improving his defense in the middle. For as good as Azubuike was in college, it feels like his game doesn't fit the modern NBA. Teams will target him in pick-and-rolls and force him to defend in space.

Despite the C grade here, Azubuike is huge and strong and has soft touch close to the rim, so there is some upside here for Utah. Maxey is a perfect fit in Philadelphia as an aggressive guard who shines attacking the rim and playing physical point of attack defense with a 6'6 wingspan. While he didn't shoot the ball as well as expected in college, he was a great free throw shooter who should improve from three-point range in time. For now, Maxey's touch on floaters and his ability to contort his body for tough finishes at the rim will be a nice addition next to Ben Simmons' oversized playmaking at the four. Maxey deserved to be a lottery pick, but he found a great home on the Sixers. Chicago's decision to take Williams will stand as one of the most fascinating evaluations in this draft, both in the short and long-term, and this is a major swing on upside, but also a measured one.

Williams was viewed by teams as a potential lottery pick dating back to the spring, and as the entire NBA pored over game film and assessed the draft over the course of the year. The youngest college player in the draft, Williams quietly came into play as Chicago's likely choice over the past couple days. This is Arturas Karnisovas' first selection at the helm in Chicago, and it should stand as a memorable one, one way or another.

The Blazers have had a hole at the small forward position for seemingly forever. While Gary Trent Jr. and Carmelo Anthony played admirably during the bubble, the team needs a player that's bigger than Trent and younger and more defensively-capable than Melo. Saddiq Bey out of Villanova seems like an obvious fit here at no. 16 for Portland. He's a good defender and has good size (6-foot-8 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan).

And despite having an unorthodox looking shot, he shot an impressive 45.1 percent from three on 5.6 three-point attempts per game as a sophomore with Villanova last season. Whether the Hornets trade for Russell Westbrook or not (which would be quite ill-advised), they'll want to pick the prospect with the most upside at no. 3 regardless. So while Onyeka Okongwu has been linked to Charlotte here, the right choice is the ultra-talented, ultra-risky LaMelo Ball.

Despite his shaky shot selection and allergy to playing defense, Ball is the only player in this draft with elite playmaking abilities. And, at 6-foot-7, he could be a potential nightmare of a mismatch for opposing guards once he learns the NBA game. The Pistons end the first round with a wing after already landing a point guard and a big . Bey is a 6'8 swingman who hit 45 percent of his three-pointers and showed surprising skill in the pick-and-roll and in transition.

The shooting should translate, but there are legitimate questions about how versatile his skill set can be beyond that. Bey had a sound defensive reputation in college, but he'll have to prove he can stick with faster NBA players, or he'll be forced to move up the four. This isn't the most exciting pick, but Bey's shooting would help any team, especially one that just drafted Killian Hayes to set the table.

Anthony is a 6'2 guard whose off-the-dribble shooting ability should be a major addition in Orlando. A consensus top-five recruit entering college, Anthony had a trying freshman season at North Carolina that included a torn meniscus. While he couldn't carry a flawed supporting cast to success, Anthony's game might translate better in the pros. Anthony likely doesn't project as a full-time lead engine because his passing chops are unpolished, and he was underwhelming attacking the rim on drives.

Instead, Anthony can play off Markelle Fultz's ball handling and focus on darting around the three-point line, ripping shots, and attacking closeouts. It feels like this pick fills a big need for the Magic and also gives the organization a player who has more upside than he showed in college. Toppin was widely expected to be off the board by No. 8, and the Knicks are reportedly thrilled to have him fall. As a redshirt sophomore, Toppin was the most dominant player in college basketball and an incredible finisher at the rim who also made major strides with his jump shot.

He could be awesome offensively, provided New York can find a way to replicate the pristine four-out spacing Toppin played within at Dayton. Toppin can't anchor the defense at center and he doesn't have the quickness to defend new-age fours. The Knicks will need a team of determined defenders around him, but his offensive ceiling is so high that this seems like a perfectly fine pick even if New York had a bigger need at guard. Maxey could end up as one of the better value picks in this draft, falling out of the teens to a nice, cushy landing spot in Philadelphia. Some scouts viewed him as a talent with lottery-level upside, and the Sixers will hope he's the next Kentucky product to take a major leap at the NBA level.

