Tag: NBA Draft

Nets 2020 NBA mock draft radar: Pesaro forward Paul Eboua

If the NBA standings remain where they were at the start of the league’s hiatus, the Brooklyn Nets will have the No. 20 and 55 picks.

Among the uncertainties surrounding the NBA as the novel coronavirus continues to be a major issue in the U.S. is the 2020 draft.

NBA teams won’t be able to look at college players during March Madness, and the rest of the pre-draft process is expected to be limited. The matter of when the draft will actually happen is up in the air, as well. Especially if the league tries to crown a 2020 champion.

For the Brooklyn Nets, based on where the standings were when the league went on hiatus, their first-round pick would convey to the Timberwolves. Minnesota acquired Brooklyn’s top-14 protected pick from the Hawks, which the Nets sent to Atlanta in a trade that delivered Taurean Prince.

But the Nets will not be without a first-round selection. They have Philadelphia’s top-14 protected pick, which Brooklyn acquired when they sent the No. 27 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft — which wound up being Mfiondu Kabengele — to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Nets’ second-round pick belongs to the Boston Celtics, but Brooklyn the Denver Nuggets’ second-round selection.

Right now, the Nets fall have the No. 20 and No. 55 picks.

Here’s a look at one player Brooklyn could take at No. 55:

Paul Eboua | Pesaro | Forward

STATS:  7.4 PPG | 5.3 RPG | 45.9 FG%

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have the Nets taking a chance on the 20-year-old Cameroon native.

Eboua spent 2019-20 playing for Consultinvest VL Pesaro of Italy’s Serie A. He didn’t put up big numbers throughout his first season in Italy’s top pro league, and he still needs to develop further if he’s going to contribute at the NBA level.

At No. 55, Eboua might be worth the risk for Brooklyn, given his athleticism and size — and the Nets’ ability to develop players.

Nets 2020 NBA mock draft radar:

Florida State wing Patrick Williams
Arizona wing Josh Green
Villanova wing Saddiq Bey
Colorado wing Tyler Bey
Evansville forward DeAndre Williams
Oklahoma wing Kristian Doolittle

RELATED: 2020 NBA Draft presents Nets with ‘incredible opportunity’

RELATED: Ranking the top five point guards in Nets history

Boomer Esiason says Joe Burrow to Bengals could be like LeBron to Cavs

The Bengals legend and NFL analyst compared the homecoming potential of Joe Burrow playing for the Bengals to LeBron’s Cavs story.

The NFL Draft, like every other event these days, will be carried on digitally. And although Klutch Sports has plenty of their own draft hopefuls expected to go at the top of the first round, it seems like a slam dunk at this point that the Cincinnati Bengals will pick Joe Burrow No. 1 in the upcoming draft. Burrow, who won the Heisman Trophy and led LSU to a National Championship, is also drawing comparisons to LeBron James from at least one NFL analyst.

CBS analyst and Bengals legend Boomer Esiason said that he sees similarities in the story of Bengals drafting Burrow, who went to high school in Southern Ohio, and LeBron’s story when he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2003 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Bengals.com.

“I equate him to when LeBron James came out of high school his senior year and the Cavaliers had the top pick,” Esiason says. “They had some good years under Larry Nance, but they were never thought of as the Bulls or the Lakers or Celtics. They were the Cleveland Cavaliers for God’s sake. He grew up in the shadow of Cleveland and brought them the championship. Now it’s Joe Burrow’s time. This is his time. He’s got to go home and get it straight and he’s the reason they get it straight. That’s the way it should be written and that’s the way he should be looking at it.”

(Hat-Tip Chris Rolling of Bengals Wire)

While Burrow just had the best season many have ever seen from a college quarterback, it’s going to take a lot more than going No. 1 overall for his story to turn out like LeBron’s.

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Possible Nets first-round pick declares for 2020 NBA Draft

Arizona’s Josh Green is expected to go late in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft — which means the Brooklyn Nets could take him.

Although there’s been talk about the 2020 NBA Draft possibly getting pushed back due to the league’s hiatus because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, college players still have to declare by April 26. However, players can decide to withdraw themselves, it just has to be done by June 3.

Arizona wing Josh Green doesn’t need until April 26. He knows what he wants to do.

On Friday, Green declared for the 2020 NBA Draft on Twitter and Instagram, writing:

Ever since I was a little kid in Australia, it’s been a goal of mine to play in the NBA.

I’m proud to take a step closer to that dream. After careful consideration with those closest to me, I’ve made the decision to declare for the 2020 NBA Draft.

Green also thanked the University of Arizona, his coach and fans with his announcement:

Nets 2020 NBA mock draft radar:

Florida State wing Patrick Williams
Arizona wing Josh Green
Villanova wing Saddiq Bey
Colorado wing Tyler Bey
Evansville forward DeAndre Williams
Oklahoma wing Kristian Doolittle

RELATED: Potential Nets 2020 draft pick to ‘test the waters’

RELATED: Ranking the top five point guards in Nets history

NBA teams hoping to push back draft until at least August

Several teams are still hoping to salvage the NBA draft process, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony.

