Tag: Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards goes to Warriors in The Ringer’s latest mock draft

Anthony Edwards had a good freshman year with the Georgia Bulldogs last season.

The Golden State Warriors have the best backcourt in the NBA, with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson being primary options for an offense filled with motion.

But having another guard on the roster, especially one who can create his own shot, doesn’t hurt in a league that’s steeped with elite guard play.

The 2020 NBA draft doesn’t have a consensus top pick, but Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman are seen as the top prospects. In The Ringer’s latest mock draft, Kevin O’Connor has the Warriors selecting Georgia guard Edwards at No. 1 overall. The mock draft only consisted of the lottery, and since the lottery’s order isn’t set, The Ringer went from the league’s worst record and up.

Edwards is one of the most athletic players in his class, with his hops making for quality highlight reels. In his lone season with the Bulldogs, Edwards scored 19.1 points per game, grabbed 5.2 rebounds and shot 40.2% from the field.

The Warriors haven’t drafted in the lottery since 2012, when they took former UNC forward Harrison Barnes with the No. 7 overall pick. If the Warriors pick No. 1 overall — and decide to keep their pick — Edwards would be a solid pickup.

He could come off the bench and provide a scoring spark when Curry and Thompson are out.

2012 was the last time the Warriors missed the playoffs. Eight years later, the Warriors are in a new kind of situation. They’re not on the cusp of greatness — they’re trying to maintain it.

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Dick Vitale names his top four prospects for 2020 NBA Draft

Longtime college basketball announcer Dick Vitale recently shared his top four prospects for the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft.

One of the college basketball constants for decades has been the voice of Dick Vitale. Few associated with the college basketball landscape have seen as many players come through the amateur landscape as Vitale, who has been around as a broadcaster since the early 80s.

So, while he’s certainly not an expert on draft analysis, few have seen as many players through their time than Vitale, meaning his words carry a certain weight with them.

Earlier this week, Vitale shared a mock draft on Twitter by Jeff Goodman of Stadium and added his own top four draft prospects, ranking LaMelo Ball third behind Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman.

Based solely on mock drafts in the recent week, the top three draft picks appear to be settling into a certain order. Edwards, despite his up and down season with Georgia, appears to be the safest of the top three largely due to him playing the full season, something Wiseman nor Ball were able to do.

But with no timetable set for the NBA Draft, much can still change as teams beginning focusing on the prospects more and more in the buildup and predraft process.

Report: Warriors prefer Anthony Edwards over LaMelo Ball with top pick in 2020 NBA Draft

The Golden State Warriors continue to remain pessimistic about drafting LaMelo Ball in the 2020 NBA Draft, reportedly preferring Anthony Edwards.

Rumors surrounding the Warriors and their choice should they land the top draft pick in the 2020 NBA Draft continues to point away from LaMelo Ball. The latest report came from San Francisco Chronicle reporter Connor Letourneau on the Murph & Mac show on KNBR radio, who gave some insight into the Warriors’ thinking with the top pick.

“What I wrote a few days ago is that if the Warriors get the number one pick — they have the worst record in the NBA so they are on track to have a 14 percent chance at the No. 1 pick — and they keep it, my sources tell me that they would take Anthony Edwards out of Georgia, who is kind of emerging as a consensus No. 1 pick.”

From a fit standpoint, Anthony Edwards makes more sense for the Warriors than Ball. As more of a natural wing, Edwards is a better fit with the Warriors, who already have two All-NBA caliber guards in the backcourt. While it’s still not a perfect fit, the top of the draft is separated by such fine margins that the smallest differences could determine who goes at the top.

From purely a fit standpoint, James Wiseman makes the most sense for the Warriors. Generally considered the best non-guard prospect in the draft, Wiseman would fit far more organically into the Warriors roster. But by not playing for Memphis this season, Wiseman’s case for the top pick is as shaky as anyone other prospect’s.

The end result will likely be a 2020 NBA Draft where anything is possible at the top of the draft.

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The bust potential is high once again, …

The bust potential is high once again, in what some are considering the weakest draft since Anthony Bennett was selected No. 1 overall in 2013. With little consensus on who the best player is, it’s anybody’s guess who Warriors GM Bob Myers — two-time Executive of the Year — has his eye on. Well, unless you’re Warriors beat writer Connor Letourneau, who told Murph & Mac that sources around the team have informed him Golden State will select wing-scorer Anthony Edwards out of Georgia if they land the No. 1 pick. “This is a draft where there isn’t a ton of certainty up high,” Letourneau began. “The top five picks are kind of in flux. There isn’t a Zion type talent, there isn’t a LeBron, so teams really have to do their research and be careful who they are picking.