He'll have time to learn how to fit in and should benefit from landing in a competitive situation immediately. Maxey will begin as a role player for Philly, but could be an outstanding bench piece and potential starter in time. As a freshman at Florida State last season, Patrick Williams' numbers weren't eye-popping -- he was just a high-level role player who did a lot of things well without much fanfare. But scouts I've talked to rave about him and his NBA potential because of his size (6-8), wingspan (6-11) and defensive playmaking potential.

The second Seminole selected on the night, Vassell was one of the most improved players in all of college basketball last year, spearheading Florida State to its first ACC regular-season title. Vassell will fit in nicely with San Antonio's disciplined system, bringing length at 6-7 and potential to be a defensive stopper on the wing. McDaniels couldn't live up to his high school hype as a five-star recruit at Washington. The skinny 6'10 wing struggled to score efficiently with 51.5 percent true shooting and finished the season with 100 turnovers to 65 assists. There were better bets at this point in the first round, but the Wolves are obviously weighing pre-college sample more heavily than what happened in college for both McDaniels and No. 1 pick Edwards. McDaniels has some upside because of his size and scoring instincts, but we thought there were better players on the board.

If this draft class lacks an obvious star like Zion Williamson or Luka Doncic, it does have a collection of talented players who fit into larger trends taking over the league. LaMelo Ball has excellent size for a lead playmaker with advanced ball handling and passing ability. Anthony Edwards has every physical attribute, but suffered from inconsistency at both ends. Onyeka Okongwu might not be the first big man draft, but he feels like the most complete front court prospect in the draft as a potential defensive anchor who is efficient in his offensive chances. A player some had pegged for the lottery, Hampton took a bit of a tumble here on draft night, and it's one that, quietly, was somewhat predictable. He took a risk playing in New Zealand this season, and his stock dropped after his play in the NBL raised questions about his feel and shooting ability.

But he's a high-octane athlete and another interesting pickup for the Nuggets, who have had recent success taking upside swings on players like Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol. Stewart is a player many teams have grown to love, and for whom the Pistons were willing to pay up, sending a future first-rounder and second-rounder to the Rockets in exchange for the chance to draft him here. Stewart is a rugged, tough center who knows exactly what his strengths are, and he eventually rose in the draft, with at least one other team angling to move up and select him, I'm told.

Detroit will hope he's a culture-setting piece for them, and his willingness to do the small things should help make the rest of his team better. He's more of a floor pick than an upside swing, but the Pistons ended up picking three times in the first round, and get their man here. But the Celtics have talent on the wing and don't need him to play much right away, and have to view him as a potentially special shooter once healthy. This has the potential to be a strong pick for Boston, presuming he returns to full health.

It is not an understatement to call the Knicks' love of Toppin one of the worst-kept secrets in the NBA. As of Wednesday morning, New York was attempting to move up in the draft, and rival teams were widely speculating that Toppin was their target. As it turns out, he was available to them at their pick, and will step in immediately as one of the faces of their team. Toppin was the best player in college basketball last season, and while he's 22 years old—ancient for a lottery pick—his unique, late-blooming trajectory has produced some optimism that he'll deliver on his promise. Toppin has defensive concerns that the Knicks will have to work around.

But the presence of several bigs on their roster should not be viewed as a serious issue, as R.J. Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and now Toppin are their only essential pieces of the future. Toppin should be in the mix for Rookie of the Year if he hits the ground running. The Hawks' selection of Okongwu here is a commitment to shoring up their defense long-term behind Trae Young.

Several teams attempted to trade up for him, but Atlanta's comfort drafting ultimately won out and made him the choice here. Per sources, Okongwu is dealing with a toe injury that could cause him to miss a small amount of time to start the season, but that was a non-issue for teams as far as the medical piece was concerned. Atlanta's recent trade for Clint Capela suggests Okongwu will come off the bench to start the season, or that the Hawks may move on from Capela. But Okongwu was the most NBA-ready defender among the available bigs in this draft, and gives the Hawks a young piece at the position they needed most long-term.

Okoro is actually a nice fit with the Cavs' core, which currently consists of three score-first guards and has little defensive backbone, and should be able to log minutes for them on the wing next season. If his jump shot improves, his upside is substantial, but for a lot of teams, the if was a bit too much to take the leap. This pick makes sense for the Cavs now that they've made it, but was not what many were expecting. Assuming the Thunder decide to rebuild this offseason, Theo Maledon would be a good value pick at no. 25 as he was once viewed as a high lottery pick before he injured his shoulder last fall. Maledon is a decent-sized point guard (6-foot-4 with a rangy wingspan) who can play on or off the ball on offense and projects to be a solid defender in the NBA. Hailing from the same town in France as Tony Parker, Maledon definitely has some of the same nice touch from mid-range and around the rim as Parker once did.