As the NBA’s teams, players and administration are holding out hope that there is a way to save the season and crown a 2020 Champion. But one of the butterfly effects of trying to salvage the season will presumably be moving the 2020 NBA Draft, which will need to get done sometime before school begins in the fall at universities.

ESPN’s duo of Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony reported on Friday morning that teams have united to ask the league to push back the draft from its original date on June 25 to at least August 1, with the hopes of having a draft in early September.

An Aug. 1 date would be flexible, based on whether the league restarts and advances the regular season and playoffs through the summer. In that case, most envision a September draft and free-agency period based on a season that concludes around Labor Day weekend.

So, the hope for the league is that they are able to salvage the season where it can end in the latter part of the summer and still have an “off-season” in September. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the best-case scenario looks like the season ending in September with the following 2020-21 season hopefully starting around Christmas.

Whether those scenarios will play out is another story, but the NBA has an idea of how they may come back if the public health crisis subsides.

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2020 NBA Draft presents Nets with ‘incredible opportunity’

Among the other tough tasks ahead of the Brooklyn Nets and the rest of the NBA is the 2020 Draft.

The 2020 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 25, but there’s no telling whether or not that will stick given what else is going on in the world. If the league goes through with the draft, it may all have to be done virtually and over the phone, rather than at the home of the Brooklyn Nets, Barclays Center. The WNBA and NFL Drafts could dictate whether or not the NBA pushes the date of the event back or attempts a virtual draft, something the other two leagues plan to do.

And while the draft day process could be changed, the pre-draft process has already been altered since “organizations are prohibited from conducting in-person workouts or interviews with draft-eligible players until further notice,” according to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski. Virtual interviews are fair game, but teams can’t ask for footage of recent workouts.

Just another complicated obstacle NBA teams have to deal with. But Sean Marks feels the Nets are up to the task, as he explained to Chris Carrino during their conversation that was broadcasted on the Brooklyn Nets app.

This is an incredible challenge and an incredible opportunity — something that we need to seize. Let’s not forget, obviously, what’s going on behind the scenes, or really out in the forefront to be honest with you. You turn on the news channel and see some pretty horrific images. But again, I think it’s about us trying to find some sense of normalcy — and that is, trust the process. Trust what we’ve done for the last nine months, 18 months leading into this college season. And our scouts are prepared. I think we’re doing what a lot of companies are doing now. We’re having these virtual chats and so forth and getting to see each other. But, getting back into the swing of having these draft meetings, free agency meetings and just planning out what the future may look like has certainly been beneficial for our group.

Brooklyn’s first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft belongs to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the Nets are in position to receive the Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round pick. The Nets also have their own pick in the second round.

Nets 2020 NBA mock draft radar:

Florida State wing Patrick Williams
Arizona wing Josh Green
Villanova wing Saddiq Bey
Evansville forward DeAndre Williams
Oklahoma wing Kristian Doolittle

RELATED: What Sean Marks is looking for in Nets’ next head coach

RELATED: Ranking the top five point guards in Nets history

Warriors select Georgia’s Anthony Edwards at the top of ESPN’s latest mock draft

Another 2020 NBA mock draft has the Golden State Warriors selecting Georgia’s Anthony Edwards with the first pick.

With the worst record in the league with 17 games remaining on the calendar, the Golden State Warriors are expected to own an early selection in the 2020 NBA draft for the first time in years. Although there isn’t a top overall prospect, Golden State will have the chance to grab a highly touted player in June’s draft.

While the NBA slate is on hold until further notice, mock draft season has taken off ahead of schedule. With new waves of simulations pouring in, one member of the 2020 draft class is becoming a popular choice for the Golden State Warriors.

Another projection has Georgia’s Anthony Edwards penciled in with the Golden State Warriors with the first pick in 2020. In ESPN’s latest mock draft, Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz tap the Georgia freshman to bring “instant offense” to Golden State at the top of the draft.

Via ESPN:

Edwards would add instant offense to an already high-powered nucleus with his ability to get downhill and rise up from anywhere on the floor. Small-ball lineups featuring Stephen Curry, Edwards, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green would offer an intriguing blend of skill and bounce, while Edwards also has the long-term upside to grow into the face of the franchise down the line.

During his only season in Athens, Edwards exploded onto the Southeastern Conference scene with 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest. The freshman shot 40.1% from the field and 29.4% from beyond the arc while recording seven games with 25 points or more for the Bulldogs.

Although it’s still early in the draft process, Edwards is becoming a favorite to hear his name called first in June’s draft.

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Cassius Winston taken in first round of latest ESPN NBA mock draft

Winston is selected 29th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers.

At least one Michigan State basketball player is worthy of a first round pick according to the NBA Draft brain trust at ESPN.

Cassius Winston is slated to be picked by the Los Angeles Lakers 29th overall in ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft.

