Tag: 2020 NBA Draft

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.

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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.

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Report: ‘Several teams’ in 1st round ‘have concerns’ about Nesmith’s foot

Could worry over Aaron Nesmith’s foot health see him slide in the first round?

Former Phoenix Suns general manager and Boston Celtics assistant general manager Ryan McDonough tweeted that concern over potential Celtics draft target Aaron Nesmith may see his draft stock slip tonight over concerns about the health of his foot, which he broke during his final season at Vanderbilt.

This seems to contradict positive accounts from the prospect shared in pre-draft media availability sessions, where Nesmith suggested he was fully healthy and ready to get back on the court.

Said McDonough on Twitter Wednesday: “Several NBA teams with top 20 picks have concerns about the right foot of Vanderbilt sniper Aaron Nesmith.”

“These teams are worried that Nesmith’s foot,” explained the former Celtics second-in-command, “which he injured in January, is slow to heal. Teams picking later in the 1st round are preparing in case Nesmith slides tonight.”

Given we know that the Vanderbilt sharpshooter has met with the Celtics and the existing relationship between Ainge and McDonough, it’s very possible the latter is amplifying real concerns at a critical moment with an eye for his former boss reaping the rewards.

But then, the concern over the foot is no minor one, and teams may well be getting a little gun-shy when it comes down to brass tacks, as these decisions sometimes go.

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2020 NBA Draft: how to watch or stream the big event

This is how you can watch tonight’s big event — whether you have cable or not.

The very first virtual draft in the league’s seven-decade history will take place tonight, Wednesday November 18th at 8pm, but like the regular sort not needed outside of the context of an ongoing global pandemic, this event will still be available to be watched by NBA and Boston Celtics fans.

In addition to being the first-ever virtual draft, it is also the latest in the calendar year a draft has been conducted — again, a result of the pandemic and the near-four month hiatus it imposed on the league calendar.

The draft will be conducted from ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, with Adam Silver and drafted players participating via telepresence instead of the usual affair with friends and family in the audience.

If you want to be glued to the television for your preferred manner of consuming the draft night action, you can watch the draft on ESPN if your cable provider carries that channel.

FuboTV will also carry a livestream of the event for those of us who cut the cord, and the service includes a free trial for the commitment-averse among us.

The action begins at 7pm Eastern Time, so set an alarm, and don’t be late.

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Celtics reportedly interested in bigs Jalen Smith, Precious Achiuwa

The Boston Celtics have some big men in mind, according to the Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy.

If the Boston Celtics decide they need a big man in tonight’s 2020 NBA draft, the Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy has heard two prospects the Celtics are reportedly high on.

Those would be Maryland’s Jalen Smith, and Memphis’ Precious Achiuwa, two strong big men who have been tied to the Celtics ahead of the draft.

Smith made waves among Boston fans after revealing he models much of his game on Celtics icon Kevin Garnett, telling the Celtics Wire that he feels like he’d “fit in well [with Boston]; being a versatile big, being able to affect a team on the defensive end as well as the offensive end.”

Achiuwa, a mobile, strong forward/center who is raw but has a high motor evidently impressed the Celtics enough that they made a faux “job application” for the team along with several other high-profile prospects such as Smith and top prospect R.J. Hampton.

Murphy notes “Smith, a tough rebounder, and … Achiuwa, an active big w … are said to be high on the list” of Celtics big man targets.

In just hours, we’ll find exactly how high.

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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.

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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.

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Potential Celtics draft target Onyeka Okongwu hurt foot; may miss time

USC’s Onyeka Okongwu has reportedly hurt a foot that could see him miss some of next season.

Multiple sources are reporting potential Boston Celtics big man draft target Onyeka Okongwu has injured his foot, with the Charlotte Observer’s Rick Bonnell reporting the injury could have him miss training camp or even some of the regular season.

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony shares the injury was a broken toe sustained in October, and the ESPN analyst believes Okongwu should be fine to start the season.

Whatever it may be behind the USC center’s hurt foot becoming knowledge on draft day, the timeline makes it sound like it isn’t something that should see his stock fall much, if at all.

It’s always unnerving to hear about big men with foot problems — especially so close to the draft — but a broken toe is a very minor injury.

The timing of the revelation is surprising, given it wouldn’t help Okongwu’s draft position overall, suggesting there may be an agenda with timing of this intel going public.

Who might be behind such a leak and whether it is coming from the player’s camp or a team that’s seen his medicals (or him hurt it in a workout) is as of yet unknown.

As with all things draft-related today, the Celtics Wire is monitoring the situation closely.

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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.

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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.”

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Report: Celtics trying to get into draft’s top 3; no Harden interest

The Boston Celtics are reportedly trying to move into the 2020 draft’s top three, but are out on any interest in dealing for Houston’s James Harden.

Some rumbles around the NBA media sphere place the Boston Celtics in the hunt for a top-three pick according to the New York Times’ Marc Stein, while in other news the team is reportedly out on chasing Houston Rockets superstar James Harden, according to the Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy.

The Harden news comes as little surprise, as a competitive deal could be fielded by the Celtic, though likely at a very steep cost that might make team president Danny Ainge reticent to get involved.

At present, he and the rest of the Celtics’ front office seem to be focused on making something happen with veteran forward Gordon Hayward, whether it is an attempt to retain his services outright, or facilitate a sign-and-trade to the Atlanta Hawks.

As for the draft rumor, it has been reported that the Celtics have been trying to trade up for some time — though the general range was thought to be aiming lower, at the middle of the lottery by most accounts.

Potential targets rumored to be on Boston’s radar have included USC big man Onyeka Okongwu, French floor general Killian Hayes and Auburn wing Isaac Okoro.

