Georgia Bulldogs basketball star Anthony Edwards has had some great dunks this season.
It’s been a tough season for Georgia Bulldogs basketball. The Dawgs were able to get a big-time win over Auburn and a buzzer beater to win at Vanderbilt this week. Outside of those two wins, it has been rough in SEC play for Tom Crean’s young team.
Stud freshman Anthony Edwards is a reason to watch the Dawgs night in and night out. Edwards is projected as the top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Let’s take a look at the best highlight dunks Edwards has had this season. It starts with this poster at Vanderbilt on Saturday:
Edwards may be UGA’s best dunker since Dominique Wilkins. The current top team in the 2020 NBA Draft is projected to be the Golden State Warriors. Edwards would be fun to watch with Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, and more.
That last windmill wasn’t the only one for Anthony Edwards:
The Georgia Bulldogs and Anthony Edwards knocked off the 13th ranked Auburn Tigers 65-55 in Athens.
The Georgia Bulldogs and Anthony Edwards knocked off the 13th ranked Auburn Tigers 65-55 in Athens. The win is a bright spot in Georgia’s up and down season. Hopes were high following UGA’s big-time win over Memphis before conference play begin.
Tom Crean and the Dawgs have struggled in SEC play, but with this upset win they’re now 13-13 overall. They’ll have to win the SEC tournament to make the NCAA tournament. Still, it was the biggest win of the year for Bulldogs and it came at the expense of hated rival Auburn.
Anthony “Antman” Edwards is projected as the NBA number one overall draft pick, a true freshman for Georgia basketball.
The latest 2020 NBA Mock Draft ESPN showed after their extensive NBA All-Star Game highlights package has true freshman diaper dandy Anthony “Antman” Edwards going as the number one overall draft pick.
Although Georgia basketball has continued to struggle mightily in SEC league play in year two of the coach Tom Crean era, Edwards has been a spark. The Hoop Hounds simply do not have enough mature talent to win games, in the increasingly competitive basketball league.
TEMPE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 14: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Georgia Bulldogs handles the ball against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half of the NCAAB game at Desert Financial Arena on December 14, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils defeated the Bulldogs 79-59. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Edwards was considered a one-and-done at the time he was signed by UGA, and nothing has changed to alter the NBA scouts’ opinions of his talent.
This list was made by NBA draft experts Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz. Here is their complete projected top 10:
G Anthony Edwards
C James Wiseman
G/F Isaac Okoro
G LaMelo Ball
G/F Deni Avdija
G Tyrese Maxey
F/C Onyeka Okongwu
G Tyrese Haliburton
F Obi Toppin
G Nico Mannion
As the NBA draft involves a lottery, team drafting order is subject to change.
The Dawgs fought until the end, coming up just short by a final score of 105 to 102.
In a conference matchup between two teams sporting losing SEC records (despite both maintaining winning overall records), the Georgia Bulldogs lost a heart-breaker against Alabama. The Dawgs fought until the end, coming up just short by a final score of 105 to 102.
The game was tied at 92 points apiece with 21.6 seconds remaining. The score at the end of regulation remained the same, sending the SEC foes to the conference’s third overtime contest of the day.
In the Bulldogs’ first 100-point offensive performance of the year, projected top-five NBA Draft selection Anthony Edwards was limited to 14 points on 5-17 from the field.
Freshman Sahvir Wheeler led the Dawgs with 24 points and 8 assists.
Rayshaun Hammonds posted 20 points. Toumani Camara recorded 12.
The Dawgs will play their next game on Wednesday at home against South Carolina. Tom Crean’s squad somehow maintains 12-11 overall record while having gone 2-8 against SEC opponents.
Georgia Bulldogs freshman Anthony Edwards is projected to go home to the Atlanta Hawk in the latest 2020 NBA Mock Draft.
Georgia Bulldogs star freshman shooting guard Anthony Edwards is averaging 19.3 points per game with 5.3 boards and 3.0 assists. Edwards is projected to be a top-five pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
There’s no consensus number one overall pick yet for the class of 2020. With improved efficiency, Edwards could vault to the top of his class. Edwards is a 6’5″ shooting guard from Atlanta, Georgia. Despite UGA basketball’s struggles on the season, Edwards has remained impressive to NBA scouts.
There’s a decent chance Edwards ends up with the Atlanta Hawks in the 2020 NBA Draft. The Hawks currently have the tied for second worst record in the NBA at 13-37. A bottom three record gives them a 52.1% shot at a top four pick in the NBA Draft and a 14% chance at the top pick.
