Category: 2020 NBA Draft

Twitter loved Obi Toppin’s emotional reaction to Knicks drafting him

Toppin, who was born in Brooklyn, was overcome with emotion when the hometown Knicks selected him and Twitter loved it.

[jwplayer 9IrmgAxw]

On Wednesday, the New York Knicks selected Associated Press Player of the Year Obi Toppin from the University of Dayton with the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

The Knicks were reportedly high on Toppin throughout the pre-draft process and were even said to have been considering a trade up in order to select him. Toppin said last week the Knicks were one of four teams he had worked out with during the pre-draft process.

Following the selection, Toppin, who was born in Brooklyn, was overcome with emotion to join his hometown team. He said it meant everything in the world to play for the Knicks and he will now have that opportunity beginning next season.

To be the No. 8 overall pick didn’t seem all that likely to Toppin that long ago. He was unranked out of high school and was eventually forced to sit out his freshman year at Dayton. Needless to say, his journey to this point was unique and it will be a night he’ll never forget.

His reaction resonated with fans on social media as NBA Twitter immediately fell in love with him after the Knicks selected him with the eighth pick.

[lawrence-related id=24310,24286,24251]

[listicle id=24065]

LaMelo Ball selected with No. 3 pick by Hornets in NBA Draft

The youngest Ball brother will begin his NBA career with the Hornets after the organization selected him third overall.

[jwplayer AIrOpkBR]

With the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets selected LaMelo Ball from the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League.

Ball was widely considered to be a top-three pick following his season abroad and ultimately fell to Charlotte with the third pick. He recently hosted a private pre-draft workout for several teams in Southern California, which included the Hornets.

The 20-year-old was named the NBL Rookie of the Year after averaging 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, seven assists and 1.7 steals in 12 games with the Illawarra Hawks. However, Ball struggled to shoot after converting on just 37% from the field and 24% from 3-point range.

Ball was voted the most intriguing prospect in the 2020 NBA Draft in a survey of 20 anonymous agents conducted by The Athletic last month. He has perhaps the highest upside of any player in the draft given his basketball IQ and passing vision but will need to continue to develop his game in Charlotte.

[lawrence-related id=24286,23523,23364]

[listicle id=24065]

Warriors select James Wiseman with second pick in NBA Draft

Golden State selected former Memphis center James Wiseman with the second overall pick on Wednesday.

[jwplayer MbrotlSN-z6KDnl0B]

With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors selected center James Wiseman, formerly of the University of Memphis.

Wiseman was heavily linked to the Warriors during the pre-draft process and was firmly on their radar after impressing them during a private workout last month. The 7-foot-1 center was reportedly a beast during those workouts and was said to have also left an impression following his interview.

The 19-year-old was a potential candidate to be the top pick but reportedly made it be known that he did not want to be drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 1 overall. Wiseman said this week that he never had communication with the Timberwolves.

Golden State had been rumored into wanting to trade down in the draft in order to acquire players that can help them win now. However, the organization was unsuccessful in those trade attempts and opted to keep the pick.

The selection of Wiseman projects to be a great fit as his skillset should mesh well with the roster. His former head coach, Penny Hardaway, believed the Warriors were the best destination for him and that will now be the case next season.

[lawrence-related id=24286,24251,24155]

[listicle id=24065]

NBA Draft: Timberwolves take Anthony Edwards with No. 1 overall pick

With the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, the Timberwolves selected Anthony Edwards from Georgia.

[jwplayer 9IrmgAxw-z6KDnl0B]

With the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected guard Anthony Edwards from the University of Georgia.

Edwards becomes the second No. 1 overall pick in Timberwolves history, joining Karl-Anthony Towns, who was the top selection in 2015. He also became just the second Bulldogs player to be selected in the top five, joining Dominique Wilkins, who was the third pick in 1983.

Edwards was considered by many to be the top pick in the draft. The Timberwolves were one of three teams Edwards worked out with prior to the draft, which was an indication he and his camp believed he wouldn’t slip further than the Charlotte Hornets with the third pick.

Minnesota had been rumored into wanting to trade down in the draft, even right up until they made the selection, but the organization ultimately held onto the pick and welcomed Edwards onto a roster that is expected to compete for a playoff berth with Towns and D’Angelo Russell.

The selection of Edwards in the draft on Wednesday finally happened after several postponements due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event was originally scheduled to take place on June 25 and was then set to occur in October before the NBA opted to push it back until November.

