6. Deni Avdija, Maccabi Tel Aviv
Forward, 6-foot-8, 19 years old
One reason why Avdija’s stock is rising is his stellar play at the recent 2020 Eurobasket Qualifiers. He scored 21 points with eight rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal. Avdija also shot 3-for-6 from beyond the arc, showing his shooting may be an asset. The hype is there, too, as the prospect took home MVP honors at the U20 Euro Championship in 2019. Previous winners of that award include NBA talents such as Ersan Ilyasova, Nikola Mirotic and Cedi Osman.
7. James Wiseman, USA
Big, 7-foot-1, 19 years old
The two most important things to know about Wiseman are his size and his high school accolades. He stands 7-1 with an enormous 7-foot-6 wingspan and a massive 9-foot-3 standing reach. For all intents and purposes, he has the frame of a prototypical NBA big man. All this is further backed up by the fact that he was the No. 1 overall prospect coming out of high school, according to RSCI. What can he actually do with all of that? Unfortunately, we’re no closer to finding that out than we were at this time last year due to the recruiting snafus that resulted in him playing just three games of college basketball. His tape during high school may not be convincing enough to garner a top-three selection with confidence and assurance that his game will translate to the NBA level, as noted by Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman.
8. Devin Vassell, Florida State
Wing, 6-foot-7, 19 years old
Seminoles sophomore Devin Vassell is widely considered the best team defender among NBA prospects. The wing has a solid 6-foot-10 wingspan, and with his help, per KenPom, FSU’s defensive rating currently ranks among the top 15 in the nation. On the offensive side of the ball, his 3-point accuracy (42.7%) has been dominant all season. When he plays against tougher opponents, Vassell has risen to the occasion. His box plus-minus against Top-100 competition ranks as the best in the NCAA among those who have played more than 10 such games thus far. Vassell might be the most underrated prospect, considering he has played like a lottery talent.
9. Isaac Okoro, Auburn
Wing, 6-foot-6, 19 years old
Okoro, who is an incredible athlete, is shooting 67.9% at the rim, and the majority of those attempts have been unassisted. He has been more than capable of creating his own offense on post-up attempts, isolation looks, ballhandling in transition and on putbacks. But the biggest concern with Okoro is that only 17.2% of his field goals have been from beyond five feet of the basket, which simply won’t fly in the NBA for someone his size. His shooting talent is borderline anemic, but there might be enough to like about the rest of his intangibles to put him in the lottery. If he isn’t able to figure out at least a basic catch-and-shoot game, his upside is limited to becoming a role player.
10. Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky
Guard, 6-foot-2, 19 years old
Maxey is another impressive athlete who plays bigger than his frame, thanks to his 6-foot-6 wingspan. The offense often runs through him for Kentucky. He’s currently averaging 0.98 points per possession as the ballhandler in pick-and-roll sets, which ranks in the 91st percentile among NCAA players. While his 3-point touch has not been fantastic, his free-throw percentage (81.9%) indicates there isn’t much of a problem with his form. He also has an above-average floater, which he hits at an impressive pace. There is likely a spot for him in the NBA as a scoring option off the bench.