Will Anthony Edwards go number one overall? The latest NBA Mock Draft, from NBC Sports, has Edwards going second to the Atlanta Hawks. It’d be a base case scenario for many Georgia fans and Edwards, who went to high school in the Atlanta area (Holy Spirit Preparatory School).
Nov 27, 2019; Lahaina, HI, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Anthony Edwards (5) congratulated by forward Mike Peake (30) after defeating the Chaminade Silverswords during the final round of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational at the Lahaina Civic Center. Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Edwards would be able to help the Hawks immediately. With several months left of both college basketball and the NBA, the rankings of prospects and the NBA standings will change a lot in the next few months. The Hawks are poised to play better post-All-Star break with Trae Young.
Even if the Hawks play well in their next thirty plus games, the Hawks will still have a shot to select Edwards if they get a little lucky in the lottery.
Georgia men’s basketball team loses their 4th straight SEC matchup in Columbia, MO to Missouri. The Dawgs are now 11-9, 1-6 in SEC play.
The Georgia Bulldogs men’s basketball team dropped a close one Tuesday night in Columbia to the Missouri Tigers by a score of 72-69.
The Dawgs have now lost four straight games, all of them being to SEC opponents.
Georgia led by as many as 20 points in the second half, thanks to freshman guard Anthony Edwards scoring 23 points, leading all players on the night. Senior guard Tyree Crump put up 13 for the Dawgs as well as freshman forward Toumani Camara tacking on another 12.
The Bulldogs came out hot offensively but skidded to a halt later in the second half, sparking an offensive run from the Tigers. Missouri’s senior forward Reed Nikko capitalized on the Dawgs cold second half shooting, finishing with a career 13 points, 11 of them coming in the second half surge.
“Momentum is always up for grabs,” Tom Crean said in a postgame interview. “And in the second half, Reed Nikko took momentum from us. Reed Nikko changed the energy of the game for them.”
Nikko also had a game saving play, blocking Edwards while up two with only nine seconds left in regulation.
Three Missouri players scored in double digits with junior guard Dru Smith leading the Tigers with 16.
Missouri freshman forward Kobe Brown was emotional for this game. Brown was named by his father after the late Kobe Bryant and wears number 24 after Bryant. Following the tragic news of the NBA legend and his daughters passing, Brown talked about Kobe Bryant postgame.
“I was bummed,” said Brown. “It took a toll. I send my regards to all the families that were involved in the crash.”
What looked like a promising, potential NCAA Tournament season is now on the line with very slim chances of the Dawgs being alive in March. According to TR Brackets, Georgia now has a 2.2% chance of making the tournament. Losing the past 4 SEC games moves the Bulldogs to 11-9 on the season with a 1-6 record in conference play.
With a 2.2% chance being very unlikely, things aren’t looking good for the Dawg faithful … but you’re saying there’s a chance.
Georgia continues their late season SEC play this Saturday vs Texas A&M at home. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. EST on SEC Network.
Somehow already past the midpoint of the college basketball season, the 2020 NBA Draft is starting to shape up with far more clear rankings.
Somehow already past the midpoint of the college basketball season, the 2020 NBA draft is starting to shape up with far more clear rankings.
As always, we examine the most trusted analysts to give us the best idea of a consensus for what the upcoming draft class will look like in June. The latest 2020 NBA mock drafts from experts at ESPN, CBS Sports, SI.com, Bleacher Report, NBADraft.net, The Athletic and USA Today Sports Media Groupâs Rookie Wire were used for these rankings.
The top four players (Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman and Cole Anthony) have remained the exact same despite none of the latter three players being active for various different reasons.
Meanwhile, Iowa State sophomore point guard Tyrese Haliburton entered the Top 5 and replaced 19-year-old Israeli prospect Deni Avdija â who has not seen much playing time in the Euroleague.
Included below are brief scouting reports for senior guards who have improved their draft stock the most since our last update. These players listed are all four-year NCAA players who could be ready to make the jump to the NBA like Josh Hart and Malcolm Brogdon did in their respective classes.