Georgia forward Rayshaun Hammonds makes final decision on NBA Draft

Georgia F Rayshaun Hammonds had made his final decision on his senior year in Athens.

Georgia basketball’s star forward Rayshaun Hammonds announced his final NBA Draft decision on Saturday, via Twitter.

Hammonds will forgo his senior season to pursue the next chapter of his basketball career in the NBA.

Hammonds, who stands at 6-foot-9, 235 pounds, averaged 12.9 points and 7.4 rebounds a game as a junior last season, showing great improvement from his 6.7 and 4.9 as a freshman.  He shot 35% from three-point-range and 46% from the field.

Hammonds was the second-highest scorer on the team behind likely number one overall lottery draft pick Anthony Edwards. The Dawgs’ head coach Tom Crean, entering his third year with UGA, will have to somehow replace the loss of 32 points and 12.6 rebounds a game that Edwards and Hammonds produced last season.

“Rayshaun let me know the other night of his decision and he is following his heart and dreams,” Crean told the Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday.  “We will continue to support him in every possible way as he pursues his future and he will always be apart of the Georgia Basketball family and the University of Georgia community.”

Georgia’s 2019-20 season suddenly ended after a victory over Ole Miss in the first-round of the SEC Tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Crean will also be losing his seniors Tyree Crump, Jordan Harris and Donnell Gresham as well as the transfer of freshman Rodney Howard to Georgia Tech. The Dawgs will have to recruit well and rebuild around their only returning starters Sahvir Wheeler and Toumani Camara.

Recruiting will only get harder with the NBA G-League announcing its new pathway program for high school players to take, detouring the NCAA.  There has already been a ripple effect seen, with the nation’s top high school player Jalen Green entering the pathway program.

“We are in the midst of restructuring and remodeling,” said Crean on the matter of the Dawgs recruiting process. “It will be ongoing each year with the landscape of college basketball.”

 

LaMelo Ball drafted to Bulls with third pick in The Athletic mock draft

In his latest mock draft for The Athletic, Sam Vecenie slotted LaMelo Ball third overall to the Chicago Bulls.

Despite recently listing LaMelo Ball at the top of his big board, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s latest mock draft for the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft slotted Ball third overall to the Chicago Bulls.

Vecenie notes that his mock draft is based more on what league sources are telling him versus how he feels about prospects. He also used a Tankathon simulation to set the draft order, leading to the Detroit Pistons landing the number one pick.

The Pistons selected Anthony Edwards with the top pick while the Charlotte Hornets took James Wiseman with the second pick. The Bulls then landed Ball with the third overall pick to pair with Coby White, who the team draft last year. Here’s Vecenie’s take on the selection:

“…I’m going with who I think would be the best fit for them, here. Ball makes the most sense. He’s my favorite player in the class. I know that the Bulls drafted Coby White last year, but I see the pairing as being complementary of one another as opposed to the team replacing White with Ball (which is something they wouldn’t want to do anyway, after White finished the season exceptionally well).”

Ball and White would certainly be an interesting pairing that, as Vecenie said, would complement one another. The question, though, would be how the pair also fit with Zach Lavine. Given the Bulls’ current situation, taking the best player available makes the most sense but it’s hard to envision a way all three can be on the court together.

It’s a pick that makes the most sense for the Bulls but would put Ball in an odd situation. He would almost certainly not be the day one started and would not have a clear path into the starting lineup. But there is any number of ways the draft can play out once it’s held with no prospect establishing himself as the clear cut number one..

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NBA Draft: Kentucky’s Tyrese Maxey is a name to watch for the Golden State Warriors

If the Warriors decide to trade back in the draft, Kentucky’s Tyrese Maxey is an intriguing prospect to watch.

With the college basketball season over, and no-live NBA action until further notice, eyes have shifted to the draft ahead of schedule. Their league-worst record has set the Golden State Warriors for a chance to land a top-caliber prospect for the first time in years.

Names like Anthony Edwards, Obi Toppin and Onyeka Okongwu have become popular at the start of mock projections for the Warriors, but what if the team decides to move back in June’s draft? In an interview with Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, owner Joe Lacob mentioned the Warriors are looking into “all scenarios” for their selection — including the possibility of a trade down.

Depending on where Golden State lands in the draft order, Kentucky’s Tyrese Maxey is an intriguing prospect that could be available beyond the top five picks.

The SEC All-Freshman Team selection averaged 14 points on 42.7% shooting with 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in his first season in Lexington. Maxey burst onto the scene quickly, dropping 26 points against the top-ranked Michigan State Spartans in the opening contest of the season. The Texas product continued his success against top-rated teams, scoring his season-best 27 points against the third-ranked rival Louisville Cardinals.