Of Winston ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz writes, “One of the most polished pick-and-roll point guards in the draft, Winston would give the Lakers a much-needed boost at the backup PG spot with his handle, craft, touch and feel. I’m also fascinated by LSU’s Skylar Mays and his potential fit alongside LeBron James or, in the second unit, Alex Caruso. The 6-4 senior is a combo guard who can run the show in a pinch, knock down open spot 3s, play pick-and-roll and defend point guards thanks to his toughness and instincts.”

Winston was also recently featured as a first-round pick in NBC Sports’ latest mock draft and can usually be found somewhere between the end of the first round and middle of the second round in prospect rankings.

Winston’s MSU teammate Xavier Tillman Sr. also gets selected in the ESPN draft, although he’s further down the list, going 50th overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The NBA Draft is currently scheduled for June 25, but that is subject to change due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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Potential Nets 2020 draft pick to ‘test the waters’

If he doesn’t withdraw from the draft process, Saddiq Bey is expected to go outside the lottery, which is when Brooklyn’s pick comes up.

Among the aspects of the basketball world impacted by the novel coronavirus outbreak is the 2020 NBA Draft. Players have to declare by April 26. If players want to withdraw and maintain NCAA eligibility, they have to remove themselves from consideration by June 3.

With the way Villanova wing Saddiq Bey announced he was declaring for the 2020 NBA Draft, it sounds like the 20-year-old could still withdraw himself. For now, though, Bey will take part in the draft process, per John Fanta of Fox Sports

I will definitely be trying to test the waters. We just have to wait and see how it unfolds. It’s unchartered territory.

Bey elaborated on his approach further for the media, per Joe Juliano of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

I will definitely go through that process, whenever I’ll be able to, whenever that opens up, and I’ll be keeping my options open for sure. I have to see how it unfolds.

I’m just talking to our coaching staff and my family and stuff like that, just trying to stay ready. It’s uncharted territory, so I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m just staying ready for anything, and just being ready for it when that time comes.

Bey is projected as a later first-round pick, though not too long after the lottery — which puts him in range for the Brooklyn Nets at No. 20.

Kaleb Wesson pegged as a top-40 prospect by NBC Sports

Ohio State power forward Kaleb Wesson has declared for the NBA Draft. One outlet has him as a top forty prospect.

Kaleb Wesson has entered his name into the NBA Draft.

While the draft’s date is still officially set for June 25, the coronavirus pandemic could end up changing that. But one thing that likely won’t change is Wesson’s mindset towards returning to Ohio State.

Following an abrupt and unexpected end to his junior season, the six-foot, nine-inch power forward will forgo his last year of collegiate eligibility to test the waters at the sport’s highest level, or so we think. Technically the big man could decide to still come back, but it’d be a stretch to think he would flirt with the NBA for two straight-seasons and come back both times.

This past season, Wesson averaged 14.0 points and a career-high 9.3 rebounds. On a Buckeye team that reached into the top five early in the season, Wesson was the focal point of the offense.

But, what’s his ceiling and where might be land in the upcoming draft? Well, NBC Sports’ Rob Dauster current has Wesson pegged as the 39th best prospect.

“Wesson is the guy that was helped the most by testing the waters of the NBA draft last year. He shed some weight, he’s gotten much better as a defender in ball-screen actions and he’s still a bully on the block that can really pass and knockdown threes. He’s got a shot to stick,” Dauster said regarding the Ohio State forward.

Wesson may not have the highest ceiling in the draft, but he should be able to contribute to any team in the league. His three-point shooting, making 1.5 per game on 42.5% from behind the arc, is what will help drive his value.

That said, expect to hear Wesson’s name in the future, but it may not be until a few hours into the draft.

Georgia basketball star Anthony Edwards goes No. 1 in latest NBA mock draft

Georgia forward Anthony Edwards goes No. 1 in NBC’s latest NBA mock draft

Georgia’s Anthony Edwards was selected at No. 1 in NBC Sports‘ latest NBA mock draft.

On June 25, Edwards could be UGA’s first ever No. 1 selection in the NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-4 guard was a one-and-done at Georgia, displaying an incredible scoring ability and freakish athleticism.

The SEC Freshman of the Year scored a team-leading 19.1 points per game while adding 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

On Edwards, NBC Sports wrote:

Edwards is the best scorer in this 2020 NBA Mock Draft. At 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan and explosive athleticism, he’s proven himself to be a dangerous three-level bucket-getter that can get hot and do things like score 33 points in a half. Ask Michigan State. He also has the physical profile of a guard that can defend two or three different positions in the NBA. It’s all there.

Although Edwards is perhaps the most proficient scorer in this year’s draft class, there are still some questions regarding his jump-shot.

At UGA, Edwards shot 29% from the 3-pt line, however, the numbers may not reflect that the guard was forced to be a one-man show for the Bulldogs.

Whether Edwards goes first or not, Bulldog fans hope he lands with a certain team from Atlanta…..

The Hawks do currently hold one of 14 projected lottery picks, so there is a possibility Edwards may be back in the red and black this fall.