MARKUS HOWARD, MARQUETTE
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Aggregate Mock Draft Rank: 46
One of the most important things to know about Marquette senior Markus Howard is that despite the fact he has four years of collegiate experience, he is just 20 years old. Few teams operate their offense through one player quite like Golden Eagles do with Howard, who has taken 42.5 percent of their total field goal attempts. Fortunately, the guard brags one of the most efficient and prolific jump shots among all NCAA players. Howard operates well when he is shooting off the catch and off the dribble, which will make him a good fit for almost any offense in the NBA. He is currently averaging 28.4 points per game while shooting 42.5 percent on three-pointers. Similarly, no guard in college has been fouled more often than Howard has thus far. He should be a lock win Big East Player of the Year and should be a strong contender for the National Player of the Year, too. As a pro, he can likely become a spark-plug scoring option off the bench. His draft stock has improved from No. 68 up to No. 46 month-over-month.
PAYTON PRITCHARD, OREGON
(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Aggregate Mock Draft Rank: 47
Oregon senior guard Payton Pritchard was a Top-50 recruit coming into the Pac-12 back in 2016. He attended West Linn High School, where he was able to lead his squad to four consecutive state titles. That accomplishment was an especially impressive feat considering the program had only won the OSAA Boys Basketball Championship once before and it was way back in 1997. He has since played for the Ducks in the Final Four (2017) and also won MVP of the Pac-12 Tournament last season. He is currently averaging 19.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists with 1.7 steals per game. His assist rate (32.7 percent) is Top 20 among seniors and he has connected on 40.7 percent of his three-pointers. Now more than halfway through the season, he is the heavy favorite to win Pac-12 Player of the Year and could be a sleeper for National Player of the Year as well. He has leaped from No. 96 in December all the way to No. 47 now in January.
SKYLAR MAYS, LSU
Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Aggregate Mock Draft Rank: 57
During his senior year of high school, Skylar Mays was actually teammates with Howard at Findlay Prep. Also on the roster was 2019 first-rounder PJ Washington and Toronto Raptors two-way wing Oshae Brissett. For what it is worth, their roster also had current college basketball standouts Tristan Clark (Baylor) and Lamine Diane (CSUN). Their team has already sent tons of prospects into the NBA and Mays could very well be the next in line. He is a potential 3-and-D threat, averaging 1.4 three-pointers and 2.1 steals per game for the LSU Tigers as an NCAA senior. Meanwhile, LSU’s adjusted offensive rating (116.6) ranks Top 5 in college basketball. Along with Reggie Perry (Mississippi State) as well as Kerry Blackshear Jr. (Florida), Mays has a strong candidacy to win SEC Player of the Year. He has jumped from No. 90 last month to No. 57 this month.
The Georgia Bulldogs are in need of a win after Mississippi State thrashed them on Saturday in Starkville, dropping them to eleventh place in the SEC early on in conference play.
On Tuesday, the Dawgs will get a chance to avenge another previous loss this season to the Kentucky Wildcats, in a game UGA led at halftime but faltered down the stretch to lose in front of a packed Stegeman Coliseum.
In order to beat the Wildcats this time around in enemy territory, the Dawgs will need to play a much more physical brand of basketball than they did during the matchup on January 7th, in which Kentucky dominated the glass in the second half and slowed the game down to play at their pace.
UGA will also need freshman sensation Anthony Edwards to replicate the Herculean performance he displayed last week in a home win over Tennessee, in which he scored 20 points in the first half alone.
Needless to say, this will not be an easy matchup for Tom Crean and company. We’ll see how they fare in this tough SEC contest.
The Georgia Bulldogs were in desperate need of a spirit-boosting win on Wednesday night after two straight losses to open up SEC play, and they got it in the form of an 80-63 home domination of the Tennessee Volunteers.
The Dawgs took control of this game from the opening tip, with freshman phenom Anthony Edwards pouring in 20 points in the opening half to make it his highest scoring first half of the season. Georgia led by double digits throughout most of the first half and all of the second half.
The Dawgs shot a flaming 44% from three-point range and 48% percent overall from the field, a stark contrast from their cold shooting outing in Auburn days ago. Edwards would finish with 26 points including 7/8 from the charity stripe.
Georgia now sets it sights on a road contest against Mississippi State on Saturday.
We are getting closer to a point in the NCAA and international seasons to get a better idea of what the 2020 NBA Draft class may look like.
We are getting closer to a point in the NCAA and international seasons to get a better idea of what the 2020 NBA Draft class may look like.
Midway through the campaign, it is nearly impossible to predict early entrant decisions. But as the board begins to materialize with a more clear indication of who could be a legitimate help to NBA teams next season, it is worth it to revisit a full mock draft factoring in where each team will be selecting.