He'd give the Thunder another big, savvy guard to play next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for years to come. This is the point in the draft where good teams like the Mavericks start to draft for fit over upside. The one thing a team with Luka Doncic can never get enough of is floor spacing. Enter Aaron Nesmith - a scintillating shooter out of Vanderbilt. Looking at Nesmith's three-point percentage last season (52.2 percent on over eight attempts per game!!) will make you do a double-take, maybe even a triple-take.

Nesmith is considered one of the best three-point shooters in the draft. He hit 52 percent of his threes as a sophomore for Vanderbilt through the first 14 games before suffering a season-ending stress fracture in his foot. After hitting only 33.7 percent of his threes as a freshman, it's fair to wonder where Nesmith's shooting would have come in over a full season.

The bigger issue is his lack of off-the-dribble game and how he struggles to beat the defense as a passer. Nesmith is a long wing (6'10 wingspan) with a signature skill, but it doesn't feel like there's much versatility in his game. Hayes is a great value at No. 7 for Detroit and fills the team's biggest need. The 6'5 French point guard can make every read on the floor and showed major improvement as a spot-up shooter in his first year in the German league. While Hayes isn't an explosive athlete going to the rim, he knows how to change speeds and keep defenses off balance. He's also a wonderful defender who makes sharp, instinctual rotations and should have the body to eventually check three positions.

His catch-and-shoot ability isn't quite as good as his pull-up shooting, so fixing his spot-up mechanics will be key. Hayes is also very left-hand dominant at this point, so he'll need to develop his right hand. For all the questions about his athleticism and shooting, Hayes projects to have a positive impact on both offense and defense and still has plenty of room to grow as one of the younger prospects in this draft. Detroit just found the point guard it has been looking for. The first real shock of the draft is Chicago picking Williams at No. 4.

The youngest American born player in the draft, Williams didn't start a game for Florida State but flashed rim protection and spot-up shooting potential at the four. Williams will get most of his offense on catch-and-shoots from the corner, attacking closeouts, and flashing a little dribble pull-up game. Defensively, he isn't quite quick enough to have elite versatility, but he's a force walling up at the rim. He likely won't provide the type of volume scoring teams look for with a top-five pick, but he gives new Chicago VP Arturas Karnisovas a bunch of different avenues to continue building the team going forward. McDaniels is a nice buy-low opportunity for the Timberwolves, who were thought to have him in the mix at No. 17, and were able to navigate backward and still get him here.

McDaniels has often been a mystifying player, but teams are always intrigued by players his size who have perimeter skill and shot-blocking instincts. This is a pure upside swing for the Wolves with their final first-round selection, but a justifiable one for sure. The Pistons picked up this pick in a three-team dealt that sent Luke Kennard to the Clippers and Landry Shamet to the Nets—one that is worth unpacking as it pertains to next season's title race. Most teams expected him to land in the range, and while his upside is not massive, he's a productive, consistent two-way player with three-point range who can play either forward spot at his size. Detroit placed a high premium on character and reliability with their draft, landing Hayes and Isaiah Stewart in addition to Bey here.

Safe to say, this has shaped up as a solid first draft class for Pistons GM Troy Weaver. New Orleans adds to a strong collection of young talent with Lewis, whose ability to play on and off the ball should enable him to mesh effectively with Lonzo Ball when they share the floor. Lewis may be the fastest player in the draft, and fits neatly with the Pelicans' identity as an uptempo team built around Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.

Lewis' size may be an issue on defense situationally, but he has no pronounced hole in his game otherwise, and won't have to bite off more than he can chew in terms of minutes next season. He was considered in play in the 8-10 range, and the Pelicans will be happy to have him here. The Suns delivered the first massive surprise of the draft for the second year in a row, grabbing Smith, a player who many felt was ticketed for the teens or early 20s. There were certainly teams who were optimistic about his long-term future—Smith is a talented shooter for his size and also a capable shot-blocker, a combination of traits that are always in demand. But his physical stiffness and limited mobility was concerning for a number of scouts, and he rated as a late first-rounder on my personal board.