21. Theo Maledon, ASVEL
Guard, 6-foot-4, 18 years old
Theo Maledon has been a fixture for scouts in the NBA community for several years now. He has participated in the Jordan Brand Classic for the international squad (2017), the U16 Euro Championships (2016 and 2017) and the U17 World Cup (2018). Maledon also has received more playing time in the EuroLeague than most other international prospects so far this season. While he is still young, he already has accomplished quite a bit and has more left to prove.
22. Aleksej Pokusevski, Olympiacos B
Forward, 7-foot, 18 years old
The idea of the 2020 NBA Draft also including a 7-foot playmaker is pretty insane. Based on his size and skill set, Aleksej Pokusevski could legitimately be a top-five pick. However, there is also a legitimate chance he could fall into the middle or latter part of the second round because he has played fewer than two minutes of action for Olympiacos in the EuroLeague. The upside for him is tremendous considering that Pokusevski put up splits of 14.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 5.8 blocks and two 3-pointers per 36 minutes at the U18 Euro Championships in 2019. The downside is that he may not have the chops against older, more competitive opposition.
23. Saddiq Bey, Villanova
Forward, 6-foot-8, 20 years old
Even if he is not a future All-Star, Villanova forward Saddiq Bey has a long future in the NBA. He is shooting 46.5% from 3-point range and is also 51.0% from downtown during conference play. Bey is already an elite catch-and-shoot prospect and spot-up option. He led all players 6-foot-8 or taller in total 3-pointers made this season. Plus, at his height, it is especially impressive that he has finished 14.2% of his possessions as the ballhandler in pick-and-roll sets. The forward is averaging 1.03 points per possession on these opportunities, which ranks in the 94th percentile among all NCAA players. The fact that Villanova allows him to run the offense with these sets speaks to how much head coach Jay Wright trusts Bey, which has helped set him up for future success as a pro.
24. Jared Butler, Baylor
Guard, 6-foot-3, 20 years old
Jared Butler has been an anchor for Baylor, easily one of the best teams in college basketball. His steal (3.3%) and assist (23.8%) percentages both rank in the Top 10 in the Big 12 this season. He has been both accurate and prolific when shooting off the catch and off the dribble. Butler can shoot well off screens and dribble hand-offs, too. As a versatile combo guard, Butler likely can jump in as a plug-and-play option in the backcourt for almost any team.
25. Cassius Stanley, Duke
Wing, 6-foot-6, 20 years old
Before the season began, Duke freshman Cassius Stanley broke his team’s record for the highest vertical leap (46 inches) recorded in program history. That is particularly notable because Zion Williamson was on the Blue Devils just last season. Stanley has used his athleticism well — he is 8-of-10 (80.0%) when cutting to the basket and 10-of-13 (76.9%) as the ballhandler in transition, per Synergy. He ranks in the Top 5 in total dunks (28) among all players who are 6-foot-6″ or shorter. As a potential 3-point shooter, it is worth noting that he shot 41.2% from 3-point range last year during the Peach Jam tournament for his AAU.