Note that some highly-rated freshmen (e.g. Florida’s Scottie Lewis and Tre Mann, Florida State’s Patrick Williams, LSU’s Trendon Watford, Kentucky’s Kahlil Whitney as well as Duke’s Wendell Moore and Matthew Hurt) were not included because of their disappointing first-year campaigns. As such, they are likely to return to school for a sophomore season and improve their draft stock to where it once was.
Typically, selecting the best player available was the biggest factor though team fit was also carefully considered.
All stats are updated through January 14, 2020. The draft order is set via Tankathon on January 15, 2020.Â
1. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: LaMelo Ball, Illawarra Hawks
(Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
Guard, 6-foot-7, 18 years oldÂ
This is a draft where the No. 1 pick might not be selected in that position in prior classes. While there may not be a unanimous selection at this point in the season like Zion Williamson was last season, the youngest Ball brother arguably has the highest ceiling of anyone in this class. He was nearly putting up a triple-double each appearance against professional basketball players in the NBL, scoring 17.1 points with 7.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. He was not as accurate on his jumper as originally expected but he has also not a player who lacks confidence; expect him to keep shooting those and his three will develop over time. With his size and versatility on offense, he makes the most sense in the pole spot and his size would also allow him to guard bigger opponents, making him an option for nearly any team in the league even one as stacked as Golden State.
2. ATLANTA HAWKS: Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Wing, 6-foot-5, 18 years oldÂ
Under head coach Tom Crean, the Georgia freshman has been a standout prospect. He is averaging 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game during his first collegiate season. But a lot of his output has been helped by his high usage rate. He is shooting just 28.1 percent on jump shots in a set offense, per Synergy, and is shooting just 24.6 percent off the dribble. He is also taking too many shots from deep midrange, shooting 25.8 percent on these looks. Fortunately, Edwards has been an above-average defender and is averaging 1.4 steals per game. The young star can stay in his hometown for this pick, too.
3. NEW YORK KNICKS: Killian Hayes, Ratiopharm Ulm
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Guard, 6-foot-5, 18 years old
Hayes has exceptional court vision and instincts as well as a true point guard mentality to create opportunities for his teammates. He is averaging 17.2 points and 8.3 assists per 36 minutes while facing professional talent in the Euroleague. He is also capable of creating his own shot off the dribble and many of his own buckets have been unassisted. As noted by Bleacher Report draft expert Jonathan Wasserman, the prospect is shooting 153-of-178 (85.9 percent) on free throws since the start of his 2018-19 campaign. Hayes has a very natural shooting stroke and is someone whose hype should continue to grow.
4. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: Onyeka Okongwu, USCÂ
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Big, 6-foot-9, 19 years oldÂ
The player who has helped his draft stock the most is Okongwu, who is putting up 16.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. He has 32 dunks so far this season, which ranks sixth-best among all NCAA players and can be one of the more immediately impactful lob threats in the NBA. The big man is 13-for-18 (72.2 percent) when rolling to the basket in pick-and-roll sets, which shows how he can fit into a pro scheme. On the defensive end, his block percentage (10.7 percent) trails just one player in college basketball this year. He would play a fantastic two-man game with Darius Garland and he can help their frontcourt depth with the likely departure of Kevin Love.
5. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: RJ Hampton, New Zealand Breakers
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Guard, 6-foot-5, 19 years old
The Washington Wizards are far from being close to a winning franchise but they do have extraordinary talent on the wing with Bradley Beal. If they add to that by selecting Hampton, who can develop under the leadership of Beal, the fans can sell some hope to a franchise that has gotten a taste of it with the impressive play of Rui Hachimura during his rookie campaign thus far. Like Hachimura, however, Hampton will need some time to develop.
6. DETROIT PISTONS: Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State
Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Guard, 6-foot-5, 20 years oldÂ
The Iowa State sophomore is one of the most polarizing prospects in recent memory. He is producing 16.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game so far this season. The guard has been a solid shooter, connecting on 41.3 percent of his attempts from three-point range. His assist rate (39.1 percent) ranks Top 5 among all underclassmen in the NBA. Haliburton also fits the bill as perhaps the lengthiest guard in this draft class, measured with a 7-foot wingspan. As a defender, the guard is averaging 2.6 steals per game and his steal rate (4.0 percent) ranks third-best in the Big 12. He seems like a perfect point guard of the future for the rebuilding Pistons, who don’t have much of a direction.