The final product resulted in the NBA hosting its first-ever virtual draft with commissioner Adam Silver announcing the first-round selections from the ESPN studios in Bristol, Connecticut.

[lawrence-related id=24286,24251,21693]

[vertical-gallery id=24056]

A behind-the-scenes look at how the NBA prepares players for draft day

The day of the draft, and beyond, is often a whirlwind for prospects but the NBA is there to help every step of the way.

[jwplayer NL1fL9Uc]

The typical pre-draft process for a prospect can be a challenging experience in a typical year. From grueling training schedules to private workouts, players are constantly coming and going in hopes of hearing their names called on draft night.

Of course, the process this year, in particular, is different than any player has previously experienced. The coronavirus pandemic has completely shifted things around and prospects now are all-too-familiar with Zoom meetings, and even application-based workouts.

So, picture this: You are an NBA Draft prospect in 2020. You just completed a grueling, and oftentimes uncertain, eight-plus month process to impress a team, hopefully, enough to hear your name called. You have talked to all of the teams, have done all the workouts…

But what happens on the day of the draft and beyond?

Wednesday marks the end of the process with the culmination of the 2020 NBA Draft by nightfall. A typical draft day for a prospect can be a bit hectic, so how does a player prepare for such uncertainty and how do they know what to expect?

Fear not, NBA prospect, the league is there to help walk you through the day of the draft and what will happen next. A given player likely hasn’t thought about the minutiae of draft day so the NBA helps prepare players in the days and weeks ahead of time.

The efforts tipped off in September when prospects took part in the 2020 Draft Combine Education Program with NBA Player Development. The league office gave the players an overview of resources, content and learning opportunities available to them throughout the draft combine.

“The primary goal of the NBA player development department is to help the players successfully navigate what we call the transition,” said Greg Taylor, the NBA senior vice president of player development.

Clearly, coming from playing overseas or college into the NBA is one of the most significant transition points our guys will take. We also want to introduce them to NBA player development staff and really, most importantly, let them know there is a whole range of resources available to them that as they go through this amazing moment that we’re here for them over time.

Last week, prospects met with league staff who outlined what their schedule in the days ahead would entail. Executives shared various schedules, media obligations and expectations as draft preparation ramped up and players also took part in a media training event.

The training over the past several weeks, off of the court, has led the prospects to the day of the actual draft. Players often have a rollercoaster full of emotions throughout the day as they finalize preparations for the biggest day of their lives.

“[The day of the draft] is a whirlwind,” Taylor said. “They will do a number of media opportunities. They will, obviously, spend time prepping for the day. What we’ve tried to do over the touchpoints over the previous month has led up to manage this opportunity.”

Of course, the prospects are the ones ultimately participating in the day-to-day process of playing in the NBA but the league also helps prepare their families for the next step. On Tuesday, the parents of Chris Paul, and the mother of Jaylen Brown, were among the family members to help walk prospects and their families through what lies ahead in the future.

Generally, families just want to know how to best support their sons during the transition to the NBA. The majority of the questions families posed during the meeting were basic, which include, but are not limited to:

  • What can we expect?
  • How can we be as supportive as possible?
  • How do we help them set up in the new cities?
  • How do we help them to get settled?

In addition to the family members of players, Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum and Philadelphia 76ers forward Matisse Thybulle spoke to the draftees and their families to answer questions on the overall draft process.

The NBA will typically bring in a veteran player and a recent rookie to speak with incoming prospects and the group this year responded very well to McCollum and Thybulle. The meeting even had to be cut off because it ran well over the allotted time.

“I really want to commend this year’s draft class for having really thoughtful questions and Matisse and C.J. for being so open,” Taylor said. “I think the guys had a lot of very practical questions like, ‘What happens on draft night? How do I develop relationships with veterans on the team? What can I expect? How did you navigate finding your way of living in a new city?

I thought Matisse and C.J. were particularly open and direct. I think it was incredibly well-received by all the players. Matisse is just an articulate, wide-open, honest communicator of information. We were happy to have him because he was in their seat a year ago.

The pre-draft process may be officially wrapped up but the work doesn’t stop on Wednesday. The NBA will continue to provide resources for the players throughout the season. In a typical season, the league would host the Rookie Transition Program but due to the coronavirus, the annual event has been postponed until a later date.

Between each available program and resource, the NBA has made a great commitment to ensuring players receive the best possible opportunity to have a long and successful career in the league, even during a pandemic.