While we may have no resolution on the Hayward situation until his delayed decision date comes due on Thursday, November 19th at 5pm ET, with the draft set to begin at 8pm ET,  we will at least have clarity about the draft by this evening.

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NBA Wires roundtable: Desmond Bane projected to go to Nets at No. 19

USA TODAY SMG’s NBA Wires staff simulated a mock draft ahead of the 2020 NBA draft on Wednesday.

While Desmond Bane is not one of the three players who’ve confirmed they worked out for the Nets ahead of the 2020 NBA draft — guard Tyrell Terry, RJ Hampton and Theo Maledon making up the trio — the TCU sharpshooter is among those who met with Brooklyn via Zoom.

When it came time to make a selection for Brooklyn in the mock draft conducted by the editors of USA TODAY’s NBA Wires, Bane was the best option for the Nets on the board, especially knowing they have an interest in him.

Teams can’t have enough long-range shooters, especially Brooklyn as it looks to gather players who can spot up for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant along the perimeter. In each of his four seasons at TCU, Bane proved he can be that guy for the Nets.

Bane might not fight into the mix right away, but he gives the Nets another 3-point threat if some of their more expensive investments don’t pan out.

Nets Wire also picked on behalf of the New York Knicks in the NBA Wires mock draft, selecting Obi Toppin with the eighth overall pick in the draft and Tre Jones with the No. 27 selection — the latter being a pick that no longer belongs to the Knicks after they trading the No. 27 and No. 38 picks for the Utah Jazz’s first-round pick at No. 23.

Head on over to Rookie Wire for the full NBA Wires roundtable: 2020 NBA mock draft.

Final NBA mock drafts: Who Rockets may take at No. 16 overall

In mock drafts published since the Houston-Portland trade, here are five prospects who experts believe could be in play for the Rockets.

Courtesy of the pending trade involving Houston’s Robert Covington and Portland’s Trevor Ariza, the Rockets currently own the No. 16 overall selection in Wednesday’s 2020 NBA draft.

The Trail Blazers will technically make the selection, since the trade won’t be finalized until after the draft. But unless the Rockets move that pick to another team in a subsequent deal, new Houston GM Rafael Stone will be telling Portland who to select for them at No. 16.

Assuming they keep the pick, it will be the first time for Houston to select in the draft’s first round since taking Sam Dekker in 2015.

While most mock drafts were published before Monday night’s trade, there have been a few published since (i.e. while knowing that No. 16 belongs to Houston). Here’s a look at who those analysts picked for the Rockets, along with player summaries via Rookie Wire’s final big board.

The Ringer: Precious Achiuwa, 6-foot-9 big, Memphis

Rookie Wire summary: University of Memphis big man Precious Achiuwa, a top-15 recruit in the class of 2019, averaged 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game as a freshman. There are flashes of greatness, like when he put up 22 points and 22 rebounds with four blocks against Tulane. Overall, his defensive rebound percentage (24.7%) ranked sixth-best among all freshmen.

 

CBS Sports: R.J. Hampton, 6-foot-5 guard, New Zealand Breakers

Rookie Wire summary: RJ Hampton is one of the most athletic prospects in this class. He registered 28.8 points per game for Drive Nation on the Nike EYBL AAU circuit in 2019, per Open Look Analytics, and six assists per game on the UA Association circuit in 2018.

He has since played professional basketball overseas and has also drastically improved his shooting form working with former NBA swingman Mike Miller.

 

Bleacher Report: Tyrese Maxey, 6-foot-3 guard, Kentucky

Rookie Wire summary: Tyrese Maxey was a top recruit coming out of high school who was one of the top scorers for Kentucky last season. Maxey may be a bit undersized to play the two and does not necessarily have the playmaking chops to be the one.

But he plays bigger than his 6-foot-3 frame, thanks to his 6-foot-6 wingspan. The offense often ran through him at Kentucky, and he averaged 0.93 points per possession as the ball handler in pick-and-roll sets — which ranked in the 86th percentile among NCAA players.

 

New York Post: Killian Hayes, 6-foot-5 guard, ratiopharm ulm (German BBL)

Rookie Wire summary: Killian Hayes is a combo guard with good positional size. He led the top German league in transition scoring (3.3 points per game) at age 18, connecting on more than 84% of such attempts. Hayes ranked fifth-best for isolation scoring (2.3 ppg) in the EuroCup, shooting well off the dribble.

Meanwhile, his distribution (5.1 assists per game) ranked third-best during those games. The guard won MVP at the U16 Euro Championship in 2017 and was named to the all-tournament team at the 2018 U17 World Cup.

 

The Athletic: Aleksej Pokusevski, 7-foot-0 big, Olympiacos B.C. (Greek HEBA A2)

Rookie Wire summary: Serbia’s Aleksej Pokusevski is the closest thing to a unicorn of any player in the 2020 NBA draft. He averaged 18.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 3.1 blocks and 2.2 steals per 40 minutes playing in the Greek HEBA A2 league last season. He was 17-for-53 (32.1%) from 3-point range, hardly a poor shooter. During the U18 Euro Championships, Pokusevski recorded 16.0 points with 11.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists with 6.4 blocks (!) and 4.0 steals per game. The big man was also the overall leader in blocks during the tournament.

While his frame is slight enough where it is hard to imagine how he could be able to match up with a prototypical big man at the next level, as one of the youngest prospects in this class, he has plenty of time to put it all together.

Wednesday’s draft starts at 7:00 p.m. Central, with a nationally televised broadcast on ESPN. Assuming Houston retains the No. 16 pick, it should be made during the 8:00 p.m. Central hour.

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