7. CHICAGO BULLS: James Wiseman, USAÂ
(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Big, 7-foot-1, 19 years oldÂ
The biggest reason why Wiseman is this high on draft boards is that he was the No. 1 overall player on RSCI, which combines all of the top high school rankings in the country. The other biggest factor is his massive size, notably his 7-foot-6 wingspan. While it will be hard to see what else he is able to add to his game while he is away from the NCAA following an incredibly brief stint with the Memphis Tigers, he can be an appealing development project. Much like Edwards in New York, the bright lights of Chicago would be an awesome way for Wiseman to start his professional career.
8. CHARLOTTE HORNETS: Isaac Okoro, Auburn
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Wing, 6-foot-6, 19 years old
The hyperathletic freshman wing has shown a nice mix of offensive and defensive upside for his undefeated Auburn team, averaging 13.2 points with 4.5 rebounds per game. His jump shot is still a work in progress but he is finishing well near the basket, connecting on 65-for-88 (73.9 percent) for looks within five feet of the basket. As a defender, he is elite guarding the perimeter and has also averaged 0.9 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. They need a strong defender alongside their young backcourt and after hitting well on the PJ Washington selection, this could be another fantastic pick.
9. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: Obi Toppin, Dayton
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Forward, 6-foot-9, 22 years old
The New Orleans Pelicans are going to be a team likely defined by Zion Williamson for years to come. Much like Williamson, Toppin is a high-flyer who currently leads the NCAA in dunks with 3.2 per game. But he won’t clog the paint from the dunker spot as he is averaging 2.6 three-point shot attempts per game. When determining potential fits for the Pelicans, it is worth considering their ability in transition offense because of their schemes. As such, it is important to note Toppin is 27-for-38 (71.1 percent) on these opportunities.
10. SACRAMENTO KINGS: Vernon Carey, DukeÂ
Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Big, 6-foot-10, 18 years old
The Kings could continue their tradition of drafting big men from Duke by adding Carey to the mix. He would join Marvin Bagley and Harry Giles as former Blue Devils in the frontcourt for Sacramento. Carey has been an elite college basketball player, averaging 17.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He leads all freshmen in defensive rebound percentage (28.0 percent), ranks Top 5 among freshmen in total dunks (24) and Top 10 in block percentage (7.8 percent) as well. If he eventually adds a more constant three-pointer to his arsenal, he could be a starter in the NBA very soon.
11. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: Nico Mannion, Arizona
(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Guard, 6-foot-3, 19 years oldÂ
Mannion is averaging 14.4 points and 6.3 assists per game, already an elite distributor at the NCAA level. He is a high-level scorer and passes well out of the pick-and-roll and his assist rate (36.5 percent) currently ranks as third-best among freshman so far this season. His assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3) is a good indication of his instincts. While he may be too young for a starting role next season, he is someone who projects in the first unit for a long time.
12. PHOENIX SUNS: Precious Achiuwa, Memphis
(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Forward, 6-foot-9, 19 years oldÂ
After the absence of Wiseman, the Memphis Tigers have turned to Achiuwa as the face of their team under Penny Hardaway. He has responded well and his defensive rebound percentage (25.4 percent) leads the American Athletic Conference. As a defender, his block percentage (7.4 percent) ranks third-best in the conference as well. He has turned it on as a scorer lately but he would not be leaned on as the primary option for a team with Devin Booker leading the charge.
13. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: Aleksej Pokusevski, Olympiacos B
Forward, 7-foot, 18 years oldÂ
One of the most fascinating, underrated prospects for the 2020 NBA Draft is currently playing in the Greek HEBA A2 league. With a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Pokusevski has the ability to play a bit bigger than his already impressive 7-foot frame. He is averaging 16.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.4 three-pointers per 36 minutes. The Serbian-born prospect has also connected on 32.6 percent from three-point range. As a defender, his size has helped him secure 2.8 blocks per 36 minutes as well. Portland could play him in several different places but could provide his most value as a necessary help on the wing.
14. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Josh Green, Arizona
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Wing, 6-foot-6, 19 years oldÂ
The Arizona freshman was a fantastic scorer on the AAU circuit playing for West Coast Elite, averaging 20.2 points per game. This season, he has put up 12.9 points per game for the Wildcats. Green has also grabbed 5.1 rebounds per game, which has allowed him to be an interesting option operating as the ball handler in a transition offense. Green is currently averaging 1.35 points per possession on these opportunities, per Synergy, which ranks in the 95th percentile. He also has a 6-foot-10 wingspan, which will help him a lot on the defensive side of the ball.