[listicle id=24065]

Onyeka Okongwu dealing with fractured toe ahead of NBA draft

The injury to Onyeka Okongwu was discovered in early October but it is not considered to be serious.

[jwplayer NL1fL9Uc]

Projected lottery pick Onyeka Okongwu reportedly suffered a fractured left big toe and will need an additional 1-3 weeks to fully recover, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

The injury was discovered in early October but is not considered to be serious. Okongwu was initially given a 6-8 week timeline to return and was held out of pre-draft workouts. His draft stock and availability for the beginning of next season is not expected to be impacted.

Okongwu earned First Team All-Pac 12 honors last season after averaging 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 1.2 steals. He emerged as perhaps the top defensive center in the country last season and has been touted for his potential to develop into a strong two-way player.

The 19-year-old is most commonly projected to be selected in the top 10, and some even believe he could be taken in the 4-6 range. He has drawn interest from several teams and some, like the Boston Celtics, have even been rumored into wanting to trade up to take him.

The NBA draft is scheduled to begin Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.

[lawrence-related id=24251,24238,24074]

[listicle id=24065]

International prospects have a heavy presence in the 2020 NBA Draft

Projected lottery picks Deni Avdija and Killian Hayes headline the group of international prospects in the NBA draft.

[jwplayer q5HGf5QJ]

Nearly 70 attendees of Basketball Without Borders, a global development program, have been drafted or signed as free agents in the NBA and that number only projects to grow with the next class set for the draft on Wednesday.

Projected lottery picks Deni Avdija (Israel) and Killian Hayes (France) headline the group of prospects that have previously participated in a BWB Global Camp as they competed against each other in Charlotte as part of NBA All-Star Weekend in 2019.

Hayes also took part in the 2018 BWB Global Camp in Los Angeles with four other prospects in this year’s class: Josh Green (Australia), Leandro Bolmaro (Argentina), Paul Eboua (Cameroon) and Vit Krejčí (Czech Republic). The event marked the most-ever likely draftees to participate in the same camp.

“It is definitely another exciting year for us when it comes to international players in the draft, particularly the players who have participated in our international basketball development programs as kids,” said Chris Ebersole, the NBA senior director of international basketball operations.

I think it’s definitely the latest wave in a rising tide of international players. It seems like each year now we have a pretty good crop of international players coming in and the majority of them usually have participated at some level, whether it’s the BWB program or other programs around the around we have done to engage with the youth.

Avdija (left) was named the MVP of the 2019 BWB Global Camp (Photo courtesy of NBA Academies)

The international game continues to grow, with more than 100 players from across the world on NBA rosters for six consecutive seasons. Teams are dedicating more resources to scouting the international game and the results have produced a combined 30 international players selected in the NBA draft over the past two years alone.

The BWB program was launched in 2001 and has helped put several high-profile names firmly on the NBA radar, such as Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam and Jamal Murray among others. Just last year alone, a record eight former BWB campers were drafted, surpassing the previous record of six set in 2011.

The BWB Global Camp, which began in 2015, has become a must-watch event for teams. The camp brings 64 of the top boys and girls aged 16 to 18 from around the world to one centralized location during NBA All-Star Weekend with representatives from all 30 teams on-hand to witness the players participate in various drills and exercises.

“The focus of those camps is really developing young players on and off the court and giving them access to the great coaching and NBA players showing them the ropes,” Ebersole said. “The other benefit of these camps is we can bring together all of these top players onto one court and give NBA teams a chance to scout them next to each other, which is really valuable. With international basketball, it’s not always easy to make apples to apples comparisons given the varying levels of competition.

With the 2018 BWB Global Camp, there are five prospects in this year’s draft who we expect to be drafted who were all part of that camp so it was a chance for NBA teams to see Killian Hayes, Josh Green, Leandro Bolmaro in one setting. I think that is a tremendous value and we definitely want to continue to provide that benefit to all 30 of our teams.

Hayes, Green and Bolmaro were named BWB Global 2018 All-Stars. (Photo courtesy of NBA Academies)

The draft this year could also feature a record-high number of players selected of African origin.

Among the prospects from Africa this year, there are two players from Nigeria, Precious Achiuwa and Udoka Azubuike, projected to be drafted and an additional five draftees who were born in the U.S. but have a parent from Nigeria, including Isaac Okoro, Onyeka Okongwu, Zeke Nnaji, Daniel Oturu and Jordan Nwora.