At 6-foot-2, Maxey can navigate through defenses to get to the cup. The 19-year-old isn’t afraid to throw his body around in the lane to finish off an acrobatic layup around bigger defenders. One of Maxey’s favorite weapon’s in his toolbox is his silky floater — reminiscent of a guard from Golden State.

The former McDonald’s All-American is a creative scorer that isn’t afraid to let it fly from beyond the arc. Although he only shot 29.2% from 3-point range, Maxey has a quick release that can heat up. The Kentucky freshman nailed multiple long-range jumpers in nine games for John Calipari, but he did go without a 3-pointer in 13 games.

Maxey is a willing defender that understands spacing on the floor. The stout guard relies on his strength to help with physical attackers on offense — something that will help at the next level on defense.

The young Wildcat will have to tighten his shot selection and consistency when he gets to the NBA. However, Maxey could be the next player to come from Calipari’s program to excel at the professional level, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Bam Adebayo and PJ Washington.

Maxey could immediately fit in Steve Kerr’s rotation behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The Kentucky guard would give Golden State’s a formidable young trio off the bench with Eric Paschall and Jordan Poole. If the trade down rumors heat up as the clock ticks down during draft season, Maxey is a name to keep an eye on for the Golden State Warriors.

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Most executives currently expect the …

Most executives currently expect the first three prospects to come off the board to be Georgia wing Anthony Edwards, Illawarra guard LaMelo Ball, and Memphis center James Wiseman. But it’s too early to say where each prospect will go when opinions vary so greatly. I’ve spoken with NBA executives who have Wiseman first, and others who have him ranked outside of the top 10. Edwards has been labeled a boom-or-bust prospect. And I’ve heard LaMelo called both “underrated” and “overrated” because of his family’s last name. Hayes also has his skeptics.

Georgia’s Anthony Edwards is the kind …

Georgia’s Anthony Edwards is the kind of power athlete with length who typically appeals to the Orlando front office, although he may not be available beyond No. 1 given that his is the name I hear most often when I ask NBA executives to name their favorite prospect in the class. An explosive scorer at 6-foot-5, Edwards still has a ways to go in terms of his approach on defense. But no one has more upside as a pure scorer — something Orlando desperately needs. To me, those are the two highest-upside guys in this class, and Orlando would do extremely well to acquire either.

NBA Draft: Auburn’s Isaac Okoro is a name to watch for the Golden State Warriors

Could Auburn’s Isaac Okoro be a trade down target for the Golden State Warriors in the 2020 NBA draft?

For the first time in years, the Golden State Warriors are expected to hold a high lottery pick in the 2020 NBA draft. With mock draft season heating up, the Warriors have been connected to several noteworthy prospects. Obi Toppin and Anthony Edwards have been popular names at the top of projections to the Warriors, but what if the team decides to trade back?

Golden State owner Joe Lacob recently mentioned the Warriors are “looking at all scenarios” – including the possibility of trading back. If the Warriors decided to use their top selection as an asset, there’s a group of intriguing prospects that could fit Golden State outside of the top three.

After an impressive season in eastern Alabama, Auburn’s Issac Okoro has quickly been trending up draft boards. The 19-year-old wing averaged 12.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists during his freshman season. Yet, it’s what he does off the stat sheet that makes him a name to watch for the Golden State Warriors.

Okoro is labeled as one of the best defenders in the prospect class. With the right blend of strength and athleticism, Okoro proved he can guard nearly every position on the floor at 6-foot-6. The freshman’s best tool in his defensive arsenal is his basketball IQ. The wing prospect consistently showed off an understanding of spacing, passing lanes and defensive angles. Okoro earned a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team.

Okoro only recorded more than 20 points once in 28 games during his freshman season, but he does possess positive potential traits on offense. While he’s not much of a shooter — 29% from beyond the arc, Okoro is explosive at the rim. Although he’s not a threat from long distance, Okoro is active without the ball in his hands to get open. The Auburn product’s basketball IQ translates to the offensive side of the floor with his cutting ability. When Okoro starts to attack with the basketball, he’s a missile when it comes to getting to the hoop.

Okoro would provide a defensive chess piece off the bench for Steve Kerr in Golden State. On the offensive side of the ball, Okoro wouldn’t have to worry about shooting playing with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

If the Warriors move from the top of the draft, Auburn’s freshman Tiger needs to be a name to consider outside the top-three. However, with Okoro’s upside, he won’t be available for long once the clock starts in June’s draft.

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