nbadraft.theringer.comThe Ringer's 2020 NBA Draft Guide

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience. PODCASTS NBA COLLEGE BASKETBALL The Ringer's 2020 NBA Draft Guide With Scouting Reports by Kevin O’Connor Presented by Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® No Credits Welcome to The Ringer ’s 2020 NBA Draft Guide. Up until June 25 (or whenever the event is actually held), this will be the hub for all of your draft needs. We’re launching with 30 scouting reports by Ringer staff writer Kevin O’Connor, breaking down the top prospects’ strengths, weaknesses, and closest NBA comparisons. We’re introducing badges that highlight each player’s key attributes. And in the weeks to come, you’ll find more draft coverage and analysis, including O’Connor’s two-round mock, needs for all 30 teams, and rankings that incorporate the latest news and developments. While the draft order isn’t yet set, teams are deep into their evaluations of prospects. And unlike last year’s class, headlined by Zion Williamson, it’s unclear who will go no. 1, with Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman, Killian Hayes, and more competing for the top spot. So what comes next? Find out by returning here early and often. Big Board Ringer NBA Draft 2020 Big Board by Kevin O’Connor Updated 4.15 Mock Draft Coming Soon Team Needs Coming Soon How much do you want to know? Skim Peruse Deep Dive Sort By Position All Guards Wings Bigs Check out all of The Ringer’s draft coverage. Big Board by Kevin O’Connor Updated 4.15 Mock Draft Coming Soon Team Needs Coming Soon All Draft Coverage Updated 4.15 -- How much do you want to know? See our full scouting reports in Deep Dive mode Skim Peruse Deep Dive Sort By Position All Guards Wings Bigs Check out all of The Ringer’s draft coverage. You’re reading Kevin O'Connor's Big Board , featuring the 2020 NBA draft prospects he considers the real deal. These rankings are O'Connor's personal top 30, and incorporate factors such as physical traits, college production, and skills that seem translatable to the next level. The Big Board will be updated to reflect all the twists and turns of the draft process. 01 -- KILLIAN HAYES Guard , Ulm / France Playmaking Perimeter Shooting Feel For The Game Off-Ball Defense PTS 11.6 16.8 per 36 AST 5.4 7.8 per 36 3PT% 29.4 102 3PA FT% 87.6 89 FTA Age 18.7 Wingspan 6'8.25'' Height 6'5'' Weight 215 Dynamic left-handed shot maker who’s made rapid progress at age 18, though he’s raw in some technical areas. Shades Of: D’Angelo Russell, Manu Ginobili PLUSES Playmaking is his best skill. He can whip passes off the dribble with accuracy and hit cutters or rollers with precision. Creative pick-and-roll facilitator. Despite his weak right hand, he gets where he wants and knows how to manipulate defenses to create passing angles and openings to score. Fluid ball handler with the size to outmuscle smaller guards. Excellent touch with his left hand finishing difficult floaters and runners, often after initiating contact. Displays major potential as an off-the-dribble 3-point shooter with Hardenesque moves. Added a stepback and sidestep 3 to his arsenal and uses hesitations to get into pull-ups. His catch-and-shoot shooting numbers are concerning, but he has smooth form, a soft touch inside, and a free throw percentage over 80—all of which suggest he’ll figure it out. Tall, with a strong frame and long arms, making him a projectably versatile defender against guards and wings. Active off-ball menace who could develop into a disruptive defensive helper. MINUSES Left-hand dominant: He might as well tie his right hand behind his back considering how little he uses it—there are some passes he can’t make since he relies on his left hand so much. Limited athlete who lacks burst and bounce, which hinders his finishing ability, especially since he rarely uses his right hand. Lacks an advanced handle. Picks up his dribble too often, which gets him into trouble. He’s shifty but doesn’t create a ton of separation and doesn’t string together advanced moves to break down defenses. Experiences lapses on defense, missing rotations and falling out of his on-ball stance. He needs to be more vocal as a lead guard to take better command of the team. Share To Facebook Share To Twitter MORE LESS Read our full scouting report 02 -- LAMELO BALL Guard , Illawarra Hawks Playmaking Feel For The Game Ballhandling PTS 17.0 19.6 per 36 REB 7.6 8.7 per 36 AST 6.8 7.9 per 36 EFG% 42.5 199 FGA Age 18.6 Wingspan 6'10'' Height 6'7'' Weight 190 Passes like he’s on the Harlem Globetrotters, and it somehow works; he needs to dramatically improve his scoring efficiency, but he has the upside to become one of the NBA’s best playmakers. Shades Of: Jason Williams, Lonzo Ball, Shaun Livingston PLUSES Ambidextrous passer with pinpoint accuracy and omnidirectional vision. He sees everything on the court, creating opportunities for teammates that most players simply don’t see or can’t pull off thanks to his innate ability to manipulate defenders. Excellent ball handler who uses hesitations to put defenders on skates. He uses advanced moves but always remains in control, dictating the pace like a drummer would a song’s tempo. Elite touch. Though he attempts too many floaters and shys away from contact, his ability to score creatively with either hand suggests he could develop into a finisher at the rim. Attentive off-ball player who cuts and adjusts to space well behind the arc. Great rebounder for his position like his older brother Lonzo. His instincts pop up here when tracking down boards. Versatile defender. He’s quick laterally and quite large for a point guard. He has the size to comfortably switch onto wings. MINUSES Ball is a great passer, but he can’t be classified as a great playmaker yet because of his decision-making. He jacks up poor shots early in the clock and settles far too often rather than attacking the rim. Poor shooting mechanics: He has no consistency with his form, other than his low release. As a solid free throw shooter with good touch on floaters, he has obvious upside. But his form—much like his brother’s—must be overhauled. Rarely initiates contact and avoids it around the rim. He doesn’t stay in his defensive stance and often keeps his hands down when closing out—or as Mark Jackson would say: “Hand down, man down.” Defensive discipline: He defaults to switching instead of fighting over screens and he falls out of position off-ball when chasing steals. Share To Facebook Share To Twitter MORE LESS Read our full scouting report 03 -- ANTHONY EDWARDS Guard , Georgia, freshman Athleticism Ballhandling PTS 19.1 23.1 per 40 REB 5.2 6.3 per 40 AST 2.8 3.4 per 40 EFG% 47.3 505 FGA Age 18.7 Wingspan 6'9'' Height 6'5'' Weight 225 Bruising scorer who can create space with his dribble and make tough shots from all over the court, but his decision-making leaves much to be desired. Shades Of: Victor Oladipo, Eric Gordon, Dion Waiters PLUSES Powerful driving to the rim; when he initiates contact, defenders bounce off him. Finishes with athleticism and displays soft touch with either hand. Dynamic shot-maker off the dribble; he fluidly transitions from complex dribbles, spins, and hesitations into pull-ups, stepbacks, and side steps. A freight train in transition; though his shot selection was iffy at Georgia, wide-open spacing in the NBA could lead to far more shots at the rim. Solid passer. Doesn’t possess elite court vision, and tends to react rather than create opportunities for teammates, but he can execute basic reads to shooters and cutters. Potentially a super-versatile defender thanks to his rare blend of size, strength, and agility. MINUSES Not a pure shooter; he settles for jumpers even against mismatches, which is especially frustrating for a player with his size and strength. Best suited to be in a multiple-ball-handler system next to a pass-first player because of his underwhel...