Including Eboua, Mamadi Diakite, who is from Guinea, and Karim Mane and Lamine Diane, both from Senegal, are also in draft contention this year. The NBA record for the most African players selected would be topped should five hear their names called, and several of them could be of Nigerian origin.

“We’re not surprised by it,” Ebersole said. “We know how much talent is from Africa in general, and Nigeria, specifically, and it is one of the cool storylines of this draft. There are seven players from this class that have a chance to be drafted and it’s exciting to see. Hopefully, that cycle continues and we’re able to continue to do great work.”

The NBA draft is often a culmination of an incredibly long journey and hard work for a given prospect, but especially for a player from outside of the U.S. Dreams come true each year during the NBA draft and the night will serve as an incredible experience that will not be forgotten.

“The moment you see those players walk across the stage is really the most rewarding feeling about what we do,” Ebersole said. “Seeing these players grow into who they are, we usually get them when they are 16- or 17 years old, so to see them develop and achieve their dreams is always really special.”

[listicle id=24065]

Knicks acquire No. 23 pick in NBA draft after trade with Jazz

New York will now have the Nos. 8 and Nos. 23 picks in the NBA draft following the trade with the Jazz.

[jwplayer NL1fL9Uc]

With less than 12 hours to go until the NBA draft, the New York Knicks have reportedly acquired the No. 23 overall pick from the Utah Jazz, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Knicks will send the Nos. 27 and 38 picks to the Jazz in the trade.

New York will now have the Nos. 8 and Nos. 23 picks in the NBA draft following the trade. The organization could have opted to make the deal in order to take a player they believe won’t be available to them with the 27th overall pick.

The front office has also been rumored into wanting to trade up so the trade could help create a more attractive package to potentially move up from the eighth overall pick. However, it remains to be seen how the 23rd pick is viewed compared to the 27th pick.

Regardless of the Knicks’ intentions, the reported trade is the first in a likely flurry of moves to be executed throughout the day. The day of the NBA draft is often seen as the opening of trade season and several players and picks could be on the move.

The NBA draft is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.

[lawrence-related id=24222,24233,24191]

[listicle id=24065]

Rumor: Isaiah Joe has received NBA draft promise from 76ers

The Sixers have been linked to the former Arkansas guard and could look to target him in the NBA draft on Wednesday.

[jwplayer NL1fL9Uc]

Isaiah Joe enters the NBA draft on Wednesday projected to be a second-round pick but the former Arkansas guard could go as early as the first round, according to one recent rumor.

Joe may have received a draft promise from the Philadelphia 76ers with the 21st overall pick or the 34th overall pick, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. The speculation is that the promise likely would be with the 34th pick since that falls more in his projected range.

The 21-year-old averaged 16.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 26 games played last season as a sophomore. He has emerged as a strong shooting option after converting on 41.4% from beyond the arc as a freshman and 34.2% last season.

The Sixers have previously been linked to Joe during the pre-draft process and it is also conceivable the team targets him with the 36th overall pick, as well. The front office has reached out several times to Joe so they appear to be very high on his ability this year.

The NBA draft is scheduled to begin Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.

[lawrence-related id=24233,24226,24155]

[listicle id=24065]

Report: Spurs open to trading vets to move up from No. 11 in NBA draft

The Spurs are looking to trade up from the 11th overall pick and are reportedly willing to include a veteran player in a potential deal.

[jwplayer NL1fL9Uc]

With the NBA draft set to take place on Wednesday, the San Antonio Spurs are looking to trade up from the 11th overall pick and are reportedly willing to include a veteran player in a potential deal, according to Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated.

The Spurs have prioritized getting younger and are looking to build around players like Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV and Derrick White among others. With the team looking to go younger, they could look to package veterans DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge in a trade.

The two both are on expiring contracts after DeRozan picked up his $27.7 million player option for next season. DeRozan and Aldridge could potentially help a team that is looking to win now while they wouldn’t sacrifice long-term cap space on expiring deals.

The Spurs appear to be angling to move up from their spot in the lottery at No. 11 and are open to moving established veterans in what would seem to be an attempt to get even younger up and down the roster.

The Spurs previously worked out Deni Avdija during the pre-draft process and could look to target him since he is widely projected to be selected in the middle of the lottery. San Antonio has often been linked to international prospects so this situation could be worth monitoring.

The NBA draft is scheduled to begin Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.

[lawrence-related id=24233,24226,24155]

[listicle id=24065]